A dark day at 11Alive...

Employees at WXIA-TV 11Alive have rolled with some pretty heavy punches -- salary reductions and unpaid furloughs -- in the hopes of avoiding the kind of out-and-out bloodbath that has taken place in other newsrooms. "Others sucked it up and took the hit so as not to massacre their ranks," an insider tells me -- while the company has continued to make money. So, there is understandable shock and dismay throughout the building today over news of the sudden departure of newsroom veteran Cal Callaway. No, he didn't die -- it just seems that way to everybody else who is still there... And, of course, folks understandably are wondering if this is just the beginning of a nightmarish purge and who is next. A true "stand up" guy, Cal climbed the ranks from assistant assignment editor to eventually become the station's very popular news director, but he was replaced about a year ago. With characteristic good spirit, he remained on board in another position and continued, as always, to give WXIA his all. His departure is a loss for 11Alive in ways management can not even begin to imagine.