Haven't checked in on this newscast for awhile

Thought I would watch KIRO7's 7 pm newscast on Wednesday, the date of the Seahawks home opener, competing against the game on KING 5.

The station's formula is standard operating procedure: Fast paced directing, strong graphics in, around and between packages and copy stories.  They use a lot, and I mean A LOT of fast and furious graphics with reveal fonts, which means viewers have wayyy too much to read on full screens.   Save those for the website, KIRO, my eyes get bleary.  It's overkill to me.  I do still like how they cover the lag between studio tosses and live shots with a transition graphic to cover the awkward delay.  

On this particular show, it opened with a live shot from a bar for local reaction to tariffs on Canadian beer and booze, but it was a superficial, weak and phony lead with only one interview and b-roll of people watching the game.   Odd choice.     It was nothing more than a tease for more at 11, so no way it was the top story in Seattle, especially with the season opener going on.   They could have done at least a fan atmosphere piece at Lumen for the non-game watchers at home.  They eventually flashed the halftime score of the football game and mentioned the Darnold injury, but quickly moved on.

Elle Thomas and Monique Ming Lavan co-anchored and they fit the pace with the high story count format.   Weather Wizard Morgan Palmer is always smooth and solid.   Strong player.    Package-wise, I only found one sound bite that was longer than 10 seconds.  They keep 'em tight for sure.  Oddly, one live reporter was professionally dressed with suit and tie.  The other had an unattractive, casual open-collar shirt.

All in all, the production is crisp, which has long been  KIRO's calling card.  Tight packages, high story count and heavy graphics.   It's a little too fast for these tired eyes.    But they have their style.  Always found it a little too East Coast-aggressive for Seattle.