McCoy leaves KHON news post
| • | Sports: Liz Chun will become sports director at KGMB |
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Jim McCoy has resigned as news director at ratings leader KHON-2, effective yesterday.
"We will begin an extensive local and national search (for McCoy's replacement)," said Rick Blangiardi, who is general manager of KHON-2 and KGMB-9, two Emmis Communications Corp. stations in Hawai'i.
Blangiardi refused to elaborate or cite a reason for McCoy's departure.
In a message to station colleagues yesterday, McCoy said Sunday would have marked his 20th year at KHON and he's sorry that he won't be there. He was a political reporter with the station and then managing editor before becoming news director in 1996.
"Rick has made it abundantly clear that the station managers were the most vulnerable," he said. "I headed the largest department and the one that defines this station. And frankly, three years of doing more news with increasingly less resources has taken its toll ... not just on me but on the entire department.
"I was enthused that Rick would lead the charge to re-establish our dominance. I had hoped to be part of that effort. But these decisions are a reality in our business."
KHON anchor Joe Moore said: "I feel bad for Jim. Unfortunately, the harsh reality today is that station owners see TV news as more of a cash cow than a public service. If the cow's not producing enough cash, the person the company deems most responsible is fired. Hopefully, the company will live up to its people-oriented image and award this hard-working, 20-year employee a fair severance package ..."
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.
