FIRST OFF . . .

Former KABC-TV ombudsman Wayne Satz has settled a $5-million suit that he filed against the station last year. Satz, a 13-year veteran at Channel 7, claimed he was unjustly “terminated” last July after broadcasting a “Second Look” report about the station’s alleged manipulation of its May, 1987, ratings sweeps. (KABC broadcast a heavily promoted eight-part series on its 11 p.m. newscast about the A.C. Nielsen Co. ratings during the ratings sweeps. Nielsen subsequently deleted KABC’s ratings for the duration of the series, a move that reportedly cost the station advertising revenues.) Satz declined to discuss the amount of the settlement Wednesday, saying only that it was “fair under the circumstances.” Satz said KABC made the settlement offer in an arbitration hearing--a move that excluded his $5-million punitive damages claim but allowed for payment of lost wages and similar claims. KABC officials were not available for comment. “I think our point’s been made,” Satz said. “They can’t or shouldn’t fire a reporter for doing a job--in this case, getting to the bottom of something.” Satz said he’d like to continue in broadcasting “in a role that lets me speak out without censorship.”