MediaMaven

  Ok, I put a few, sometimes sarcastic, words to the main verse of Yankee Doodle Dandy, plus its final chorus.  If you don't know the song, oh well. You could look it up somewhere or watch the movie of the same name.  And maybe just hum along?   Or read it like a regular poem.  Anyway, enjoy the 250th birthday!!  Celebrate our freedom.  Have fun!  🇺🇸 "I'm Seattle's TV Blogger..  TV Blogger, do or die... Watch the business fading every day... Worried this Fourth of July. "Keeps on looking for more readers... Lots more words are yet to ply... Free speech means so very much to all... Savor the Fourth of July. "13 made a deal with Seafair... Punching 7 in the eye... Fireworks air this coming Saturday... Parade, 25th of July. 'Tyrah Majors split from KOMO... On to KIRO now, she'll fly... What her role will be we don't know yet... Starts after Fourth of July. "KING began a morning sports show... Scratched our heads and wondered why... But we...

Tomorrow, June 30, two years ago, I started this blog to offer Seattle TV media information from here, there and everywhere, seeking to report and discuss the talent and program ups and downs in the market. THANKS to all of my readers and commenters.  It has grown to 349,000 views, almost 30,000 just this month with overall 4000 comments on 1225 posts.   Very amazed and more than grateful.   Here's to another year of keeping the conversation going.

Checked on ARC Seattle Monday morning and Menino and Fahmy were co-anchoring after Majors departure.  Maybe Steve just wanted a day off to process?   Interesting that the new male morning guy, Hussion, wasn't on board.   Or Waldenberger?   McCarron was back Tuesday with Menino!

KOMO's Molly Shen joined Sports Director Niko Tamurian on the Seattle Storm pre-game show Saturday night.  Previously he has been partnered on the Storm pre-game set with Kelly Koopmans and Michelle Esteban, so that's a Trifecta for Niko.   He likes the team effort and I understand the presence of the gals on a Storm show, but he should be leading this coverage solo, IMHO.   

We hear from Gee Scott on his radio show. Scroll down. 97.3 KIRO-FM's mid-morning radio man Gee Scott is taking heat for deciding to emcee a Seattle World Cup game on June 19 vs. Australia, skipping his son's wedding in Ohio.  People Magazine broke the story about and there has been expected criticism, including Scott being labeled a "shameless self-promoter" by local podcaster and colleague.   Scott has called it the "wrong decision," adding, "I chose the job over someone I would lay down my life for."     Is this worth a Red Card?  Or just a Yellow? More at this link: https://people.com/gee-scott-sr-radio-host-missed-sons-wedding-for-world-cup-wrong-decision-12006700 Gee tells his side on the radio show Monday: https://x.com/i/status/2071694907220390178

This time it's not from the departing KOMO talent, but her co-anchor Steve McCarron,  bidding her farewell and move to a competitor, KIRO.  "Well, the day I’ve been dreading for months is finally here… my dear friend Tyrah Majors’ last at KOMO & ARC Seattle.  It’s been a tough week - going to be honest - knowing this day has been coming. Quite emotional at times.  I know we’re not saying goodbye. She’ll still be in Seattle - just a few blocks away - beginning the next chapter in her already accomplished and impressive, young career.  But I will deeply miss seeing her beautiful smile as I walk into the studio each morning. And I will deeply miss looking over to see her sitting by my side on the ARC Seattle set - ready to engage in deeper conversations about the issues and events that affect our wonderful community.  I’ve loved every minute of our time together.  And I’m so proud of what we’ve built together - as part of a wonderful team that goes fa...

  From Radio-online: Connoisseur Media has promoted Heather Roberts to News Director at KXL in Portland, OR, expanding her leadership responsibilities at the heritage News/Talk outlet while she continues as co-anchor of Portland's Morning News. In her new role, Roberts will oversee the editorial direction of KXL's newsroom, guide coverage and content strategy, and continue her daily on-air duties. She succeeds into a position that will play a key role in shaping the future of one of Portland's longest-serving news brands. "Heather is a news force," said Grant McHill, Program Director for KXL. "She is relentless in her search for the news and will serve KXL well in this role. I'm excited to see where she takes the KXL News Department."

Madison Wade, a weekend anchor for four years, has now posted two videos and two written social farewells about leaving her 'dream job' at KING.  Three of those posts in the last four days!   Another dating back almost two weeks.   She is in every single shot of the final, expertly edited, video.  Can you say attention diva?   Even our friends at ftvlive.com weighed in, posting that first goodbye on June 11 https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2026/6/23/it-was-her-dream-job-but-the-dream-is-now-over The last two videos,we hope: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1032227856021556 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2217637525741413 Madison, please just go quietly now.

MJ McDermott, ex-Fox 13 meteorologist, says her sons are going to be playing on Netflix: "I got to be interviewed on KIRO Radio yesterday about the fun circumstance of both of my twin sons playing George Washington in the Netflix documentary "The American Experiment" - which debuts tomorrow!  Angela Poe Russell read my earlier Facebook post about this (below) and asked me to come in a chat about it on air.  What fun!  I got to meet Ursula Reutin, whom I've heard many times on KIRO.  And Angela interviewed me too.  What a hoot!  They were both warm and gracious.  And the conversation became a little about our kids - being moms of 20-somethings.  Let me know if you watch "The American Experiment" on Netflix.  Let me know what you think.  And if you catch Patrick and/or Kirby as GW!" Tune in!

It's a three-year deal, months in the making   Telecasting 4th fireworks, Torchlight Parade and Hydro races Fox13 is, indeed, the brand new TV partner of SEAFAIR, the city's major, traditional and famous summer event. It's been 'pirated' away from KIRO, which airs the annual Torchlight Parade.  Also, Fox 13 will televise the Lake Union fireworks on July 4, taking it from King.   And will do hydros as well.   Clean sweep. Aggressive move!

Tony Castricone, the play-by-play man for UW sports and successor to the legendary Bob Rondeau, has a new microphone spot per this post from the Tampa Bay Bucs of the NFL: "We're excited to introduce Tony Castricone as the organization’s new radio play-by-play announcer 📻 With more than two decades of experience, @Castricone was selected to succeed Buccaneer legend Gene Deckerhoff and lead Buccaneers Radio Network coverage."  Tony was Director of Broadcast Operations at UW, coming to the university nine years ago, following his work at sportscasting work at Clemson.   He is a graduate of Ohio University.

Linda Cohn, longtime ESPN SportsCenter anchor, is retiring from the network.  She is a long-ago KIRO sports alum, so might she return to help revive the station's dead sports image by freelancing during the Seahawks/Husky season and start of the Kraken????  Remember, she did a short-term deal to co-host Kraken pregame show the season before last on KING.  Interesting idea.  But what the ROI?   From Awful Announcing: Linda Cohn will soon be departing ESPN. Awful Announcing has learned Cohn’s contract expires at the end of the month, and the two sides could not agree on a suitable role for her moving forward. After beginning her tenure at ESPN in Bristol, Cohn relocated to the Los Angeles area, where much of her family lives, and enjoyed the work-life balance of her role hosting the 1 a.m. ET SportCenter. Last year, ESPN opted to move the 1 a.m. SportsCenter back to its headquarters in Connecticut. Since then, Cohn’s role shifted to hosting SportsCenter from ...

Tyrah Majors, KOMO morning traffic anchor and ARC Seattle co-host is entering the transfer portal, joining the KIRO morning news team on July 5 per her post on Instagram. Her last day at KOMO is June 26.   It's the first big anchor move by 7's new news boss.  Plus previously adding Nia Bliss (Wong-ex Fox 13) and Heather Bosch freelance (ex-Kiro radio).  Interesting to see exactly what her role there will be.  KIRO has a morning traffic anchor and an established news team in Dee Dee and Linzi plus Nick Allard on weather.    Waiting to hear more.    Majors also said she will continue teaching at Seattle U.     I have not been impressed by her work on ARC. Steve McCarron has carried her along. She's a strong brand builder, however.   You can search my previous posts about her on the site.   Could this also signal the end of ARC? I posted last week that a major move was going to happen in the market.  KING ...

Spokane's KREM 2 has named STEPHANIE RUIZ GIBILISCO as the new news director.  Per rickgevers.com, she's been working out of TV for the last three years, but earlier had been both Assistant ND and EP there at KREM.   She's also worked in Omaha, Tucson and Lincoln, NE.  She  replaces Jessie Kane who has decided to step away from TV news after six-year run there.    Kane also worked for KING in Seattle and met her husband here, who was a producer for me at NWCN.

 

Looks like Madeline Carter may be the new weekend evening anchor at KING 5 after the departure of Madison Wade.  Anchored Saturday night, at least.   And this was awful camera composition.   Hello????  'Get Carter' was a 1971 gangster film starring Michael Caine.  So there!  Thanks, Boomer. 

KIRO 7 has flashy showcasing graphics as usual and naming its World Cup coverage, but on the eve of the Seattle's USA game, NO special coverage at all at 11. Just anchor Elle Thomas voicing a story about Pulisic and a freelance reporter on parking confusion.  Where's Eric Thomas?  Not doing special duty?  That was it?  Ceding it all to Fox 13? Well, no sports department, of course, so no nothing.   Embarrassing, even for KIRO. I tuned in specifically to see if there was any strong emphasis or commitment on the night before this huge event.  I left shaking my head.    Not much of a connection to the cup! New ND didn't rise to the occasion.    Or maybe she has started yet? Haven't watched much coverage but Fox has good live reporting inside the stadium with Levine and Mayofsky,  and Kong's The Ultimate Sports Show was stationed with a great vantage point outside.   Nice overhead crowd shots. 

Heather Bosch, who was let go by KIRO 97.3 and lost her work at CBS Radio when it folded, has caught on doing some freelance reporting for KIRO 7.   They could use the help for sure.  She's smart and knowledgeable. Thanks to a loyal reader for the tip and Heather confirmed.

  From our friends at FTVlive.  This is not good folks.  Can't be erased. https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2026/6/17/no-surprise-there And this from 2015 at CPAC: https://youtu.be/fDs3zR2SKtM?is=e-FlDZaBUUCCYZc4 I don't trust him already after watching these but it's Sinclair, by the book. 

 . ... Has entered the transfer portal in town. Betting someone moving on from KING.   Stay tuned.