Former WTIC Reporter Matt Caron Posts Video About His Layoff and The State of Journalism

Former WTIC reporter Matt Caron has posted a video to social media called Breaking News in a Broken Newsroom, after being let go from Tegna’s Hartford Fox affiliate in February.

In what was part rallying cry, part horror story and part reminder of what journalism is supposed to be, Caron’s video, which at this writing has over ten thousand views on Facebook, said that our founding fathers knew journalists were as essential as an armed militia to safeguard democracy.

Caron tells us the industry is adrift and the only thing that will save it is to return to good old fashioned journalism, which seems to run counter to corporations’ desires to increase profits for shareholders.

In the video, Caron talked about the impersonal nature of his layoff and said he wouldn’t muzzle himself to take a pay out from an industry that was supposed to be about speaking truth to power.

“The same company that is in the business of free speech, then offered me severance in exchange for my silence and waving legal claims,” he wrote. “I will not sign it. As a union steward, I represented my colleagues in the grievance process and enforced our collective bargaining agreement.”

“I couldn’t even explain to my family why I was let go because I never got an explanation,” he said in the video. ” I wasn’t terminated for cause my personnel file had no disciplinary history whatsoever. My performance evaluations have always met or exceeded expectations. I am a team player mentor leader, but after nearly 8 years of service to my community station, our brand good ethical journalism I was terminated by a guy who didn’t even know me. “

Below is the caption to his video. Click here to see the entire 12 minute video.

BREAKING NEWS IN A BROKEN NEWSROOM: Following major restructuring and management overreach that violated our union contract, I was sent into unemployment. Without cause or notice, a two sentence clause in my employment agreement was leveraged against me. The same company that is in the business of free speech, then offered me severance in exchange for my silence and waving legal claims. I will not sign it. As a union steward, I represented my colleagues in the grievance process and enforced our collective bargaining agreement. Despite zero disciplinary history, great performance reviews, and 8 years of service to my Connecticut community and the tenents of ethical journalism, I am now trying to find a way to continue to support my two young boys and family. Thank you to everyone who has reached out during this difficult time. Thank you to everyone who has trusted me to tell your story. I’m on the sideline but not out of the game. Stay in touch…and stay tuned! #hireajournalist #opentowork #journalism #LeadershipMatters #tvnews #media #ethicsmatter #Truth #TransparencyMatters

Matt Caron/Facebook