MediaMaven

The on-air debut of KOMO's new "The Dark Side Podcast on the Seattle Seahawks" was dripping with the Toyota Sponsorship, including linebacker Derick Hall actually reading a sales script off a prompter screen at one point with a huge Toyota graphic on the side wall and a Toyota branded water bottle in the background.   Host Niko Tamurian even had a Toyota placard behind him on single shots.   We know Hall has 'big truck energy' from 'Hard Knocks', so there were ample mentions between him and the host about the Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma.   It was essentially an internal commercial.  I thought it was a bit over the line for Tamurian pushing the product directly himself.  But it's sports, so OK, I guess.  I wonder where this program idea came from?   Was it Hall's and his relationship with Toyota trucks//dealers?  The sales department?   Or Niko?  Or all of the above?    Seemed awfully close to a 'pay...

KING's The Ultimate Seattle Sports Show came up with one of the funnier, creative graphic bits I've seen for a long time.  It just took co-host Chris Egan to put some poster board and markers together to show what the Mariners need to do to win the west and make the playoffs with 18 games to go.   Out of the box !!   Who needs AI?    Here's the bottom of the board and Paul Silvi soaking it in. A big LOL.    

I note from the cable grid that KOMO is airing a new temporary show at 3 pm Tuesday and Wednesday prior to the Seahawks opener.  It's called The Dark Side: A Podcast on the Seattle Seahawks featuring two stars from the team's 'Dark Side' defense, as it's called.  Derick Hall and Byron Murphy will join Sports Director Niko Tamurian.   Interesting that KOMO puts it up against KING's The Ultimate Seattle Sports Show on Tuesday and K5 News Weds trying to get a piece of the pre-game action.   Game is on 👑 Weds. The station is also adding 'Seattle Refined' replays this week to fill the 2-3 pm void left behind by cancellation of Kelly Clarkson's show, to be replaced next week by Drew Barrymore's talk fest.

I listened to UW radio today for the Apple Cup with new play by play announcer Elise Woodward.  Good work holding her own in a rather unexciting, sloppy, penalty-ridden game.  She was on time throughout.  Got better as the game progressed and she got more confidence.   Kudos in her debut.

Hard Knocks with the Seahawks seemed to have no juice at all.  It basically became an homage to extremely foul language from coaches and players that could have been managed better, plus a double homage to MacDonald and Schneider, who needs a beard trim and a haircut and no ballcap.  His coach always looked professional.     The cut down sequence was undramatic except for Diggs and he wasn't actually cut!   I could have done without the fried chicken segment for sure.    The best shot was the underground sprinkler emerging in slow-mo.  Way cool. I suppose working with a Super Bowl champ inherently meant less suspense and conflict.   My expectations were high.   The Chamber of Commerce must have loved it, though.  It was a showcase of the beauty of the city and environs, but from the football side, I came away thinking "Oh, that was nice."   Pleasant enough but not compelling.  The whole thing with ...

With weather wizard Abby Acone gone, some noticeable changes on Good Day Seattle on Sunday morning.   Taylor Winkel was back anchoring all the news solo , instead of sharing it with Acone, which is the way it should be IMHO.    Illona McCauley handled weather and weather only and never appeared on the desk together with Winkel nor did she read any news.   Ilona is very credible and brings her own energy.    It seemed like more of a newscast than a 'friend fest' with the usual banter that Winkel and Acone did.   We will see if this combo continues into the fall, but so far so good.

In a very short time, KING 5 has hired Dusty Baker in sports, Rachel Just and Heidi Kirk as reporters, former KOMO photo Drake Presto as dedicated investigative unit photojournalist and ex-Fox 13 weathercaster Abby Acone as an account exec.   Meanwhile, Tegna fired the regional news VP Julie Wolfe, ex K5 ND.     It's a carousel, but it looks like since the Nexstar takeover is mired in litigation and there is a new corporate boss, things are back to cooking at Tegna.