Chris Daniels posted on X the schedule for NCAA regional tournament games in Seattle later this week. Why? It's not news, it's sports, and again, he undercuts the KOMO Sports Director, Niko Tamurian. I understand he can post what he wants, but what is his motive that benefits KOMO? Is he promoting his podcast? Maybe he will do his usual economic impact story about the games coming here? Or maybe interview the Mayor about it? I'll hang up and wait for your answers.
Don't think its that big of a deal. Sports used to a bigger deal around here. Hydro's used to be huge, look at the past 20 years. It seems sports is almost buried in the newscast. To many other ways to get what you're looking for. Sorry Wayne, sports on local news stations have almost gone the way of the dinosaur. Just like newspapers, radio, and on the air TV broadcasting. I don't like it either!
ReplyDeleteOnly KING has a strong sports department, with Fox 13 running second courtesy Aaron Levine and Charlston. As long as the Hawks are on Fox most weeks, they will keep at it. And KING has the Hawks partnership, too. Last I checked, KING still has a sports EP, a line/weekend producer, three on-air and a photog.
DeleteI never really understood Chris' role as Senior Reporter and Sinclair National Correspondent when all he did was go from KING5 to another cliche I hear in news folks, go "across the street" to KOMO4. Chris' reporting is more of the same to any G.A. reporter. If Daniels really wanted to cover sports, he could have just signed on to KOMO as perhaps a weekend sports guy and #2 back up to Niko rather than a fancy network title since Niko is pretty much the only person in their sports department, save for a photographer and does both weeknights and weekend slots. Better yet for Chris, he can go "across the street" to KIRO7 and be their main sports guy, since they pretty have NO sports department to speak of since Cox canned both Chrises (Francis and Swanson). Even better, KOMO is looking for a new "evening anchor" since they fired Chris Nguyen after all that fanfare, and new management fired him after a couple months, without as much as saying what really happened. No worries, we have a "Senior Reporter" on staff and he is also named Chris? How the mighty days of Ed Murrow, Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, Chet Huntley and several other names have fallen to today's news people who call themselves "storytellers"? That's my two cents, but you don't to look into my wallet to know for sure. Cheers! -"M.F."
ReplyDeleteI speculate that when Chris's former boss became a news VP at SInclair, he lured Daniels over to SInclair under the guise of being a correspondent for its national desk to work out his non-compete. He did a handful of middle-of-the-road stories. Then, again speculating, shortly after the non-compete ran out, Daniel became the Senior guy and started reporting local stories for KOMO. Seemed orchestrated to me.
ReplyDeleteI know Chris's former boss at KING5 was Mark Ginther, who went on to become a Director of News Content and Operations for Sinclair. I do think that Chris had that "de-facto" Senior Reporter title in his last year or so at KING5. I don't really know or care what went on during the negotiation process with the Sinclair folks, allowed for him to use that title permanently, stay in Seattle instead of relocating to the national desk in Virginia and here's the kicker, to also cover sports under the guise of being credited a newsman. Not only orchestrated, but far-fetched as well. Despite being Senior Reporter, it doesn't mean that you exercise your seniority, and your story is going to be the lead of the 5pm, 6pm or 11pm newscast. KOMO does air those "Spotlight on America" pieces usually mid-way to its weather segment, but Chris who is featured. If anything, Chris covers news guy who also piggy-backs as a sports guy. Its confusing, even from a marketer's perspective on whether we should promote this person as one or the other. There are folks who still think of Theron Zahn as a weather guy even though he is not a certified AMS Seal of Approval meteorologist like Shannon, George, Stella and formerly, Rebecca. He does report and anchor as well, but if anything, he is the help and he may not be the greatest anchor or reporter, it's versatility. I will say that I never been one on titles, and especially with how much I respect front desk people and they boast being Director of First Impressions. Anyway, that's my two cents, but you don't need to look into my wallet to know for sure. Cheers, Wayne! -"M.F."
ReplyDeleteI meant to say that Chris is not regularly featured on those "Spotlight on America" pieces, unless there is some Seattle angle to the story.
ReplyDeleteIt was a coup for a former KING ND to steal a top reporter for Sinclair and KOMO. Hurt KING, help KOMO. Chris had a difficult time succeeding Jim Forman as Sr. guy. Was never really showcased as such IMHO
ReplyDeleteIt's not that Chris had a difficult time succeeding Jim Forman, when Jim was already known in the area to really go off the edge to get the story which is how he got that "Danger Jim" monkier. An ordinary reporter during the fall and winter seasons would want to do their stand-up on higher ground during a flood or during a whiteout event on the passes, but Jim would insist doing his stand-up (often live) just as the water was rising and snow was coming down hard. The same during the summer season where he would cover wildfires happening in the Cascades that you could perhaps touch the flames from those watching at home. I am sure any photog paired with Jim on a story knew he wanted to get to the heart of the story like any reporter would do, but not knowing they sometimes would literally get in the center of all the action (the WTO riots in 1999 comes to mind). Even when there was often a Northwest-related (and it didn't have to be Seattle) story, Jim was NBC's "go-to" guy. As for Chris, he was more or less another G-A who luckily had local roots (working at KCPQ before coming to KING). I don't know what Sinclair or even KOMO knows what to brand Chris that yes, he can get a one on one interview the Mayor, but all that I am seeing as a viewer is someone who is really eyeing for Niko's job on the side.
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