Why You Won't See Bennett Cunningham on Channel 11 Tonight. Or Tomorrow Night. Or ...

By Robert Wilonsky Fri., Dec. 4 2009 at 4:42 PM

Categories: Media

Bennett Cunningham

KTVT-Channel 11 investigative reporter Bennett Cunningham has myriad awards to his name -- including, most recently, a National Headliners Award for his ride aboard Dallas Area Rapid Transit's "Gravy Train," and three Lone Star Emmys, including one for Best Investigative Reporter (his second in as many years). He's also part of the news team that helped KTVT best WFAA-Channel 8 for the first time ever at 10 p.m. To his résumé, though, you can now add "former KTVT-Channel 11 investigative reporter": Cunningham quit the CBS affiliate today after, he says, he was asked to take a five-figure pay cut.

Cunningham tells Unfair Park that his contract was up yesterday, and that station management had already agreed last month to renew his deal for the same salary he'd made for the past three years. But this morning, he says, he was asked to breakfast by management, and he was told, sorry, but he'd have to lose $17,000 out of his salary. To which Cunningham says he replied: "No, that's unacceptable." He then quit.

A message was left for mews director Scott Diener. Lori Conrad, the station's spokesperson, says via e-mail only that "Bennett has decided to leave."

Cunningham, who's licensed to practice law in Texas, says he'll go be an attorney now.

"There's nothing else for me but a pay cut," he says. "After all I've done for the station -- the awards, helping us get to No. 1 for this November's ratings book -- they said, 'By the way, we're taking money off the table.' That's not an incentive for me to stay. I'm 41, and I don't want to be an investigative reporter who's 55, 60 being kicked out the door with the same salary and no place to go."

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Poor Bennett. It's good to see the Observer looking out for the rich and famous. Passed on $170K in a down economy in an industry that is in the crapper financially? Does ANYONE at the Observer (outside of the top execs) make that kind of money? What about all the people at CBS11 who actually had to take a TOTAL salary paycut when laid off this past year? This makes no sense to me. Am I living in a different world than the rest of the people here?
It's all a game of risk. Mr. Cunningham felt he was worth X, CBS thought he was worth less. If Mr. Cunningham feels he can get another job as a lawyer making the same amount, then good for him. Just remember, CBS is just like every other large corporation. Have you heard about anyone in CBS management taking paycuts? At least someone finally stood up to them and said no.
CBS owes him nothing. Cunningham had a contract and it was fulfilled. Another contract was offered to Cunningham and he refused. Nothing says that CBS has to pay him now what he was paid before. BTW I agree with Cunningham. I would have walked out as well.
No more channel 11 for me.
Are you people serious? In case you haven't heard, there's a bit of an economic "downturn." Most folks I know are desperately trying to hang on to their jobs at any cost. My guess is that people all over the country will be calling that "mews director" Monday and begging for Cunningham's old job, whatever the salary is.
If that salary figure is accurate and he did make $170K/year before the proposed cut, then I think he was overpaid. If that's what most make, then they're all overpaid. Based on the crap reporting I've seen on most news outlets, their incomes should not exceed five figures.
who is this again?
Does he know lawyers are having to take paycuts, too?
According to <a href="http://www.unclebarky.com/dfw_files/ddc1a2dcb7d03c0fd1495211b566518b-1360.html">Uncle Barky</a>, 17k represents a 10% paycut for Mr Cunningham.
So what was he making before they asked him to take a 17k cut?
Those D-bags! That's how you repay someone for working diligently to make you Number One?! Especially after having already agreed to renew his contract at the same rate. Most other reporters would have tried to stick it to them and get a huge pay increase during contract negotiations. They've crapped in their nest and need not expect me to watch their channel anymore!
His work was stale, unimaginative, misleading, and smug. Good riddance to bad news.
Shame on CBS! A successful and trusted company must express the value of it's employees and build upon that relationship. Bennett Cunningham was perfectly justified here and I know he will be great in whatever he does next.
Shame on you, CBS!!! The horror!!!
I think Bennett Cunningham was the best reporter. That CBS station is nuts and i never plan to watch it again. I will tell all my friends not to watch as well but i am sure they will NOT watch CBS ever again How stupid can a station be to lose a top guy like that? He was informative, caring, honest and a major contributor to the people of Dallas, Fort Worth. So sorry to see him leave. His boss should be embarrassed about this and so should CBS> Shame on CBS.