WFLA-Ch. 8 medical reporter Irene Maher laid off after 23 years

  Irene Maher, WFLA-Ch. 8's longtime medical reporter and a 23-year veteran of the station, was informed this morning she would be among five people to be downsized at the station this year.

Maher, 52, is the longest-tenured on air personality to be claimed by layoffs at Tampa's NBC affiliate; meteorologist Mace Michaels and reporter Claudia DoCampo also were let go earlier this year. WFLA owner Media General is cutting staff at all its media outlets, particularly in Florida, with a total 250 positions expected to be eliminated at their properties in the Sunshine State by the year's end.

Maher couldn't say when her last day at WFLA would come -- she hadn't yet worked out the details of her departure with superiors. She admitted surprise at the news, given that she has practiced multimedia journalism at WFLA for years, penning a column for the Tampa Tribune and items for TBO.com in addition to her on air work.

Other on air folks laid off at WFLA have been allowed to seek work at other area TV stations, their contract's non-compete clauses waived by Media General. But Maher couldn't say if she'd seek another position locally -- admitting that the idea of starting as a newbie elsewhere has little appeal.

She also couldn't say what WFLA would do for health news once she leaves. The station exercised an option in her contract allowing them to notify her in advance that they would not renew it.

"It's such a disappointment," she told me by telephone from her home, where calls of consolation have been coming all day from friends and colleagues. "I felt I was a productive person and brought a lot to the table. And I'm sorry for all the people out there who relied on my medical reports and now may not get that information. I can't tell you what a privilege it has been to have this job."

A native of Virginia, Maher came to WFLA in 1985 from WAVY-TV in Portsmouth/Norfolk, hired as a medical reporter and eventually serving as weekend anchor.   

Comments

[Bordertown Medical Group]

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You will continue to receive news releases from us in the months ahead.

Sincerely,

Bordertown Medical Group

P.S. This is a hoax!

[jds]

Does anyone know where Mace is working?

[Denise Franklin]

I am still in shock to learn Irene Maher has been laid off! She was the only professional left on the show that had something to offer all of the peoeple. The morning show is really the pitts! The only thing it ever had going for it was John and evidently he had some serious personal problems to committ suicide. I was so saddened by his death. It was definitely a shock. Jennifer Hill is a newcomer and doesn't even speak plain. I have trouble understanding her and her deliverance is all over the place. I have watched much less since John is no longer there. The one thing left I really looked forward to was Irene's health segments. You can count me out from now on and I have been watching WFLA news for over 45 years. Sounds like a lot of discrimination going on here to me. Whoever made the decision to let Irene go is going to realize their mistake and regret it. They should have let some of those other clowns go first. Like the two on the morning show!

Hope and pray you come to your senses!

Denise

[Marvin Richmon]

Irene-Cathy Lewis is right...What Goes Around, Always Comes Around...and you will get what is in store for you! Remember Karma...(:

[David]

I always thought it was just me, but I agree that the morning news team has gone downhill. Gayle Guyardo is the least professional of any anchor I have ever seen. Good luck Irene. We will miss you.

[Cathy Lewis]

I had the privilege of working with Irene in Norfolk at WAVY-TV and I am sad to say that WFLA is not only losing a great reporter, but a real friend to the community and one of the kindest and most caring people I've ever known. Because Irene is who she is, she will land on her feet. What goes around comes around and there's nothing but good in store for Irene. What a shame, though, for Tampa....

[Red Spirited Lady]

Karma..baby..Karma! Evil Deeds Done

Return to Punish.

[tony]

channel eight - on at 11:00 - tramps and drunks - and that's just the news crew!!!

[joe massey]

If she has been there for that long, then she was probably commanding a big salary. Either way, we are going through tough times right now, especially traditional media like TV. I doubt it's a personal thing. A few months ago CBS owned stations accross the country laid of a ton of people. It's happening.

[Joe Flanagan]

Irene I was sorry to read of your departure. Makes no sense and is NOT FAIR ( to you AND to your VIEWERS).
Thanks for all you did for so many people over the last 23 years.
Sincerely,
Joe Flanagan
WVEC-TV
Norfolk, Virginia

[SM]

Eric- Irene was the 5:30pm weekday anchor some years ago; not just a weekend anchor.

[S]

Bruce, you are spot on. I used to produce medical reports and you just explained why I loved it so much-- health affects EVERYONE. And when you factor in all the viewer phone calls and correspondence medical stories generate, it becomes pretty clear that those stories matter to the viewers. The viewers feel a connection to Irene because she brings them news that can make a difference in their lives.

[Newzie52]

I wonder if Media General had some "research" which indicated to them that they could get rid of Irene and her salary without negatively affecting their bottom line. (They can get carefully crafted "research" to indicate whatever they want.) Or, it may be that they are so desperate that they are letting even the best people go (happening all around the country these days.)

The days of local stations supporting real journalism are behind us, with few exceptions. Very sad, indeed.

[Bruce Hunt]

NewsChannel 8 discarded one of their strongest assets when they cut Irene Maher loose. Don’t these people know that it is quality of content that retains their viewers? For 23 years we in this community have relied on Irene Maher to give us accurate and timely medical and health news—in other words, the stuff that’s really important to us personally. How many people have found out about a new medical procedure or a new cure for a medical problem by watching Irene’s reports? Let’s face it; most news has only an ancillary impact on us as individuals. But when Irene comes on the air, people sit down and listen because she is reporting on things that matter to them personally, individually, and they trust her. It takes decades to build that kind of following. The NewsChannel 8 people are in for a shock. A significant chunk of their viewership is going to vanish overnight. Regular viewers, like me, are going to say, “If Irene’s not on NewsChannel 8 any more, I don’t have any reason to watch it.” Their advertisers will certainly notice this right away. I wonder what those bean-counters will think of that?

[Bruce Hunt]

NewsChannel 8 discarded one of their strongest assets when they cut Irene Maher loose. Don’t these people know that it is quality of content that retains their viewers? For 23 years we in this community have relied on Irene Maher to give us accurate and timely medical and health news—in other words, the stuff that’s really important to us personally. How many people have found out about a new medical procedure or a new cure for a medical problem by watching Irene’s reports? Let’s face it; most news has only an ancillary impact on us as individuals. But when Irene comes on the air, people sit down and listen because she is reporting on things that matter to them personally, individually, and they trust her. It takes decades to build that kind of following. The NewsChannel 8 people are in for a shock. A significant chunk of their viewership is going to vanish overnight. Regular viewers, like me, are going to say, “If Irene’s not on NewsChannel 8 any more, I don’t have any reason to watch it.” Their advertisers will certainly notice this right away. I wonder what those bean-counters will think of that?

[Willie]

She wasn't sexy enough. She should have spent more time on the air, like Gayle "spandex" Guyardo, doing exercises in tights and "investigating" the claims of botox providers and other places where she could get free treatments and flaunt her (admittedly) sexy body.
It's a shame WFLA has sunk to this.
In a top-20 TV market, Maher was the only "medical" reporter with any credibility. As the times reported a few months ago, medical reporters get canned stories from one or two agencies, then voice them as their own.
Bunch of BULL.
BAD decision.
Bay News 9 should consider picking her up. Their reporters are so amateurish. Some experienced reporters would be a welcome sight on that station.
Good luck Irene.

[Joe S]

When Dan Bradley was ND at that station (about 10 years ago), they were king. Journalism was the priority. Not anymore. WFLA isn't the only station going down the crapper when it comes to quality journalism. Lots of stations throughout the USA are headed in the same direction.

[beltwaybandit]

We have watched channel since moving here in 1996. At that point, they seemed to have the best weather department (David Grant, etc.) and Chris Thomas was hilarious on sports.

Sierens and Hite didn't offend very much, and the reporting staff overall was better than the others.

But that has changed. A lot. For starters, they've pretty much decimated their reporting staff.

Keith Cate is great as the new lead anchor.

But Guyardo in the morning has worn out her welcome in our house. Ratliff is annoying with his small talk and Jennifer Hill seems to have gotten caught up in the mess and has dramatically declined in our eyes.

We no longer watch the 8 morning show.

And with the poor production quality and thin reporting, we've now dropped channel 8 altogether for local news.

Media General is making cuts they say are in response to declining revenues.

If our household is any example, they'll be making more cuts going forward.

[SM]

I used to work at Ch 8. Irene is a top notch journalist AND person. I loved working with her. I am saddened to hear that WFLA is laying off the Bay Area's most recognizable and respected medical reporter/editor. What a crock.

She truly cares about the impact her reporting has on viewers and would spend a lot of time answering their questions and connecting them with medical resources.

Irene, if you're reading this, I hope you can take some small comfort in knowing how many people support you and see this as a stupid move.

[Shirley]

Apparently the management of channel 8 does not treat their employees very well...first firing Mace Michaels in weather while you keep Hill and Spann who came to the station later and are not as professional as Mace. Now you let go one of the best TV personalities in Tampa Bay; one who has contributed so much to the community. The management should get up early in the morn and watch the 5-7 show with the anchors that cannot even read correctly, then decide whom to let go.

[Shirley]

Apparently the management of channel 8 does not treat their employees very well...first firing Mace Michaels in weather while you keep Hill and Spann who came to the station later and are not as professional as Mace. Now you let go one of the best TV personalities in Tampa Bay; one who has contributed so much to the community. The management should get up early in the morn and watch the 5-7 show with the anchors that cannot even read correctly, then decide whom to let go.

[MARK]

This is a big loss for WFLA and the Tampa Tribune. She seemed to write that whole 4u section that is full of paying advertisers.
I agree with drinklime, MBAs for sure.

[whatever TV layoffs]

Most of the medical "news" already came from Ivanhoe and Medsource - or were taken off CNN and NBC feeds - maybe one local story per week. But I'm sure they'll use Gayle G as a "medical" reporter to do more fluff stories about free cosmetic procedures she gets from local doctors who want to get on TV - Maher may not have generated very many local stories but at least they were good quality reporting - unlike the crap that airs on the morning show.

[former tampanian]

I smell a discrimination lawsuit brewing. That's the second time she's been demoted/fired. I believe she got demoted to medical editor when stacie shiable was hired. As far as medical news...it'll be outsourced to Ivanhoe or Medsource.

[Chris]

How about firing Gayle Guyardo first? Naww...let's fire the credible people.

[Jim]

Channel 8 is really going down the crapper. No real reason to watch that station anymore.

[drinklime]

surely it must be a good decision... after all... the guys in charge must have MBA's