MediaMaven

Jessie Kane, news director at KREM in Spokane, is slowly but surely stepping away from her job at the Tegna station.  She's a former EP at KING in Seattle. Met her husband there, who was a news producer. She's on the Eescape Tegna Express.' Courtesy Rickgevers.com, here is a note from her GM: KREM Team, As mentioned in our newsroom meetings today, I want to share that Jessie Kane has decided to step away from local news. She will remain with KREM for the next several months, giving us time to plan a transition and begin a national search for our next News Director. Jessie made a meaningful impact during her time here. She guided the newsroom through COVID with steady leadership and support and led KREM to become the first station in the country to launch Cuez automation. Throughout a time of rapid industry change, she remained a thoughtful leader with a strong commitment to journalism. We are grateful for the energy, care, and leadership she brought to KREM. We are in a str...

Chief Journalist and WSU grad Amanda Roley is bidding farewell to KREM to join her hubby in the Midwest.  https://x.com/i/status/2047822531722182786

Brock Huard guested on the Ultimate Seattle Sports Show from the VMAC on Draft Day and mentioned how being the first co-host of NWCN's old Fone Zone show got him where he is today!    Chris Egan, who worked for me then, recommended his buddy Brock to be his partner on the show back in 2005 and 2006. That work got Brock a video reel, an agent and subsequent jobs at ESPN, KIRO radio and Fox.   As he put it today, "Without the Fone Zone I wouldn't be here today. I want to make that abundantly clear.  The Fone Zone made me."  For those who never saw it or even heard of it, the show started right after the Sunday games on NWCN.  No video because we couldn't afford licensing any, so just commentary, fun and taking phone (FONE) calls from fans around the PNW.   After Brock left, it was co-hosted by Mike Salk, Dave Wyman, Bob Stelton and Jessamyn McIntyre.  We had good relationships with the folks at KIRO radio back then and we also had sponsors...

Tracy Taylor, who toiled at traffic reporting on KING5, KIRO TV and KIRO Radio, is an award winner in her new career in Auburn.  She's now Deputy Mayor: "I had the privilege of receiving a Regional Hometown Hero Award from King County Executive Girmay Zahilay at his 4th annual Hometown Heroes celebration. Thank you to the King County Executive for this recognition, and to those who nominated me. It truly means a so much. I’m grateful for the people who help make this work possible. To my husband, who supports me in living out this public service journey I love every day… to Mayors Backus and Ralph for your mentorship and leadership… to King County Councilmembers Steffanie Fain and VonReichbauer, City of Kent councilmember Toni Troutner, Auburn councilmember Lisa Stirgus, and Hanan Amer for your constant support… and to my parents and in-laws—thank you for being the foundation. And to the friends who showed up today—you know who you are. I’ve also come to really value the reg...

Laura Evans, who was recently fired as KIRO 7 News Director after a stormy three years that led to her being walked out the station and who was later ridiculed by staff posts on social media, is posting for herself on LinkedIn about her doctoral studies and what she saw while visiting the National Association of Broadcasters convention this week in Vegas.  Her reputational rehab is fully under way after getting a journalism fellowship in Germany.   From my vantage point she had a Plan B ready. "Just back from the NAB conference, and one thing was clear: AI was everywhere. Not theoretical. Not emerging. Everywhere. The scale of it was hard to ignore. AI is already being used in some capacity across many newsrooms. But what stood out at the National Association of Broadcasters' conference was how rapidly it is advancing and how deeply it could be integrated into every part of the media ecosystem. That raises a bigger question for the United States: In the U.S., AI in journa...

The latest Seattle radio ratings are in for the March period and alternative KEXP-FM was the big story, jumping 1.6 share points into second place, trailing only the usual leadrer, KUOW, although that station did see a numbers drop whilc maintaining the top slot. 97.3 KIRO-FM did not make the top 10 and had its lowest share of the year so far.  The full tote board here: https://ratings.radio-online.com/content/arb039