My original post has taken on a life of its own. I first projected Simms was gone from KOMO because of missing bio pic on the website, and no stories posted for a month and no recent appearances. Then a loyal reader indicated that he was on an extended vacation and that his picture had never been posted by the station. So, I temporarily updated. However, in a never ending effort to find the truth, I went to his linkedin profile and found this:
Ryan Simms
is open to work
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-simms-42023a24/
(should have checked there first, I suppose)
I think so many news and media folks are always "open to work" even when they're with already one station and are looking for the next big market opportunity. There are so many out there who will label themselves as Communication Specialists, Media Professionals, Video Storytellers or something similar to that. Regarding to the Simms situation, he was featured on the evening LIVE desk or occasional nightside or the weekend anchor desk (when Michelle Esteban wasn't available), but that is about as far as I know. He never was what you call a "regular" and in my own opinion as a viewer, seen as a "help" or lifeline when KOMO was short of a reporter or an anchor and Simms was a fix. In the few times that I have watched him out on the field or on the anchor desk and watching some of his reel on YouTube, Simms seemed a bit too animated for my tastes in his delivery (having his arms out like he is guiding people on a tour). I am not a news director, but a part of me says either they are making the story seem bigger than it actually is or the so-called "all about me TV". I know Simms came to KOMO from KIRO, and what I saw was more of a fill-in/sub rather than your regular GA. Since Hannah Knowles is now leaving, could that mean he finally gets his "bio" on the KOMO bios page? Time will tell. That's my two cents. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about news and media people always being "open to work". Contracts in this industry aren't extending for nearly as long as they used to, so people are seemingly always on the hunt for another role as their time at any given station may be quite short.
DeleteAs for Ryan Simms, I remember several years ago when KIRO was referring to him on-air during the week as their "North Sound Reporter", and then deploying him to Puyallup, Kent, and other communities nowhere near the North Sound to cover news on weekends. I never understood why KIRO didn't just assign him to the North Sound full time. There is always plenty of news to cover up there, just as there is in every other corner of our region. They did this a little bit with Lee Stoll as well shortly before she moved to KOMO.
DeleteAsk any news veteran (like Wayne on here) who have been in this business for decades (and jokingly say they started their careers when they were 12) and they will tell you the same answer that that the broadcast industry is a shrinking fraternity. The changes in how news is presented and delivered has certainly changed in the past 20-25 years with newspapers being pretty much extinct, radio is nothing but an endless stream of commercials (and voice-tracked jocks) and those in television who can't even read or just "there". Finding good people is hard to find and given with what KIRO is going through of drafting their GA's to do weekend weather is a perfect example. KIRO was perhaps the first station in the area (if I am not mistaken) that combined the efforts of people on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram to become reporters in what most in news circles call as "citizen journalism". With the advent of drones, stations are saving themselves some dough (at least when it comes to aerial coverage) in leasing a helicopter and hiring a pilot. With the exception of KING5's Drew Mikkelsen, you don't see any live reports from Olympia other than a mention or two when the Legislative is in session and such. There was a time when the local stations here had their own DC Bureau. I am just a 30-something newsie, but there was even a time these stations had their own DC Bureau as well. The younger folks are also leaving for non-news opportunities (i.e., PR or their self-owned business) for better pay and hours and those who are in that group see this as a feather in their press cap. Seattle at one time or another was a market you could spend the rest of your career, but sadly, that ship has long since sailed past. There never will be a longtime anchor team of Dan Lewis/Kathi Goertzen (KOMO), Dennis Bounds/Jean Enersen (KING) and Steve Raible/Susan Hutchison (KIRO) in this city and in my lifetime.
DeleteSo, the ND you hhave worked for is going to hire you again if you are open to work???? DIcey.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem entirely possible if you and the ND were on particularly good terms during your time at the station. But only in that circumstance, and even then, the odds might not be great.
DeleteMoral of the "story" here is to not burn any bridges in your professional career, whatever field you are in. We all have bosses and colleagues that we will like and dislike, but you never know where it could take you and lasting impact it could have.
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