AFTRA targets shared staff in Viacom's L.A. newsrooms. (Media & Technology).

One of the first labor battles of the duopoly era in Los Angeles is heating up with the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists challenging Viacom Inc. for allowing its two local channels to share news reports prepared by journalists at those stations.

The so-called "cross-utilization" of talent has been pervasive since Viacom, which already owned KCBS-TV (Channel 2), completed its $650 million purchase of KCAL-TV (Channel 9) in May and began consolidating the two broadcast operations.

It's now common to see stories prepared by a reporter at one Viacom station showing up on the other news broadcast. Cross promotions between the one-time competitor stations has become a daily occurrence.

AFTRA, which represents on-air employees at local television stations, insists that cross-utilization is a violation of union contracts. And union officials say that negotiating new rules -- and pay scales -- governing the practice. has become a top priority as they confront the many issues raised by consolidation in the local television marketplace.

Although two other local duopolies have emerged over the past two years, AFTRA officials say the situation at Viacom's stations is unique.

The two local Fox-owned stations, KTTV-TV (Channel 11) and KCOIP-TV (Channel 13), acquired by Fox as part of its $4.4 billion buyout of Chris-Craft Industries last year, have kept reporters confined to their own stations while negotiating with AFTRA about cross-utilization.

Meanwhile, AFTRA faces a different situation with NBC, which owns KNBC-TV (Channel 4) and Spanish-language KVEA-TV (Channel 52). AFTRA is involved in preliminary efforts to organize the non-union KVEA as it attempts to establish equal compensation packages at the NBC-owned stations.

Thus far, AFTRA has not filed a formal complaint against Viacom with the National Labor Relations Board -- instead choosing to negotiate with KCBS and KCAL behind the scenes. But with talks failing to yield progress, union officials are becoming frustrated by what they say is intransigence on. the part of the stations' management.

The Viacom stations and the union plan to meet again as early as this week to discuss the issue. Lawrence Mayberry, director of broadcast for AFTRA Los Angeles, said the union hoped to resolve the issue by the end of October.

"All of this has yet to be negotiated. We don't think they have a right under the contracts that are written to cross consolidate," Mayberry said. "They need to know that they are jumping the gun. Frankly, I'm surprised that they've been so bold to do this."

Citing company policy, a spokesman for KCBS and KCAL declined to comment about cross-utilization or the dispute with AFTRA.

Although cross utilization remains the most pressing topic, Mayberry said the KCBSKCAL duopoly has raised other issues. No layoffs have been announced as a result of the consolidation of news operations but he noted that "the reality is that consolidation in all industries leads to layoffs. Obviously the purpose of a duopoly is to save on production costs and personnel costs."

Another concern of union members is being asked to perform extra duties that stem from working for both stations.

Some station employees have bristled at being asked to prepare separate stories for KCBS and KCAL -- which often runs longer pieces than its sister station -- on the same subject. This practice increases their workload without additional pay. Together, the two stations run nearly 12 hours of local news programming a day in a cycle that runs virtually around the clock.

Some reporters are also concerned about journalistic integrity issues resulting from possible cutbacks in resources needed to support the merged news organization.

Not everyone is up in arms about the changes.

"For me, it's been fine. There are times when (working for a duopoly) is going to mean extra work, but there also times when having an extra crew available is going to make my life easier," said KCBS political reporter Linda Breakstone. "I have a contract at Viacom. I get paid an x number of dollars a year and a I do what they tell me."

Mayberry said the Viacom situation had moved to the top of the union's priority list. "Keep in mind, money is not the only issue involved here' he said. But more money could be a balm for the problems workers are facing."