WLNE - Annual EEO Public File Report Period: December 1, 2016 – - ABC6 - Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather

WLNE - Annual EEO Public File Report Period: December 1, 2016 – November 30, 2017

Annual EEO Public File Report

Reporting Period: December 1, 2016 – November 30, 2017

     The purpose of this EEO Public File Report (“Report”) is to comply with Section 73.2080 (c) (6) of the FCC’s Rules.  This report has been prepared on behalf of the Station Employment Unit that is comprised of the following station:  WLNE-TV, New Bedford, MA, and is required to be placed in the public inspection file of the station, and posted on its website. 

      The information contained in this Report covers the time period beginning December 1, 2016 to and including November 30, 2017 (“the Applicable Period”).

       The FCC’s EEO Rules require that this Report contain the following information:

1. A list of all full-time vacancies filled by the Station(s) comprising the Station Employment unit during the Applicable Period;

1. For each vacancy, the recruitment source(s) utilized to fill the vacancy (including if applicable, organizations entitled to notification pursuant to Section 73.2080 (c)(1)(ii) of the FCC Rules, which should be separately identified), identified by name, address, contact person and telephone number;

1. The recruitment source that referred the hiree for each full-time vacancy during the Applicable Period;

1. Data reflecting the total number of persons interviewed for full-time vacancies during the Applicable Period and the total number of interviewees referred by each recruitment source utilized in connection with such vacancies; and

1. A list and brief description of the initiatives undertaken pursuant to Section 73.2080 (c) (2) of the FCC Rules.

The attached Appendices 1, 2 and 3 which follow have been designed, in the aggregate, to provide the required information.  Please note that the numbers listed on Appendix 2 under the column entitled “Full-Time Positions for Which This Source Was Utilized” refer to the number of full-time positions listed on Appendix 1. 

For purposes of this Report, a vacancy was deemed “filled” not when the offer was extended but when the hire accepted the job offer.  A person was deemed “interviewed” whether he or she was interviewed in person, over the telephone or by e-mail.

Annual EEO Public File Report

Reporting Period:  December 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017

Station(s) in Station Employment Unit:  WLNE-TV, New Bedford, MA

Appendix 1: Vacancy Information

Annual EEO Public File Report

Reporting Period:  December 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017

Station(s) in Station Employment Unit:  WLNE-TV, New Bedford, MA

Appendix 2: Recruitment Source Information

Total Number of Persons Interviewed During Applicable Period                             46

Notes:

• An asterisk (*) indicates sources that are entitled to vacancy notification.
• Italicized sources indicate job banks and Internet programs to which WLNE contributes.These sources are designed to promote outreach generally, not primarily directed to providing notification of specific job vacancies.

Annual EEO Public File Report

Reporting Period:  December 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017

Station(s) in Station Employment Unit:  WLNE-TV, New Bedford, MA

Appendix 3: Outreach Activities

1.  Internship Program:

Through the years, WLNE has been involved in helping members of the community achieve their educational goals.  WLNE recruits students interested in the broadcast industry by widely advertising our internship programs at career fairs and by educating managers to mention this opportunity when speaking with members of the community.  Letters of Agreement are filled out by the prospective intern and signed off on by a professor of the university.  During this period, we have had a total of twelve internships at WLNE. 

• News Interns spend time learning the functions of the news room which include reporting, editing, shooting video, and writing stories. News interns also include Sports which focus more on shooting sports events and preparing clips for sports segments.

• Production and Marketing Interns spend time behind the scenes on a variety of duties from Master Control/Production to planning and preparation tasks for our yearly July 4^th Parade production.

2.  Job Bank & Internet Program Participation:

WLNE participates in job banks and internet programs with many organizations, as outlined above in italics, including the Year Up, Providence Journal/Monster.com, TVJobs.com, etc.  These organizations have programs designed for outreach generally, and are not primarily directed to providing notification of specific job vacancies.  (See italicized recruitment sources on above list.)

3. Participation in Career Fairs:

• Rhode Island College Job & Internship Fair - March 29, 2017

John Methia (Director of Broadcast Operations) participated.  The career fair was sponsored by Rhode Island College for the general public, college students & alumni majoring in the broadcasting industry.  WLNE was recruiting for an account executive, multi-media journalist and weekend meteorologist as well as taking resumes for internships.  Students were able to stop by the booth and ask questions about the station and careers in broadcasting.

• University of Rhode Island Fall Internship & Job Fair - April 15, 2017

Don Curtin (Promotions Manager) participated.  The career fair was sponsored by University of Rhode Island for the general public, college students & alumni majoring in the broadcasting industry.  WLNE was recruiting for an account executive and weekend sports anchor as well as taking resumes for internships.  Students were able to stop by the booth and ask questions about the station and careers in broadcasting.

4. Participate in event or program related to career opportunities in broadcasting sponsored by educational institutions:

• John DeLuca (News Anchor) – Visited schools (listed below) to speak about his job as a broadcaster/anchor at ABC6.  The students were able to ask questions about his career in television.
  • 02/17/17 – Lincoln High School in Lincoln for career day
  • 04/28/17 – Ashton Elementary School in Cumberland for reading week.

• February 17, 2017 - Nick Coit (Sports reporter) participated in a journalism forum at Lincoln High School Journalism Academy to discuss his job as a broadcaster/sports reporter at ABC6.He spoke about the future of the industry and job prospects.The students were able to ask questions about journalism and his career in television.

• March 29, 2017 - Christina Myers (News Anchor) - Visited Marieville Elementary School in North Providence to speak about her job as a broadcaster/anchor at ABC6.The students were able to ask questions about her career in television.

• Ken Bell (Sports Director) – Visited various schools in Rhode Island and surrounding areas (listed below) to talk about his career in sports.The students were able to ask questions about sports and his career in television.
  • 03/22/17 – Black Rock Elementary School in Coventry
  • 04/05/17 – Robert Hornton Elementary School in Warwick
  • 04/24/17 – Bishop McVinney Middle School in Providence

• April 26, 2017 – Jeff Desnoyers (Chief Meteorologist) spoke to students at Bishop McVinney School in Providence.He talked about the duties and challenges of working at a television station and day-to- day responsibilities of meteorologist.The students were able to ask questions about his career in broadcasting.

• Doreen Scanlon (News Anchor) - Visited various schools (listed below) to speak about her job as a broadcaster/anchor at ABC6.The students were able to ask questions about his career in television.
  • 04/11/17 – Centredale Elementary School in North providence
  • 04/12/17 – Pleasant View Elementary School in Providence
  • 04/13/17 – Fogarty School in Providence
  • 04/26/17 – Ashton Elementary School in Cumberland
  • 04/28/17 - Bishop McVinney School in Providence
  • 05/22/17 - Glen Hills School in Cranston
  • 05/23/17 - Edgewood Highland School in Cranston

• Chelsea Priest (Meteorologist) – Visited various schools in Rhode Island and surrounding areas (listed below) to speak about weather safety, the science of weather and day-to-day activities of a meteorologist.The students were able to ask questions about weather and her career in television.
  • 02/01/17 – Winman Junior High School in Warwick
  • 02/15/17 – Harry Kizirian Elementary School in Providence
  • 03/09/17 - Moses Brown in Providence
  • 04/12/17 - St. Peter School in Warwick
  • 04/13/17 - Randall Holden Elementary School in Warwick
  • 04/26/17 - Bishop McVinney School in Providence
  • 05/24/17 - Eden Park Elementary School in Cranston
  • 05/25/17 - Glen Hills Elementary in Cranston
  • 05/26/17 - Orchard Farm School in Cranston
  • 05/31/17 - Warwick Neck Elementary School in Warwick
  • 10/12/17 - Lady of Mercy School in East Greenwich
  • 11/10/17 - St. Michael's Country Day School in Newport

• May 2, 2017 - Melissa Randall (News Anchor) - Spoke to students at Globe School in Woonsocket.She talked about her job as a broadcaster/anchor at ABC6.The students were able to ask questions about her career in television.

5. Participation in other activities reasonably calculated by the station to further the goal of disseminating information as to employment opportunities in broadcast to job candidates who might otherwise be unaware of such:

• February 2, 2017 – Christina Myers (News Anchor) spoke to Hallworth House senior center in Providence about her career as a news broadcaster.She spoke about local news, jobs in television, and the changing face of media, as well as the future of the industry.Those in attendance were able to ask questions about journalism and her career in television.

6. Establishing a mentoring program for station personnel:

WLNE helps current personnel achieve their career goals.  During the period we had an opening for a:

• Master Control and we promoted a Part-Time Production Assistant for this position.
• Sports Director and we promoted a Sports Anchor for this position.

      7.  EEO Training:

      Equal Employment Opportunity Meetings are held periodically to educate department  

      heads regarding their roles and responsibilities in the EEO process and to ensure that

      all departments are hiring and promoting in a non-discriminatory fashion.  We require

      all managers with hiring authority to participate in these meetings and in discussions

      regarding upcoming job fairs and other recruitment activities.  Minutes of these

      meetings are kept in the business office’s EEO file.  Sessions for this reporting period

      were held on March 7, 2017 and August 30, 2017.  On October 18, 2017 the Business

      Manager and Operations Manager participated in the Webinar "The Changing Face of

      the FCC's EEO Rule in 2017" hosted by Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

      8.  Disseminating Information as to Employment Opportunities in Broadcasting:

     WLNE created a television spot which airs approximately every day on different day

     parts.  The spot: 1) asks organizations that distribute information about employment

     opportunities to contact WLNE to get on our mailing list (all contact information

     including address, phone and email are provided) and 2) informs job seekers to check

     WLNE’s website for postings of current openings.  The spot confirms WLNE is an

     Equal Opportunity Employer.