WLS-TV Annual EEO Public File Report August 1, 2022
WLS-TV ANNUAL EEO PUBLIC FILE REPORT, AUGUST 1, 2022
This Annual EEO Public File Report is filed on behalf of WLS-TV (the "Station" or "ABC7") in compliance with the FCC's EEO reporting requirements.
This report includes information from July 16, 2021 through July 15, 2022.
General Policy
WLS-TV has a longstanding commitment to a policy of equal employment and advancement opportunities for all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, gender, marital status, religion, age, national origin or citizenship status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a Vietnam era or special disabled veteran, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.
This commitment to fair employment practices applies to every aspect of the employment process to ensure that equal consideration is extended to all employees and applicants in recruitment, selection procedures, employee development, performance evaluation, promotions, transfers, benefits and other aspects of employment.
It is WLS-TV's policy to promote the realization of equal employment opportunity through a positive, continuing program of specific recruitment, outreach, hiring, promotion and other practices designed to ensure the full realization of equal employment opportunity.
Responsibility
John Idler, President and General Manager of WLS-TV, is in charge of the implementation and administration of the Equal Opportunity Programs and the accuracy of the information in this report, which was drafted by Dorothy Mathias, Business Admin Analyst of WLS-TV.
Job Vacancy Information
WLS-TV is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to meeting and surpassing the Station's EEO information dissemination obligations. Notices of all full-time job vacancies were posted on the Station's website and on the website of The Walt Disney Company, its ultimate parent company. Notices of full-time job openings were also distributed to the Illinois Broadcasters Association, TVjobs.com, and the Station's Recruitment Source List, which is made up of other professional groups, including minority and women's organizations, that requested such notification or that the Station believed could be useful referral sources. See Attachment A, for the Station's Recruitment Source List, (including names, addresses, contact names and numbers of the organizations to which the Station directly sends notices of job openings).
The Station will continue to actively seek out new recruitment sources to ensure that word of all job openings is distributed to a broad pool of potential applicants.
Positions Filled
During the reporting period (July 16, 2021 through July 15, 2022), WLS-TV filled 14 full-time job vacancies. Job-specific recruitment sources are itemized in Attachment B below.
Supplemental Non-Vacancy Specific Outreach and Recruitment Measures
WLS-TV is continuing to offer internships with a majority of the internships now on a 2-track program and comprised of winter/spring (Jan-June) or Summer/Fall (June-Jan). However, there were still some fall internships this year for WLS because WLS either had not yet been converted to 2-track or the current intern left early and are backfilling for the second half of a season. The internship program is administered by Disney Campus Recruitment. Generally the recruiting seasons are Late August into Late October for the Winter/Spring season and then February-April for the Summer/Fall season. Students are encouraged to continually check the Disney intern site during those times for openings as well as throughout the year and for any unexpected openings. Information about the internship program is also posted on the Station's website. WLS internships include a wage and average about 20 hours per week.
Those who have successfully completed the Station internship program have often received paid positions in broadcasting after graduation. By way of example:
-In 2017, three former interns were hired by WLS-TV - two as freelance Production Assistants in Programming and one as a part time Desk Assistant in News. One former intern was hired as a Weekend News Anchor and another former intern was hired as a News Producer at other television stations.
-In 2018, one former intern was hired by WLS-TV as a freelance Production Assistant in Programming and one former intern was hired as a Production Assistant for a radio news program. Three former interns were hired at other television stations; one as a Desk Assistant/Field Producer, one as a reporter and one as a Senior Producer.
-In 2019, one former intern was hired as a Production Assistant at another television station, one former intern was hired as a Multi-Media Journalist at another television station, and four former interns were hired by WLS-TV as freelance Production.
Assistants in Programming and one former intern was hired by WLS-TV as a staff News Reporter. One former intern, who had been hired by WLS-TV as a freelance Production Assistant in Programming was promoted to a staff Producer in Programming.
-In 2020, one former intern was hired as a Videographer & Editor at a Production company, one former intern was hired as a Media Apprentice for Image and Sound, and another former intern was hired as a Floor Director/Production Assistant at another television station.
-In 2021-22, four interns were hired by WLS-TV. Three as part time Desk Assistants in News and one intern was hired by WLS as a Programming Production Assistant. In addition, one former intern was hired as a Field Production Assistant at another television station.
See Attachment C for a description of internship opportunities and a list of the schools the interns attended.
(B) Career Days: Over the past year, some of the Station's on-air-talent and managers have given in person and virtual broadcast career-oriented talks sponsored by educational or community groups:
Tanja Babich - News Anchor
Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism - Chicago, IL (Both) - January 20, 2022 & April 8, 2022
HFS Chicago Scholars - Chicago, IL (Virtual) - February 2022
Will Jones - Race & Culture Reporter
Teach for Chicago Journalism at Medill - Chicago, IL - June 22, 2022
Jason Knowles - Consumer Investigator
IC Catholic Prep - Elmhurst, IL (Virtual) - September 30, 2021
Larry Mowry - News Anchor
Bounce Children's Foundation - Deerfield, IL (Virtual) - January 22, 2022
Mark Rivera - News Anchor
Mount Prospect High School - Mt. Prospect, IL - December 2, 2021
(C) Station Tour: Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic this was still paused as outside visitors could not be let inside the building.
(D) Job Fairs: From August 24, 2021 thru August 28, 2021 the Station virtually attended the Asian American Journalists Association Convention. Executive Producer Wilson Toy, who has partial responsibility for hiring decisions, attended and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Mr. Toy also served as a panelist, reviewed applicant reels, and counseled journalists on what hiring managers hope to see when screening audition tapes.
From August 18, 2021 thru August 21, 2021 the Station virtually participated in the National Association of Black Journalists Convention. Former Assistant News Director Sarah Burke, who had responsibility for hiring decisions, attended, reviewed reels, and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Colin Evans, Executive Producer attended, met with candidates, and collected resumes. Hosea Sanders, Anchor, also participated in a session as an interviewer and moderator.
On July 12, 2021 thru July 17, 2021 the Station virtually participated in the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Convention. Assignment Manager, Adriana Cortez, attended, met, and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Ms. Cortez reviewed resumes and critiqued their applicant reels.
(E) Media Trade Group Postings: During the reporting period, the Station sent its upper-level full-time job openings to several media organizations with substantial representation of women and minorities, such as the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and others listed in Attachment A.
- Efforts to Improve Mailing List and Recruitment Methodology
In an effort to expand and improve its organizational mailing list, the Station aired a 15-second spot on both the analog and high definition simulcast channels as well as the
Station's second high definition channel requesting that organizations interested in being added to our mailing list contact us. The 15-second spot aired once a month between July of 2021 and June of 2022 on the analog and high definition simulcast channels. The 15-second spot also aired once a month between July of 2021 and June of 2022 on the second high definition channel. This message is also posted on the Station's website.
WLS-TV is engaged in a continual effort to evaluate the effectiveness of its EEO outreach and recruitment program and to improve and refine it as needed by monitoring the responses that are received and ensuring that the interviewing pool for the positions it fills includes a large number of qualified applicants from diverse sources. WLS-TV continually modifies and regularly expands its recruitment program as needed to fulfill these goals.
- ATTACHMENT A
WLS-TV RECRUITMENT SOURCE LIST
For the Entire Period 07/16/21 - 07/15/22
Bright Horizons - 500 West Monroe Street - Chicago, Illinois 60661
Contact Gina Barnes - Phone (312) 876-8687
Email gina.barnes@brighthorizons.com
Chicago Urban League - 4510 S. Michigan Avenue - Chicago, Illinois 60653
Contact Joe O. Gray - Phone (773) 285-5800 - Fax (773) 285-7772
Contact Calmetta Coleman, CUL Newsletter; Andrew Wells, CUL Workforce Clients Email ccoleman@chiul.org ; AWells@chiul.org
Connecticut School of Broadcasting - 3901 Coconut Palm Drive - Suite 105
Tampa, FL 33619
Contact Shayna King - Phone (813) 443-5307
Email jobs@gocsb.com
Counseling for Special Needs Adults - 125 S. Wilke Rd - Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Contact Christine Santini - Phone (847) 212-8093
Email mcmayyy@aol.com
Emma Bowen Foundation - 524 West 57th Street - New York, NY 10019
Contact: Phylis Eagle-Oldson - Phone (212) 975-2545
Email Phylis.Eagle-Oldson @nbcuni.com
Family International Outreach Ministries, Inc. - 117 Fairlane Dr - Joliet, IL 60435
Contact Linda Weatherspoon
Email llwspoon@yahoo.com
Harold Washington College - 30 East Lake Street - Chicago, Illinois 60601
Contact Ollie Horan - Phone (312) 553-5667 - Fax (312) 553-3130
Illinois Center for Broadcasting - 455 Eisenhower Lane South, Lombard, IL 60148
Phone (630) 524-4628.
Email dclark@beonair.com
Illinois Department of Employment Security - 33 South State St. - Chicago, IL 60603
Contact Melonie Morgan-Tyler - Phone (312) 793-1176
Email Melonie.Morgan-Tyler@illinois.gov
*Illinois Media School - 210 S Clark St - Chicago, IL 60603
Contact Anthony Tobias - Phone (331) 215-4733
Email atobias@beonair.com
Effective 10/12/2021
Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans - 3800 W. Division Street -
Stone Park, Illinois 60165
Contact JoAnn Serpico - Phone (708) 450-9050 - Fax (708) 450-9065
Email jcc@jccia.com
Latino Council on Media - 2011 West Pershing Road - Chicago, Illinois 60609
Contact Mary Gonzalez-Koenig - Phone (773) 523-4380 - Fax (773) 247-3924
NAACP - 800 East 78th Street - Chicago, Illinois 60619
Contact Rev. James Demus - Phone (773) 487-9600 - Fax (773) 429-9834
Email westsidenaacp@gmail.com
NABET - CWA Local 41 - (National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians) 211 West Wacker Drive - Suite 1030 - Chicago, Illinois 60606
Contact Chris Willadsen - Phone (312) 372-4111 - Fax (312) 372-4115
Email raza@nabet41.org; jfabrizi@cwa-union.org; (Updated 04/07/2022)
Website NABET 41.org
NABJ Chicago Chapter (National Association of Black Journalists) - P.O. Box 811132 - Chicago, IL 60681.
Email secretary@nabjchicago.org
NAHJ Columbia Chapter (National Association of Hispanic Journalists) - 916 South Wabash, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60605
Contact Tyler K. McDermott
Email hjc@loop.colum.edu
National Latino Education Institute - 2011 W. Pershing Road - Chicago, IL 60609
Phone (773) 247-0707 ext. 243
Contact Celia Lopez (Effective 10/24/19)
Email clopez@nlei.org
NLGJA (National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association) - 1420 K Street, NW
Suite 910 - Washington, DC 20005
Contact L. Spencer - Phone (202) 588-9888 - Fax (202) 588-1818
Email info@nlgja.org
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition - 930 East 50th Street - Chicago, Illinois 60615
Contact Candice Brown - Phone (773) 373-3366 - Fax (773) 256-2772
Contact Reverend Janette Wilson
Email revjwilson@rainbowpush.org
Restorative Justice Community Court - 3605 W. Fillmore Street - Chicago, IL 60624
Contact Jacquelyn Ingram - Phone (773)-588-0180 - Fax (773) 826-3620
Email jmjingram@gmail.com
Rona Mobley Wells Foundation - 3720 South Dearborn - Chicago, IL 60609
Contact Rona Mobley - Phone (312) 972-5332 - Fax (866) 850-0307
Email ronamiracle@yahoo.com
Saint Sabina Employment Resource Center - 7825 S Racine Ave - Chicago, IL 60620
Contact Tony Tobias - Phone (708) 651-8629
Email Atobias@ercsabina.org
Transformation Learning Center - 1013 Desplaines Ave - Ste 203 - Forest Park, IL 60130
Contact Francine Anderson
Email Franderson59@gmail.com
United Cerebral Palsy Association - 325 North Wells Street - Suite 321
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Contact Angela Welch - Phone (312) 464-1608- Fax (708) 863-3863
Women Employed - 65 E. Wacker Place- Suite 1500 - Chicago, Illinois 60601
Contact Maritza Gonzalez - Phone (312) 782-3902 - Fax (312) 782-5249
Email info@womenemployed.org
Youth Job Center of Evanston - 1114 Church Street - Evanston, Illinois 60201
Contact James Sibley - Phone (847) 964-5627 - Fax (847) 864-3098
* These organizations explicitly requested to be placed on the Station's Recruitment Source List
ATTACHMENT B
POSITIONS FILLED BETWEEN 07/16/21- 07/15/22
Listed below are the fourteen full-time positions filled at WLS-TV between 07/16/21 and 07/15/22 the recruitment methods used for each, and the sources of interviewed applicants.
Morning Weekend News Producer
Date position was opened: 05/18/21
Date position was filled: 08/23/21
The position was posted on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Ten people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Five applicants from the ABC website and five referral applicants. The candidate hired was a referral applicant.
Daypart Executive Producer
Date position was opened: 05/25/21
Date position was filled: 10/17/21
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Seven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants from the Disney Careers website, two internal staff employee applicants, and one referral. The candidate hired was an in house staff employee applicant. This position represented a promotion for the in-house staff employee from a Newscast Producer to an Executive Producer.
Programming Associate Producer
Date position was opened: 07/27/21
Date position was filled: 11/01/21
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Six people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Three applicants were former employees, two internal employees, and one applicant from the company career website. The candidate hired was a former employee. The former employee also interned in the programming department with us from June 2019 through August 2019.
Assistant News Director (2 positions)
Date position was opened: 09/15/21
Date position was filled: 12/27/21 & 01/24/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, the Rick Gevers & Associates website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Five people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Two applicants from the Disney Careers website, one referral, and two internal employees. The one candidate hired was an in house staff employee applicant while the other candidate was a referral. This position represented a promotion for the in-house staff employee from an Executive Producer to an Assistant News Director.
Broadcast IT Specialist
Date position was opened: 10/1/21
Date position was filled: 02/22/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Eighteen people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Thirteen applicants from LinkedIn, two from Indeed.com, two were outside source referrals, and one was from the Disney careers site. The referral source of the candidate hired was LinkedIn.
Connected TV App Newscast Producer (2 positions)
Date position was opened: 10/08/21
Date position was filled: 12/04/21 & 03/07/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Four people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the Disney Careers website, one referral, one from LinkedIn, and one internal employee. The one candidate hired was an internal daily hire employee applicant while the other candidate was a referral. This position represented a promotion for the in-house daily hire employee from a Newswriter to a Newscast Producer.
Promotion Producer
Date position was opened: 11/15/21
Date position was filled: 02/14/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Eight people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Two referrals, five applicants from the company career website, and one internal employee applicant. The candidate hired was an employee referral.
Digital Producer
Date position was opened: 12/20/21
Date position was filled: 03/06/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Eight people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants from the Disney careers website, three were from LinkedIn, and one internal applicant. The candidate hired was an internal part-time employee. This position represented a promotion for the in-house employee from a Part-Time Web Producer to a Digital Producer.
Broadcast IT Associate (2 positions)
Date position was opened: 02/04/22
Date position was filled: 03/14/22 & 04/04/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Eighteen people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Thirteen applicants from LinkedIn, two from Indeed.com, two were outside source referrals, and one was from the Disney careers site. The referral source of the candidates hired was LinkedIn.
Late Evening Daypart Executive Producer
Date position was opened: 02/14/22
Date position was filled: 05/22/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Three people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Two applicants from the Disney career website and one internal employee. The candidate hired was an in-house staff employee. This position represented a promotion for the in-house staff employee from a Producer to an Executive Producer.
Programming Production Assistant
Date position was opened: 04/05/22
Date position was filled: 05/08/22
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvjobs.com website, the AAJA website, the NABJ website, the NAHJ website, and emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Four people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Two applicants from the Disney company career website and two internal applicants. The candidate hired was an internal intern applicant. This position represented a promotion for the intern from an extended internship to a staff Programming Production Assistant.
ATTACHMENT C
INTERNS
The following is a description of internship opportunities at WLS-TV and a list of the schools that the station's 2021-22 interns attended.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the internship program is still both virtual and onsite.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
DePaul University October 2021 - November 2021
Georgetown University September 2021 - May 2022
Grambling State University June 2022 - January 2023
Loyola University January 2022 - July 2022
New York University January 2022 - May 2022
Northwestern University June 2022 - January 2023
Interns are typically assigned to a reporter two days a week and to the news planning department one day a week.
While assigned to reporters, interns work on a variety of stories. Tasks include researching information and setting up possible virtual interviews.
The news planning department is responsible for collecting, researching and developing future news reports for the ABC7 news department. The planning editor and planning department researcher (regular staff employees) create a daily sheet, which lists possible reporting ideas. This list is then used the following day in the morning editorial meeting to decide which news reports will be covered. The planning department is also responsible for planning long-term stories, such as elections and political conventions.
News planning department interns assist the planning editor and researcher by, among other duties: answering phone tip lines, collecting and organizing possible future news reports. They are encouraged to contribute potential story ideas and attend the morning editorial meeting virtually when possible. The interns' duties also include conducting phone pre-interviews on potential interview subjects to determine the newsworthiness of any given story.
GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT
University of California October 2021 - May 2022
The Graphic Design Interns are involved in:
-Immersion in department meetings and critiques for design and motion graphic projects
-Support designers and animators working with creative briefs and requests
-Assist in asset creation and learn the ropes of creative project planning
-Participate in collaboration and project discussions
-Experience the design process from conception to completion and distribution
-Create artwork for multi-platform projects
IT DEPARTMENT
University of Southern California June 2022 - January 2023
Broadcast IT Interns are exposed to a wide range of broadcast technology, shadowing IT specialists and broadcast engineers while performing various maintenance, troubleshooting and user support at the station. They are exposed to production and studio operations and involved in special projects and events, such as elections, parades and special events. The Technology department is responsible for all station technology and user support, both at the station and for our equipment in the field (news gathering vehicles, transmission infrastructure, radar systems, etc).
DIGITAL / WEB DEPARTMENT
Northern Illinois University June 2022 - July 2022
Digital Interns are part of a digital team assisting in producing stories and engaging our audience on social networks. Interns take on new challenges and make a difference. Some of these responsibilities include update and develop digital content, research internet-related reports, sites and systems, format documents and images, along with special projects that come up.
CREATIVE SERVICES / PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENT
Concordia University Chicago October 2021 - January 2022
DePaul University June 2022 - January 2023
Lewis University January 2022 - August 2022
Interns assigned to the creative services / programming department can be involved in two main areas of work:
Production
Publicity
PRODUCTION - Interns work closely with producers who are responsible for a wide variety of productions and programs scheduled to air on WLS-TV during their time of assignment. Interns can be directly involved in research, planning, screening
and editing of videotape. This is field and office experience. In both cases, interns act as production associates to the producers. The work is creative and deadline demanding, and provides an understanding of the work that goes on behind the scenes of studio-based live events and field-produced programs.
PUBLICITY - Interns work closely with the WLS-TV Station Publicist, in concert with the Program Director, in helping to cultivate and maintain a professional public profile in the greater community. Interns learn how press releases are written and how they are used to communicate both publicly and "internally" among other media outlets and allied
fields. Interns learn also to gather important information from various sources to help managers keep abreast of the marketplace. The work is information oriented and provides an understanding of the need for clear communication - publicly and internally.
