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Published on Sunday, 29 July 2012 14:48
Tomorrow, Monday July 30th, WGN-TV News will be doing a pair of special presentations for its viewers. The station will be starting a unique contest to help one unemployed person get a "jumpstart" on his/her job search, as well as airing a special investigative report on how games played by some union leaders have hurt many Illinois citizens financially.
Beginning Monday, the "WGN News at Five" will launch an online promotion entitled "Jumpstart Your Job Search." Viewers to the newscast will be encouraged to visit this link
HERE on the WGN-TV website, where they can then share their job search struggle stories. Those wishing to enter can do so starting tomorrow, but must have their entries in by August 10th at 9:00am. Later on August 10th, WGN-TV judges will choose one winner from all of the eligible entries. To be considered a winning entry, the contestant will have shown strong goals & aspirations, demonstrated a strong work ethic, expressed a desire to change in order to move forward, presented a willingness to be open & honest about themselves, and be willing to commit to a coaching process.
The winner of the "Jumpstart Your Job Search" contest will receive five free one-hour sessions with expert career coach, Peter C. Diamond. The winner also gains 30 days access to career services provided by the Governors State University Office of Career Services, as well as a $500 gift card to Woodfield Mall, which can be used to purchase a new interview outfit.
The new "Jumpstart Your Job Search" contest is part of the
"Jobs For You" initiative started by WGN-TV and CareerBuilder.com at the start of this year. (Tribune Company owns WGN-TV and is a major co-owner of CareerBuilder.com.)
Happening later on Monday, the "WGN News at Nine" will end its usual hour-long broadcast 30 minutes early, stopping at 9:30pm. From 9:30pm-10:00pm, WGN-TV will air the live investigative new special, "Pension Games," hosted by news anchor Mark Suppelsa. This will be an in-depth look at how political gamesmanship contributed to a financial crisis in Chicago and Illinois pensions funds. Information for this special will be coming from the Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV ongoing series of watch-dog reports, exposing these troubling issues.
Immediately following WGN-TV's 30 minute "Pension Games" special, those looking for even more in-depth information can turn over to sister-station CLTV. From 10:00pm-11:00pm, CLTV will feature a live call-in discussion on the subject of "Pension Games" with Mark Suppelsa.
Said Suppelsa in a statement last week: "We began the investigation based on a single tip, uncertain of the size and scope of the problem. Compiling the entire investigation into one show creates a powerful case for newer and stronger reforms."
A tip supplied to WGN-TV from a frustrated worker many months ago, prompted the WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune investigative team to check into a vacant park, where union sources revealed shocking waste, abuse, and fraud within Illinois' pension system. The investigation showed how nearly a dozen top union leaders scammed the system to receive large public pensions. The investigations helped lead to a federal grand jury investigation, Department of Labor audits of one of the city's key unions, and the Governor signing a bill that would help prevent similar abuses of state money from happening again.
For past reports on "Pension Games," WGN-TV won a National Headliner Award from the Press Club of Atlantic City. WGN-TV and the Chicago Tribune also won a 1st Place award for Investigative Reporting - Midwest Region from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
UPDATE 7/30/12: Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will be making a live appearance on the WGN-TV "Pension Games" news presentation. It is expected that he will discuss some details on the special IL General Assembly session on pension reform that he has called to take place on August 17th.
