With Thanksgiving now in plain sight, let's put the Seattle TV Media on the MENU as we compare it to the scrumptious holiday fare ahead, shall we?
First, I've selected an 'extremely' dry SAUVIGNON 'BLANK' for KIRO 'blank'-ing out weekend morning news. Bad in the aftertaste.
Healthy GREENS to properly welcome the four most recent meteorologists added to our local TV, who may still be just a little 'green' to the tricky 'Emerald' City forecasts, but who seem to be making a positive impact so far: (George Waldenberger and Stella Sun (KOMO), Ashley Ruiz (KING) and Robert Van Winkle (KIRO).
MASHED POTATOES for FOX 13 'mashing' two weather anchors into morning news anchors, saving money while apparently unworried about journalistic credibility.
YAMS for ALL of the local 'lifestyle' programs and their incessant daily 'yammering' about cooking, fashion, social media trends, self-help, health, pets and celebs. A lot of it is play for pay, too.
Extra GRAVY for KING's Joyce Taylor having her name attached to the 5 p.m. weekday newscast, a first for the market, and for Greg Copeland finally becoming K5's lead male evening anchor after toiling for 20 years on cable at the old NWCN.
STUFFING for Fox 13 'stuffing' us viewers with the graphically and technically challenged 'Live Desk' last summer when, clearly, it was not even close to being ready for air. A debut debacle still plagued by on-screen overkill.
STUFFING, too, for Tegna which curiously 'stuffed' nine local news directors (including Julie Wolfe from KING) into regional VP roles at the same time the already management top-heavy company faces sale. Veeps beware!
Extra, extra tart CRANBERRY SAUCE for Root Sports and Xfinity charging already pay cable customers an extra $20/mo to watch Mariners games and then abruptly pulling the plug on the channel's viewers and staff after the final out of the regular and rare championship season.
Several massive slices of TURKEY, of course, for KIRO 'carving up' its sports department, leaving it unable to properly keep 'A-BREAST' of local teams. Main news anchors are forced to compensate several times in the void.
Plus, two DRUMSTICKS for KIRO repeatedly 'PULLING' news reporters out of their important duties for several months to do fill-in weather. And also for having ace morning weather guy Nick Allard 'PULL' double duty on morning traffic.
A nice SECOND HELPING for KING's laid off former anchor Steve Soliz getting another good run in the market at KOMO (And, at ARC Seattle, too. Oh, well.)
And an extra SECOND HELPING for Susannah Frame, moving to news director at KING from longtime chief investigative reporter and a 'second' career. Guess the Tegna promotion of her boss worked nicely for her as it turned out.
Dessert time, of course:
Generous slices of PUMPKIN PIE for KOMO news staffers for somehow having the 'crust' to survive Sinclair's money-losing ownership.
Also an extra slice for KIRO's versatile Eric Thomas, who has brought his energetic delivery to the weekend p.m. anchor desk.
And, to top it all off, a sweet AFTER DINNER CORDIAL for the newly and officially married Shannon O' Donnell of KOMO, new mom Claire Anderson of Fox 13 and new children's book author Leah Pezzetti of KING for their friendly and reliable forecasting.
OK everyone, after such a feast, pass the Pepto for the requisite:
INDIGESTION from Fox 13's broadcast replays of large sections of the same evening.newscasts.
INDIGESTION from KOMO 's loss of talent like Rebecca Stevenson, Lee Stoll, Hannah Knowles, Ryan Simms and Paul Rivera in the last year. Heavy turnover and likely lots of reasons.
INDIGESTION from KING cutting award winning investigator Taylor Mirfendereski and the departures of talented Evening hosts Kim Holcomb and Jim Dever.
And last but not least, INDIGESTION, too, from KIRO for once again doing a two-bit contest on their morning and evening newscasts this month to desperately pump up ratings during the important November Sweeps, and worse, using shots of their main news anchors to sell it.
Burp.
Happy Thanksgiving to my loyal readers. I give thanks to YOU for indulging my sarcasm and soft comedy.
Wait until you see what I have for Christmas.
Nailed it!
ReplyDeleteHope l enjoy my dinner as much as I did reading this. Well done!
ReplyDeleteRich
Regardless of channel, here’s your Thanksgiving night rundown:
ReplyDeleteSeaTac travel troubles
Snoqualmie pass live shot
Sky-is-falling early weather
Downtown protest about something
Thieves spoil holiday for someone
Boom! Love this.
ReplyDeleteBoom!
ReplyDeleteNice one Wayne. R.e.stuffing- how about KING five stuffing six weather folks in without any chief meteorologist?
ReplyDeleteRich is the de facto Chief. He has 40 years experience and runs circles around nearly anyone else in town with his depth of knowledge. He’s likely both too humble and too smart (who wants to deal with scheduling and personnel issues if you don’t have to?) to officially accept that title.
DeleteYes, I believe Marriott's official title is Senior Met, and you're right. He does not want to tangle with the admin side of being a chief, especially with his early morning hours.
DeleteGood one, you're right. Is it stuffing or benign neglect?
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Wayne! This was a very fun post to read! The only question I have is what meat do KOMO, KING, and Fox 13 get? I see KIRO is getting turkey.
ReplyDeleteI guess I should have put LEFTOVERS in there or a doggie bag. LOL. Glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete“As god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!” - Mr Carlson, the greatest broadcast GM in history.
ReplyDelete