ADVERTISERS TO GET MAKE GOODS
By Adnews Staff
BCTV says the TV station would make good for newscast advertisers who may not have received the viewers they expected during a month-long strike that ended this week. Viewership of the regional newscast is down and several labor organizations have pulled their ads. Viewership before the strike was 700,000. The union on strike, CEP Local 814M, called for an advertiser boycott during the strike, but it was mostly unsuccessful. Workers went on strike June 10 because they hadn't had a contract for two years and wanted an average wage increase in a five-year contract. In addition, it would be the first contract for the newsroom, which joined the union last year. There were also language issues dealing with such things as job security. What they got was a deal which includes a 2% wage increase each year retroactive to March 1996, and a general wage increase for each of the next three years. The union represents 125 of BCTV's 222 employees including news reporters, camera operators, technicians, producers and sports reporters.