MediaMaven

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.