Newly-minted PortlandTrailblazers pxp man out same day. Team announcement after a KGW uncovered bad tweets from a decade ago.
"I am no longer at Komo 4." Thanks. Longtime Weather Anchor Rebecca Stevenson confirms that she left the station just before Christmas. Her last Facebook posts are 12/17. She has the Seattle station Quintafecta, having worked at the old NWCN, KING, KIRO, KCPQ and KOMO. Looks like her decision. Wants a new chapter. She was doing mainly weekend evenings for KOMO. Perhaps Stella Sun will move there. She has been sharing weekend mornings with Theron Zahn.
Yes, folks hoping for the Mariners to be sold, perhaps, should be careful what they wish for. From what I've heard and read, the Blazer sale has been one calamity after another.
ReplyDeleteAnd you would be right about that. That said, I A. don't think the Mariners will be that same path and B. many fans are willing to take that risk to get rid of that ownership group.
DeleteBut back to the topic at hand here and that is that this is another PR problem for Dundon, and frankly, one that could have been avoided. AwfulAnnouncing blog has a story up on it (https://awfulannouncing.com/nba/trail-blazers-fire-braiden-bell-statement.html) and one of their commenters took a shot at KGW's reporter suggesting I'm presuming this investigation he did of Bell was out of bounds considering these tweets were from 15 years ago but what I feel this was and probably a lot of you will agree was that reporter Devon Haskins and KGW were doing the deep dive the Blazers themselves should have been doing. The station I don't think was doing anything nefarious, they were just doing a standard investigation of who this guy is and this is what they found. Nothing more, nothing less.
Moving forward, a guy I think the Blazers should probably look at as a safe option is Jordan Kent, who replaced KC after Kevin left the first time from the Blazers. Kent works nationally now but I don't believe would be terribly expensive and his knowledge and familiarity with the market could make him a comfortable choice for Dundon and crew to get them through this coming year.
Dundon's MO is well-known and is something the NBA themselves should have done a better job vetting too, but they didn't and now they have to deal with it. This current situation with the TV announcer is nothing compared to the arena situation and the battle there, and that is one Adam Silver is going to have to get involved with I believe, and should. He wants to avoid the mistake his predecessor made in allowing the Sonics to go to OKC, he'd better show some leadership.
Should add as an addendum now to my above comments that there are others criticizing the reporter too. And it appears some of them are using the same tactics on Haskins he used in investigating Bell for that story: https://x.com/DanClarkSports/status/2106010783498809779. The link is to a post from this guy Clark in which he has a screenshot of a similarly questionable tweet from around that same time period from Haskins regarding election workers and their age. So we may not have heard the end of this
ReplyDeleteIndustry website "The Desk" is reporting tonight that Tegna, parent company of KGW, is now conducting its own internal review of the story.
Deletehttps://thedesk.net/2026/10/tegna-investigation-kgw-braiden-bell-tweets-story/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet
This entire story is turning into quite the debacle for both the Trailblazers and KGW.
It is and it didn't need to get to this but did because of the Blazers. I'll address that in a moment. First, this was also at The Desk, IDC: https://thedesk.net/2026/10/braiden-bell-hired-for-the-right-reasons-fired-for-the-wrong-ones/. The guy who wrote the story on there reporting the investigation, Matt Keys, also wrote an accompanying column. Had a read of both of these guys and I strongly encourage all of you, including you Wayne, to have a read of both of these. The commentary, Keys IMO literally let the station have it and basically accused them of violating journalistic ethics with how they handled this.
DeleteThe Blazers are at fault because the decision they made they made I think because they were trying to get out in front of something that they thought would give them negative press in the market. What happened instead was a worse PR nightmare that also has caught KGW and by some extension TEGNA in their crosshairs.
This I believe has damaged KGW's reputation in the market and I don't they're going to be able to fix all of it. As such, I feel that no matter how this internal investigation turns out, both of them are probably going to be out the door there over this.
Say it forget it--write it regret it. That is what my wife says.
DeleteWise counsel, Mike.
DeleteSage advice. A good rule to live by.
DeleteControl Alt Delete. It will be around at least until a new person is named. Good thing Diana or Brittany didn't know about this in PHO.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if Taurasi/Griner were playing there with him on the mic but you are right. And that is I think the big takeaway here for everyone. Regardless of how you feel about whether he should have been fired or not (I don't believe this was fireable but do understand the Blazers' rationale, I explained that in my latest comment above) the takeaway here is that this is another reminder for us to teach our kids or students about the importance of being good citizens on social media and to think before they post. Because what kids may think is goofing off (and TBH I saw the offending posts and viewed them as nothing more than him being a HS jerkoff, we've probably all been there before as teens) can come back and haunt them later, and in this case much later and likely costing Bell a chance at a big-time sports broadcasting career before it starts.
DeleteSeems like neither the Mercury nor ASU vetted Bell along with the Blazers. I found that failed drug tests and criminal records were the only disqualifiers over the years. Bell probably thought nothing about the old tweets. One mistake followed by another.
ReplyDeleteThe franchise is basically in full disarray with the Chauncey mess, the cheap owner and a battle with the City Council, so Bell wasn't getting anything more than the usual cursory. attention. Bigger fish to fry, but another mistake. They've lost a lot of goodwill in town and they didn't want to lose more. If it would have eventually come out later they would have been criticized for hiring a misogynist in the first place. So they cut losses.
On the reporter/ND side Bell absolutely needed to be contacted for a response before the story hit. Ethical lapse. That was a rush to beat the competition and KGW hates KATU, the Blazers TV partner, which KGW used to be for years. No love lost? Was this story done maliciously or just reporting the truth.
Bell can sue for wrongful termination/defamation with a law firm that only gets paid if the win. Bell's tweets were made as a teen but the excuse that we were all dumb as teens doesn't work for me. He says he's changed, but we also all harbor secrets at any age . Dumb is not a defense when you are the voice of a franchise.
Just throwing some thoughts out there.
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The Blazers also seem to be overlooking the well documented mass Ja Morant has made of himself. Selective canceling?
DeleteYes on Morant Wayne but since that is a basketball thing I'll just leave it there and keep on subject. Your thoughts above on this are much appreciated and also this comment below about TheDesk, IDC is right that does call their credibility into question. Seems like anyone and everyone involved in this tale isn't squeaky clean and we have not heard the end of this for sure.
DeleteWe certainly haven't. There needs to be accountability for all who are found to have committed wrongdoing as a result of this saga.
DeleteThe guy who wrote the column (Matthew Keys) is a smart guy with a sordid past - and should not be writing columns on ethics......ever. Courtesy of DOJ:
ReplyDeleteFormer Fox40 Web Producer Sentenced to Prison for Attack on Media Sites
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Share right caret
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Matthew Keys, 29, former web producer and network site administrator for KTXL FOX40, a Sacramento television station, was sentenced today to two years in prison for inciting, assisting, and conducting a weeks-long campaign of online attacks against FOX40 and The Los Angeles Times, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner and FBI Special Agent in Charge Monica M. Miller announced.
A very interesting and concerning find. This calls The Desk's integrity into question.
DeleteBoth Calkins and Keys have checkered pasts.
ReplyDeleteHearing there is an internal investigation of KGW by the parent company. The pxp guy won't be the only one losing a job
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that many news people at Tegna believe he was doing his job to report, period and that to fire anyone would have a chilling effect on other reporters on sensitive stories.
DeleteThe station GM should probably do an online and on air apology and go from there. Blazers should simulcast radio on TV and not hire a replacement for now.
I'm inclined to agree with the news people at Tegna that the reporter was doing his job. Firing him over it would potentially lead to the supression of other stories of this type that haven't been uncovered yet and need to be told, which wouldn't be a good thing.
Deletehttps://awfulannouncing.com/local-networks/braiden-bell-asks-second-chance-blazers-job.html. Bell asked the Blazers to reconsider, they said no. Anyway, Wayne, I think that is probably where this is going that the station should do an on-air apology at the executive level. But it is interesting you talk about the Tegna journalists in this fashion because they clearly IMO do not get the other part of this and that is the damage to the station's reputation - and I'd even argue to a lesser extent, the entire chain's - this whole thing has caused. This is why I continue to believe both the reporter and his ND are going to be out of jobs there regardless of what the investigation uncovers.
ReplyDeleteKGW and Tegna have certainly been brought into disripute over this saga. I hope they are able to eventually recover from it. That may mean removing the reporter and news director from their jobs, as Rhett believes, regardless of whether such removals are actually deserved. At this point, I hope that doesn't happen. But a stain has been left on the station'd reputation, and that can't be ignored. Its a very difficult situation all around.
DeleteI don't envy the person taking his place. Bad look. Best thing they could do is hire a female announcer. Alyssa Charlston-Smith?
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea Wayne. https://awfulannouncing.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers-tv-play-announcer-who-braiden-bell-calabro.html. AA incidentally did an article about possible contenders and they mention that Bell beat out a guy who is a former announcer for the Sacramento Kings in CA or just as you say go with a simulcast of radio/TV.
DeleteA simulcast of radio/TV is a good solution for the time-being. Going forward, especially if the TrailBlazers begin showing serious potential to make this season's playoffs, a new announcer should be appointed. Alyssa Charlston-Smith would be a great contender for the role, should she be interested.
DeleteShe might be looked on as a compromise hire to show how anti-misogyny the team really is in the aftermath of the tweets. I still think simul is the way to go for the near term.
ReplyDeleteYou actually could make the same argument with Elise Woodward as well Wayne and with her having called the Fire this summer, she would be more familiar with the PDX market than ACS is I think
DeleteThought of her, but I don't know. She worked so hard to get the UW pxp job.
DeleteShe did you are not wrong but there are options there for sure. I'd also add a third one. Ann Schatz, who is based in Portland, has been calling college hoops both men's and women's for years down there. Something I think like 30-40 years now. Schatz would be a good option and TBH this would be a fantastic reward for her for her work over the years. I have heard her calls multiple times and she is solid.
DeleteIf Woodward hadn't just landed the UW pxp job, then I could see her as a potential candidate. Maybe she could do a game or two as a special guest commentator?
DeleteRhett's suggestion of Ann Schatz is an excellent one!
Rhett, the Ultimate Sports Show taking on the state of high school sports today, fyi.
DeleteI did see that yes it was actually part two. Part one of that was yesterday w/Jon Manley from the Tacoma Tribune. Issue FYI is several HS's in western WA have canceled their football seasons due to low numbers and non-competitiveness against opponents. One of those is in Federal Way, Todd Beamer HS. Second school in the Renton SD, Hazen, forfeited last week and is at this point on week-to-week basis as to if they will be playing
DeleteHad not heard of her, and, irony of ironies, she does TV pxp for the Phoenix Mercury. Good thought!
ReplyDelete