KIRO has a Seahawks gane next Sunday, a home contest against New Orleans. Checking the cable grid, I see no local pre-game or post-game, just a newscast following the CBS telecast. Before the game, professional bull riding is listed. It would seem to be a great revenue opportunity to do some local programming around the game. Of course, that would also cost money. Not to mention KIRO has no sports department, which leaves Eric Thomas (who anchored weekend news this past weekend -- where's Jason Sloss) as the lone ranger with at least some TV sports cred. They may just front load the newscast with post-game stuff without branding it as a post-game show. Meanwhile, FOX 13 has its gameday at 5 pm opposite KIRO news with full coverage of the Hawks game. I'll watch Red Zone.
Your prediction seems accurate. Local TV (and KIRO in particular) seems bent on decontenting itself into irrelevance all in the name of cost savings.
ReplyDeleteWhich only leads to further irrelevancy as audiences and advertisers seek out greener pastures, leading to yet more budget cuts. It is a vicious cycle that doesn't seem like it is going to end anytime soon.
DeleteIts times like these where the lack of a sports department at KIRO becomes particularly noticeable. Now that they've got their weekend Weather situation sorted, bringing back the sports department should be a top priority. And Eric could easily be one piece of that puzzle.
ReplyDeleteIt is unlikely that bringing back the sports department at KIRO is really that high up or on top of the totem pole with all that is going on over there. I mean, you have to really think about it. Is it economically worth hiring someone whose presence is really needed for THREE or so minutes every night (including weekends), only for them to repeat what has been pretty much said by their counterparts on 4, 5, and 13? My idea? KIRO can take a page of what FOX 13 is doing and having folks from KJR appear on their sports programming by having folks from 710 ESPN appear and offer their perspectives. Even if KIRO-TV and KIRO Radio are owned by separate companies (Cox/Apollo and Bonneville), I am sure those personalities would love to expand their platform for TV and make a little pocket change on the side and then some.
DeleteLive sports make $$. The Seahawks are the kings of the jungle here in Seattle. To just ignore sports is foolish. And the local baseball team is probably playoff bound too. Missed opportunity to say the least. And if FOX has the KJR personalities on, why not go after someone at 710 to help out?
ReplyDeleteA couple of notes: Brock Huard gave up TV to work with his football son, and may not want to give up any weekends, like he used to. He lives in Colorado now. Wyman is Raible's radio analyst, so he is not available. Stelton worked for me co-hosting the old Fone Zone show I started post-games at NWCN, so I don't know if he is still interested. I don't know if KIRO would pay for Stacy, Bumpas or Salk, who is fairly unpopular, it seems. Michael Robinson works for NFL Network. Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and K.J. Wright are out there, but probably too expensive. Those three have agents, of course, and would want a package deal, not just one game. By my unofficial count, Hawks have three more games with CBS, so it would make sense to make a four game deal including this week. But as many have noted on this blog, KIRO is on a budget clock for saving and cutting, not spending. Maybe we will be surprised.
ReplyDeleteSad. Long gone are the days KIRO had real sports. Wayne Cody. Ron Callan. Even Chris Francis. And I think you are right. Salk is not popular. People may tune out.
ReplyDeleteTruly a different era these days. KIRO is in disarray, and I don't see a solution unless CBS buys it to turn 7 and 11 into a duopoly. Previous affiliate/network contracts notwithstanding, nothing is impossible. CBS has already capitulated to the administration, so stay tuned if there is a transaction, and quick approval.
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