Cox (owners of KIRO Seattle) Cuts Deeper

Cox has announced that the day before Thanksgiving is the final day for its Washington DC Bureau. This news was leaked in late summer, now happening. KIRO is my Incredible Shrinking Station. Cox becomes the Incredible Shrinking Company. This will create big holes in content for KIRO as they depend on the bureau for national story reporter packages.

Here's an X post from reporter Samantha Manning:

"Today is the very last day of coverage at the Washington News Bureau. Cox Media Group has permanently closed the DC Bureau.

Thank you to everyone for watching and for sharing your stories!"

BTW, I am told by an industry insider that there are simply no buyers for Cox or Sinclair stations at this time -- Zero.

Comments

Rebecca Stevenson has left KOMO

"I am no longer at Komo 4." Thanks. Longtime Weather Anchor Rebecca Stevenson confirms that she left the station just before Christmas. Her last Facebook posts are 12/17. She has the Seattle station Quintafecta, having worked at the old NWCN, KING, KIRO, KCPQ and KOMO. Looks like her decision. Wants a new chapter. She was doing mainly weekend evenings for KOMO. Perhaps Stella Sun will move there. She has been sharing weekend mornings with Theron Zahn.

Where is Frankie?

Many have missed KIRO 7's weekend PM weather anchor, Frankie Katafias, so I reached out to some of my sources to find an answer. She is apparently taking a few months of leave, but not known specifically what the reason may be. Although there is uncertainty, it could be a personal or family matter. I am told she is expected back at some point in the new year. She is a great asset to what has become a troubled station. Meanwhile former KOIN Portland chief met holds down the fort.

Frankie Flees KIRO7

UPDATE: Frankie got married!!! Acting on tips from two of my loyal readers, I see that Weekend Weather Wizard Frankie Katafias is indeed missing from the KIRO 7 website. Freelancer Scott Haveson filled in this past Sunday and we know that reporter Brandon Thompson has hit the weather wall in the past as a fill-in. No word on if Frankie fled on her own or was told to. She came to Seattle in 2022, so maybe it was a three-year deal that ended?

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