KION to no longer produce its own newscasts

KPIX CBS San Francisco has begun providing local news coverage for KION, effectively replacing the news team at the Salinas television station according to a press release from the station and a variety of media reports.

The statement on the KION website said “the station will no longer produce its own full local newscasts.” It added that KPIX News would be reporting the most significant stories from  Northern and Central California, “while continuing to highlight local reporting, weather forecasts and community updates that matter most to residents of Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz, and beyond.”

According to a report from the Monterey County Weekly, 13 members of the KION news team — reporters, anchors, meteorologists and producers — were laid off Tuesday morning. Calls to KION by the Herald for further detail were not returned.

The press release noted the history between KPIX and KION

“KPIX originally supplied CBS programming to KION (then KMST) when the station signed on in 1969. The renewed partnership reflects CBS’s commitment to serving communities across Northern California … KPIX News on KION represents an evolution in how KION serves its audience.”

Rall Bradley, executive vice president of broadcast at News-Press & Gazette Company, the owner of the station, said “Our partnership with KPIX ensures that viewers across the Monterey, Salinas and Santa Cruz region continue to receive the high-quality local journalism they deserve.”