WLS-TV Annual EEO Public File Report August 1, 2015
WLS-TV ANNUAL EEO PUBLIC FILE REPORT, AUGUST 1, 2015
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, 2014 through July 15, 2015.
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 Mary Ellen Kalanarhos, Payroll &
Benefits Manager 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 often posted on the Illinois Broadcasters Association website and sent to other professional groups and minority and women's organizations that requested such notification or that the Station believed could be useful referral sources. See Attachment A, the Station's Recruitment Source List, for names, addresses, contact names and numbers of the organizations to which the Station directly sends notices of job openings. Job-specific recruitment sources are itemized in Attachment B below.
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, 2014 through July 15, 2015), WLS-TV filled twenty three full-time job vacancies. See Attachment B for information about the recruitment initiatives used and the results of those recruitment initiatives.
Supplemental Recruitment Measures
(A) Internship Program: WLS-TV is continuing to offer internships during each fall, winter/spring and summer sessions to college and university students (including women and minorities). An internship generally lasts 12-15 weeks, with each student working about 20 hours per week for school credit. To recruit college interns, our Internship Coordinator goes to several colleges and works directly with the Internship Directors at each school. Information about the internship program is also posted on the Station's website.
Those who have successfully completed the Station internship program have often received full-time paid positions in broadcasting after graduation. By way of example:
Two of the Station's former interns became General Assignment Reporters at other television stations.
One former intern was employed as an Account Executive in ABC National TV Sales and has since been promoted to Vice President, Local Sales Manager at WLS-TV.
* See one exception regarding a Meteorologist position, as explained on page 12
One former intern was hired by ABC-TV as a Sales Assistant in Network Sales; another was hired as a Sales Assistant for WLS-TV and has since been promoted to a Marketing Sales Associate. Still another former intern was hired by WLS-TV as an Account Executive.
In 2003, two former interns were hired by WLS-TV as full-time Graphic Artists in Creative Services.
From 2004 to 2006, seven former interns were hired as freelance employees by WLS-TV: one in Programming, one in Accounting and five in News.
Between 2006 and 2008, two former interns were hired by WLS-TV as full-time Producers in Programming.
Between 2009 and 2010, one former intern was hired by WLS-TV as a full-time Producer in On Line Operations, and two other former interns were hired as freelance employees by WLS-TV in the same department.
In 2011, two former interns were hired as full time employees; one as a Producer in Programming and one as a Graphic Artist in Creative Services. Also, one former intern was hired as a freelance Production Assistant in Programming.
In 2012, one former intern was hired as a freelance employee by WLS-TV as a Post Production Coordinator.
In 2013, six former interns were hired as freelance Production Assistants in Programming and one former intern was hired as a freelance, on-air Meteorologist.
In 2014, two former interns were hired as freelance Production Assistants in Programming.
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 career-oriented talks at the following locations:
Gyllian Carter - Programming Producer
Innovations High School - Chicago, IL - October 10, 2014
Diane Pathieu - News Reporter
Columbia College - Chicago, IL - September 25, 2014
Phil Schwarz - News Anchor
Anna McDonald Elementary School - Manhattan, IL - October 14, 2014
Prairie Grove Elementary School - Crystal Lake, IL - October 14, 2014
Anne Swaney - Executive Producer, Online Operations
Illinois Center for Broadcasting - Chicago, IL - December 5, 2014
On April 18, 2015 ABC7 hosted 150 high school students as part of the National Association of Television Program Executives career day. ABC7 General Manager John Idler was one of several panelists who spoke to the young journalists about careers in broadcasting.
(C) Station Tour: Over the past year, one of the Station's on-air-talent gave a career-oriented tour of the station:
Stacey Baca, a news anchor, gave a tour of the station on the following date:
July 19, 2014 - to a group of high school and college students who are part of a Latino student group called Los Angeles de Crystal.
(D) Job Fairs: On July 30, 2014 the Station hosted a booth at the National Association of Black Journalists Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Executive Producer Tony Shute, who has partial responsibility for hiring decisions, attended and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Mr. Shute reviewed applicant reels and counseled journalists on what hiring managers hope to see when screening audition tapes.
On August 13, 2014 the Station hosted a booth at the Asian American Journalists Association Conference in Washington, DC. Executive Producer Wilson Toy, who has partial responsibility for hiring decisions, attended and collected resumes of potential job applicants. Mr. Toy reviewed applicant reels and counseled journalists on what hiring managers hope to see when screening audition tapes.
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 2014 and June of 2015 on the analog and high definition simulcast channels. The 15-second spot also aired once a month between July of 2014 and June of 2015 on the second high definition channel.
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 07/16/14 - 07/15/15
602 Communications - 1011 Lyndhurst Falls Lane, Knightdale, NC 27545
Contact Sandy Lizik - Phone (919) 217-4438.
Email slizik@602communications.com
Chicago Urban League -220 South State Street - Suite 1100 - Chicago, Illinois 60604
Contact Joe O. Gray - Phone (312) 692-0766 - Fax (312) 692-0769
City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Workforce Development - 1615 West Chicago Avenue - Chicago, IL 60622
Contact Anne Sheahan - Phone (312) 746-8545
Email anne.sheahan@cityofchicago.org
Connecticut School of Broadcasting - 3250 Lacey Road - Suite 130 - Downers Grove, IL 60515
Contact Gina Ferraro - Phone (630) 390-3568
Email csbdownersgrove@gocsb.com and jobs@gocsb.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
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 - 55 West 22nd St. Suite 240, Lombard, IL 60148
Phone (630) 916-1700.
Email placement.chicago@beonair.com
Illinois Department of Human Services - 401 South Clinton Street - Chicago, Illinois 60607
Contact Job Board - Phone (312) 814-4392 - Fax (312) 814-2378
E-mail randy.staton@illinois.gov
*Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans - 3800 W. Division Street -
Stone Park, Illinois 60165
Contact Marie Palello - Phone (708) 450-9050 - Fax (708) 450-9065
E-mail jcc@jccia.com
Website www.jccia.com
Latino Council on Media - 2011 West Pershing Road - Chicago, Illinois 60609
Contact Mary Gonzalez-Koenig - Phone (773) 247-1778 - Fax (773) 247-3924
NAACP - 800 East 78th Street - Chicago, Illinois 60619
Contact Rev. James Demus - Phone (773) 487-9600 - Fax (773) 429-9834
*NABET - CWA Local 41 - (National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians) 211 West Wacker Drive - Suite 1030 - Chicago, Illinois 60606
Contact Charlie Braico - Phone (312) 372-4111 - Fax (312) 372-4115
E-mail charlieb@nabet41.org; jfabrizi@cwa-union.org;
Website NABET 41.org
NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) - 8701A Adelphi Road - Adelphi, MD 20783
Contact Warren Paul - Phone (301) 445-7100 - Fax (301) 445-7101
Website www.nabj.org
NABJ Chicago Chapter (National Association of Black Journalists) - P.O. Box 811132 - Chicago, IL 60681.
E-mail nabjccsecretary@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
NLEI (National Latino Education Institute) - 2011 West Pershing Road - Chicago, Illinois 60609
Contact Celia Lopez - Phone (773) 247-0707 - Fax (773) 247-4975
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
E-mail info@nlgja.org
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition - 930 East 50th Street - Chicago, Illinois 60615
Contact Candice Brown - Phone (773) 373-3366 - Fax (773) 256-2772
Television Bureau of Advertising - 3 East 54th Street - New York, NY 10022
Contact Job Bank Coordinator - Phone (212) 486-1111 - Fax (212) 935-5631
E-mail tiphany@tvb.org
*TVJobs.Com - P.O. Box 4116 - Oceanside, CA 92052
Contact Mark Holloway - Phone (760) 754-8177 - Fax (760) 754-2115
Website www.tvjobs.com
United Cerebral Palsy Association - 325 North Wells Street - Suite 321
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Contact Angela Welch - Phone (312) 464-1608- Fax (312) 464-1646
Westside Business Improvement - 5427 West Madison - Chicago, Illinois 60644
Contact Kimberly Richardson - Phone (773) 921-0166 - Fax (773) 921-0935
WLS-TV Website
www.abc7chicago.com
Women Employed - 111 North Wabash - Suite 1300 - Chicago, Illinois 60602
Contact Maritza Gonzalez - Phone (312) 782-3902 - Fax (312) 782-5249 thru 5/11/11
E-mail 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 07/16/14 - 07/15/15
Listed below are the twenty three full-time positions filled at WLS-TV between 07/16/14 and 07/15/15, the recruitment methods used for each, and the sources of interviewed applicants.
Assistant News Director
Date position was opened: 5/20/14
Date position was filled: 7/21/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Nine people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Two applicants from the ABC7 website, two from the Disney Careers website, two from Recruiters and three WLS staff employee applicants. The referral source for the candidate hired was a Recruiter.
Executive Producer
Date position was opened: 4/15/14
Date position was filled: 9/8/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website and the LinkedIn.com website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Nine people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the ABC7 website, one from the Disney Careers website, one applicant from the LinkedIn website, one industry referral, one employee referral, one WLS daily hire employee applicant and three WLS staff employee applicants. The referral source for the candidate hired was LinkedIn.
Vacation Relief Photographer/Editor/Live Shot Tech (2 positions)
Date positions were opened: 8/1/14
Date positions were filled: 9/15/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Nine people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants from the Disney Careers website, one employee referral and four WLS daily hire employee applicants. The referral source for the candidates hired (both on 9/15/14) were WLS daily hire employee applicants.
ENG Maintenance Supervisor
Date position was opened: 5/20/14
Date position was filled: 9/22/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers 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 industry referrals, two WLS daily hire employee applicants and one WLS staff employee applicant. The candidate hired was a WLS daily hire employee applicant.
Producer, Windy City Live (2 positions)
Date positions were opened: 7/24/14
Date positions were filled: 9/22/14 & 1/21/15
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Twenty people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Seven applicants from the Disney Careers website, nine industry referrals, three WLS daily hire employee applicants and one WLS staff employee applicant. The referral source for the candidate hired on 9/22/14 was an industry referral and the referral source for the candidate hired on 1/21/15 was a daily hire employee applicant.
Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
Date position was opened: 9/9/14
Date position was filled: 10/14/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers 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 industry referral, one employee referral and two talent agency referrals. The referral source for the candidate hired was an industry referral.
Account Executive
Date position was opened: 6/5/14
Date position was filled: 11/13/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Thirteen people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the ABC7 website, eight industry referrals and four employee referrals. The referral source for the candidate hired was an employee referral.
Manager - Operations & Business Planning
Date position was opened: 8/1/14
Date position was filled: 12/22/14
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website, the tvnewscheck.com website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Nine people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Six applicants from the Disney Careers website, two industry referrals and one applicant from the tvnewscheck website. The referral source for the candidate hired was the tvnewscheck website candidate.
General Assignment Reporter (2 positions)
Date positions were opened: 11/14/14
Date positions were filled: 2/1/15 & 6/24/15
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website and the tvjobs.com website and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Fourteen people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants from the ABC7 website, Seven talent agency referrals, one WLS daily hire employee applicant and two industry referrals. The referral source for the candidate hired on 2/1/15 was the WLS daily hire employee applicant and the referral source for the candidate hired on 6/24/15 was a talent agency referral.
NTR Account Executive
Date position was opened: 12/3/14
Date position was filled: 2/24/15
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website, the Disney Careers website and the Linkedin.com website.
Eleven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Seven applicants from the Disney Careers website and four industry referrals. The referral source for the candidate hired was an industry referral.
Newswriter/Fill in Producer (3 positions)
Date positions were opened: 8/12/14
Date positions were filled: 3/1/15, 3/2/15 & 3/9/15
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.
Eleven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Ten applicants from the Disney Careers website and one WLS daily hire employee applicant. The referral source for the candidate hired on 3/1/15 was a daily hire employee applicant and the referral source for the other two candidates hired (on 3/2/15 & 3/9/15) respectively was the Disney Careers website.
Manager - Operations & Business Planning
Date position was opened: 1/23/15
Date position was filled: 3/17/15
The same recruitment methods used for the previous Operations & Business Planning Manager position (filled on 12/22/14), were used to fill this position.
Four people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Three applicants from the Disney Careers website and one employee referral. The referral source for the candidate hired was the Disney Careers website.
Weekend Morning Newscast Producer
Date position was opened: 2/16/15
Date position was filled: 5/8/15
The Station posted the position on the following websites: ABC7, Disney Careers, NABJ Careers, NAHJ Career Center and tvjobs 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 candidate from the Disney Careers website, two industry referrals and one WLS daily hire applicant. The referral source for the candidate hired was the Disney Careers website.
Executive Producer - Windy City Live
Date position was opened: 02/25/15
Date position was filled: 05/18/15
The Station posted the position on the following websites: ABC7, Disney Careers, Indeed, tvnewscheck, and tvjobs and faxed or emailed a notice of the position to the organizations listed on Attachment A.
Eleven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Four applicants from the Disney Careers website, one from the ABC7 website, one industry referral and five WLS staff employee applicants. The referral source for the candidate hired was a WLS staff employee applicant.
Graphic Designer
Date position was opened: 3/31/15
Date position was filled: 5/27/15
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.
Seven people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: Six candidates from the Disney Careers website and one WLS daily hire employee applicant. The referral source for the candidate hired was the WLS daily hire employee applicant.
Maintenance Engineer
Date position was opened: 4/2/15
Date position was filled: 5/29/15
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.
Three people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: All three were WLS daily hire employee applicants. The candidate hired was a WLS daily hire employee applicant
Investigative Producer
Date position was opened: 11/11/14
Date position was filled: 6/1/15
The Station posted the position on the ABC7 website and the Disney Careers website. Three people were interviewed. Referral sources of the candidates interviewed were as follows: One applicant from the ABC7 website and 2 WLS daily hire employee applicants. The candidate hired was a WLS daily hire employee applicant
Meteorologist
Date position was opened:
Date position was filled:
The Station had an opportunity to hire an up-and-coming talent away from a local competitor station. The individual's unique talents as a Chicago-based Meteorologist in addition to her personal brand equity and tremendous social media following created a limited opportunity to extend an employment offer. As a result, Station management concluded that a comparable talent would not be found by our standard recruitment procedures, and therefore such recruitment was not implemented in this rare case.
ATTACHMENT C
INTERNS
Following is a description of internship opportunities at WLS-TV and a list of the schools that the station's 2014-15 interns attended.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Columbia College of Chicago September 2014 - December 2014
Columbia College of Chicago January 2015 - May 2015
Columbia College of Chicago June 2015 - September 2015
Northern Illinois University June 2015 - August 2015
University of Illinois Champaign June 2015 - August 2015
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 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 answering phone tip lines, collecting and organizing possible future news reports as well as collecting and sorting incoming faxes and mail. They are encouraged to contribute potential story ideas and attend the morning editorial meeting when possible. The interns' duties also include conducting phone pre-interviews on potential interview subjects to determine the newsworthiness of any given story.
SPORTS DEPARTMENT
Ball State University May 2015 - August 2015
Columbia College of Chicago May 2015 - August 2015
DePaul University January 2015 - May 2015
DePauw University May 2015 - August 2015
The sports interns are responsible for logging and watching sports events during the day. The interns are also expected to suggest the best highlights for the day's newscast.
When possible, the intern is sent out into the field during sporting events to see how the reporter reacts in the field. From time to time the intern will do interviews.
WEATHER DEPARTMENT
Ohio State University May 2015 - August 2015
At first, the intern mainly watches and learns the daily procedures. The intern will do some surface analysis and temperature plotting, along with monitoring certain computers and clearing charts. The weather department teaches the interns things they need to know in order to work as a broadcast meteorologist. The intern will learn forecasting, on-air presentation, graphic production and story writing skills and how to work under deadlines.
CREATIVE SERVICES / PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENT
Champaign Central June 2015 - August 2015
Columbia College of Chicago (2) August 2014 - December 2014
Columbia College of Chicago (2) September 2014 - December 2014
Columbia College of Chicago January 2015 - May 2015
Columbia College of Chicago (2) May 2015 - August 2015
DePaul University August 2014 - December 2014
DePaul University (2) January 2015 - May 2015
Loyola University (3) January 2015 - May 2015
Miami University Ohio June 2015 - August 2015
Purdue North Central January 2015 - May 2015
Roosevelt University September 2014 - December 2014
University of Connecticut May 2015 - August 2015
Wheaton College May 2015 - August 2015
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, shooting, 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.
