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Best and Worst Moments in '24 in Seattle Media



A bunch of each, but other suggestions welcome before the new year commences.   Likes and dislikes ok, too, and please fill in events I missed or overlooked.   Random order:


BEST:


Seattle Kraken abandoning Root Sports for broadcast on a wide-ranging TVKraken Hockey Network available to many more fans

The fabled ESPN Linda Cohn joining the KHN for 'select' games.

Dave Sims getting the Yankees job and living a lifelong dream

KUOW-FM for holding down the #1 radio ratings spots for multiple books

KNKX Radio winning a national Edward R. Murrow reporting award

97.3 News boss Charlie Harger moving back to on-air as the new Dave Ross

Kelly Hanson getting the New Day NW job at KING, climbing the TV talent ladder!

Former KING meteoroloigst Chris Nunley (now in Salt Lake) battling back from a rare form of cancer.

Dick Fain and Elise Woodward becoming the best team broadcasting the Seattle Storm and Woodward getting national exposure on ESPN networks


Ian Furness improving his skills as sports studio host on the Kraken pre and post game shows

Former popular KOMO and FOX 13 anchor Liz Dueweke returning to Seattle from Texas job to join the Allen Institute

Niko Tamurian, Aaron Levine, Alyssa Charlston and John Forslund nominated for National Sports Media Associations's Best Washington Sportscaster Award

The Seattle Channel getting a financial reprieve from City government to stay on the air

Frank Lenzi, longitme news boss at KNWN (former KOMO) stays local and re-emerges as the new boss at 97.3

Fox 13's Adam Gehrke becomes fulltime anchor-reporter, up from just traffic duties

KING's Chris Egan's work covering the local stories of the Paris Olympics

***All of the Seattle stations wonderful reporting about and delightful memories of the late, great Tony Ventrella.   Always among the best


WORST:

KIRO7 cutting consumer investigator/advocate Jesse Jones

KIRO7 demolishing its sports department, firing Chris Francis and producer Chris Swanson

Ex-Fox 13 anchor Jamie Tompkins police chief scandal

KOMO's loss of retiring lead anchor Eric Johnson and weekender Lee Stoll

The birth of the insipid ARC Seattle channel and morning show.

KING losing both Kim Holcomb from Evenng and Amity Addrisi from New Day and versatile Stephen Kilbreath from freelance

FOX 13 weather anchors reading news on morning casts

97.3 KIRO losing Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien on the same day to retirement

KING tech employee posting lewd pictures on social media

Comcast/Xfinity charging almost 20 bucks a month to watch the Mariners

Root Sports losing longtime play-by-play man Dave Sims to the Yankees

KOMO's Senior News Reporter Chris Daniels insisting on becoming Senior Sports Reporter, too

Danny Bonaduce leaving KZOK amid health struggle as station goes heavy automation

KOMO forcing news reporters to do weather segments

The daily hour of incessant cackling on Studio 13 Live.

Not enough solid investigative reporting

Too many country music stations even for friends in low places.


Let's all do better in 2025.  Happy New Year.






Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 27, 2024 at 4:24 PM

    Top story - Ex-Fox 13 anchor Jamie Tompkins police chief scandal
    Honorary mention: KIRO 97.3 is a magnet for the best radio news professionals; yet they still employ Gee Scott.

    Predictions for 2025:
    --Cutbacks in number of hours local stations broadcast NEWS each day.
    --We will be able to mark the time of death for MusicRadio in Seattle, as LOCAL radio stations fill the timeslots with all-syndicated air personalities.
    --A format change at 98.9 KPNW as they decide "enough of this BULL...
    --A format change at AM 1000 & 97.7, possibly a Spanish-language station.
    --Bankruptcy or merger for Audacy (The END, The Wolf, Hot 103.7, KISW, EMMA 94.1 (and a format alteration here).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wayne LDecember 27, 2024 at 4:56 PM

      Great bold predictions. Lots of change coming, especially I like your take on KNWN. I think Jones was a bigger media story, because the Tompkins did not really affect viewers, per se, like the cuts of Jesse and Sports Dept. But it terms of pure news, it was a hot one.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousDecember 27, 2024 at 9:36 PM

      You are correct, in that the Jesse story caught viewers by surprise and brought many negative responses regarding KIRO 7. The Tompkins-Diaz scandal was the nastiest story of the year. Sorry, but what she saw in him besides $$ is a mystery.

      Delete
  2. Wayne LDecember 28, 2024 at 9:00 AM

    Can't disagree with you on the last point. Whatever it was, she might have worked in an ordinary COMMS job (a former KIRO reporter had that gig at one point) but the Chief of Staff promotion got everybody's negative attention. Nobody appeared to think that through before it happened and it unleashed hell.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike BarerDecember 29, 2024 at 10:41 PM

    I think of David Sims departure as a sad moment, but your right, happy to see him live his dream.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wayne LDecember 30, 2024 at 9:48 AM

    Mike, thanks for following and commenting all of these last five months since this started. Much appreciated. Have a great New Year.

    ReplyDelete

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