Skip to main content

An Editorial on Change



There has been some good sourced reporting about changes coming at Tegna, owners of KING in Seattle, KGW in Portland, KREM in Spokane and KTVB in Boise.   Station marketing departments (as reported here) are being sent to centralized hubbing (KING in the PNW) and the CEO has announced to GMs that streaming is the future, not linear newscasts.   More automation will come sooner than later, meaning news producers will be the switcher, not directors; so jobs are on the line.  In addition, KING could easily hub weather for the other three stations going forward. That is not a new idea.  Regional GMs are likely, too, with the marketing move a harbinger.    

The latest memo from the new Tegna boss (which can be found at ftvlive.com if you do some scrolling), should be a "First Alert" warning that everything is on the table.   Even the Kraken games, which moved from Root Sports to KING and KONG and Amazon, will probably end up only streaming after this transition era.

I watched 10 years ago as Tegna homogenized (hubbed) graphics, later killed NWCN and bought out KINGs top people.  It was a bad company then, and worse now.   The turnover at KING has been huge, and the reporting is below average.  KIRO, as I have written, is the #1 Incredible Shrinking Station.  KOMO will never rise above the evil Sinclair empire and Fox 13 has 2 weather people anchoring news.    In fact, KOMO will get a new News Director in 2025, and that means he or she will be carrying Sinclair's water even more.  KOMO could also hub for KATU in Portland and KIMA in Yakima for sure.

More shrinkage ahead.    Stay tuned.  I will try to keep up here.


Comments

  1. JasonNovember 23, 2024 at 12:40 PM

    "streaming is in the future" Lucy, you have some 'splainin' to do. Elaborate please.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Slicing Staff in Seattle TV

ICYMI, it appears COX-APOLLO owned KIRO7 in Seattle has cut almost a dozen staff as cutbacks across the company reportedly continue.   The only names confirmed so far are Sports DIrector Chris Francis, son of longtime NBC correspondent Fred Francis, and his producer, Chris Swanson, who formerly worked for me at the old Northwest Cable News.  No word on how KIRO will cover sports in the market going forward, with the Mariners leading the AL West, the Seahawks and UW football coming soon, not to mention the Kraken's fourth hockey season.  Gonna be interesting to watch.   I already notice  KOMO's weekend news, where the news anchor reads just a minute or two of sports.  Nico Tamurian is the station's only sports reporter/anchor right now.  Courtesy: ftvlive.com                                                     ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Major 'Evening' Departure in Seattle

  After 18 years, KING 5's Evening Magazine co-host Kim Holcomb is not renewing her contract with the station, and her last day is July 24th, just as the program goes on hiatus during the Olympics.   Kim is married to former KING/NWCN reporter.anchor Rob Piercy who works for the Paul Allen Brain Institute in media relations.  No word on what's next.  Here's is her goodbye message. "It feels surreal to post this but I’m making a major life change: I’ve decided to not renew my contract and I’m leaving KING & Evening. I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished during my almost 18 years at the station, and I’m eternally grateful for every viewer who’s watched and supported our show. But, a lot has changed in the past 1.5 years and I feel like it’s time to step away, move forward and try something different (which sounds like a weird jig but YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.) I’m not sure what comes next, but I’m thrilled to find out! Thanks for being a part of my little l...
Post a Comment
Read more

Seattle Cops Chief of Staff Collateral Damage?

Wondering what the future is for Jamie Tompkins, the former Fox 13 anchor whom Seattle Top Cop Adrian Diaz strangely made of Chief of Staff? Will she survive his demotion? Their rumored but later debunked romantic liaison didn't help with the suits he and the dept. now face, even with his recent coming out. You may remember it all started with her ride-along with the Diaz a while back. Later, he hired her to a big communications job with the PD, and then Chief of Staff, with ZERO law enforcement experience. Next move, Interim Chief Sue Rahr? Collateral damage? https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/behind-the-badge-get-to-know-seattle-police-interim-chief-adrian-diaz
3 comments
Read more