MediaMaven

Noticed that the new Ultimate Sports Show on KONG at 10 am weekdays has The 700 Club as its lead in.  Good programming flow there, don't you think?   Yikes!    Well, it's essentially a religious infomercial so KING gets money for it.    It proves that USS is primarily a streaming product because no linear sports hour should ever follow religious programming in any time period.   Odd stuff from K5.   

One of my alert readers pointed out that Dusty Baker, KING's new sports guy who debuted Weds, posted on social about how he fell in love with the city when he was young: When I was in elementary school, my parents took me to a Mariners game in Seattle. I fell in love with Seattle for the passion the city has for its teams and the beauty of Safeco Field. I remember looking across from the ballpark, seeing the KING 5 logo, and thinking how incredible it would be to work at a place like that. Well, when he was a school boy, KING was not across from the ballpark.  333 Dexter until 2016.  Ten years ago.   Does not compute.   Exaggerate to ingratiate???     Looks like he's busted before his first at bat.    Stand for Truth, eh?    Screenshot:

We reported here in February that Louisville TV sportscaster Dusty Baker would be heading to Seattle to be with his bride-to-be, reporter/anchor Maddie Carter of KING 5.   We speculated he might help fill the void at sportsless KIRO7, but KING beat 'em to it.   It has come to pass, and Ms. Carter helped break the story on X: "So unbelievably proud of my best friend, future husband, and now co-worker! Welcome to the iconic @KING5SEATTLE, and the most exciting chapter in our lives and careers.  After almost a year of long distance and waiting for all the answers, God delivered." Not sure if he is fulltime or freelance, but the addition is much needed with so much sports ahead, plus the new morning show for the next several months, at least.    Lots of work-life balance in play at K5.  This couple supplants a married Seattle TV couple who just left for SFO (Maddie White and Drew Andre), Madison Wade and Leah Pezzetti are getting married soon and two ...

Bridget Chavez anchors KING news after a huge playoff game on NBC Monday night.   Good reporter, but not nearly ready for a newscast that would be sampled with that big sports lead-in.  Not going to comment on the outfit while anchoring sports, too.  Staffing is thin.   At least Greg Copeland was back at 10.    One other note:  The Ultimate Sports Show was now advertised at 8pm streaming on K5+.   Not timely at all for late Mariners.  It's all over the place. Wednesday promo-ed for 9 pm after NBC game.    K5 a little upside down right now.  

With vacations, maternity and staff departures galore, KING had weekend morning anchor Farah Jadran taking on the daunting assignment of traffic anchor Monday morning and weekday morning anchor Jake Whittenberg was in for vacationing Paul Silvi as the Ultimate Sports Substitute.  And the May sweeps dont  end until Wednesday.    

Chris Warren, ex of NWCN in Seattle and The Weather Channel, has a new gig with CNN after doing some fill-in on air work.  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chriswwarren_proud-to-be-part-of-the-launch-of-the-new-share-7460025738243604480-gtJE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAFWTKaUBTwc4NGLVz4TARZHYT8qQaNhaM2Euthttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/chriswwarren_proud-to-be-part-of-the-launch-of-the-new-share-7460025738243604480-gtJE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAFWTKaUBTwc4NGLVz4TARZHYT8qQaNhaM2Eutm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAFWTKaUBTwc4NGLVz4TARZHYT8qQaNhaM2E

Sources confirm KING5 weekend evening anchor Madison Wade is leaving after a four-yearr un.  She's getting married soon and relocating with the groom.   She joined the station in June 2022 and has specialized in a series a stories on unsolved crimes in the PNW.    This adds to the reporter shortage at K5 with Maddie White and hubby Drew Andre to SFO, as reported here previously.    Farah Jadran could move up from weekend mornings, but I also wonder if Christine Pae would give up KONG weekday mornings and KING noons on weekdays to get a solo weekend, higher viewed, evening newscast.  Another reporter, Savannah Welch, could also move to the desk, which would remove her from the field for two more days.  Getting tight over there!             World Cup coming, Seahawks training camp, too.  Silvi a nd Egan tied up in a new morning live/streaming experiment show, lots of big news stories looming in what has a...