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Sinclair to cut 8 staffers at KOMO4 News
- Thread starter Y2kTheNewOldies
- Start date
Sandy Hill and Ann Martin were my favorites growing up! Also, Kathi Goertzen started in her 20's, I'm sure, along with countless others. One of the unique qualities of Seattle is that many of these people spent nearly their whole career here.
Now, we have a generation of journalists who are used to moving around and station management who encourage it.
But... at least in Seattle, new journalists to town still arrive in their 20s (usually late 20s) after 2-3 stops in small markets.
Very few of them move on from here.
Either they keep on going until they are unceremoniously released and then can't get hired elsewhere in the market due to age (see: Vedder, Tracy or Price, Rick) or they end their careers in news prematurely and put down roots in Seattle (see: Piercy, Rob or Black, Meeghan) doing other things.
The number of journalists that have moved *up* market from Seattle over the last five years is pretty small.
I agree that a higher percentage of journalists tend to stay in Seattle one way or another. However, to say that "very few" move on, I would respectfully disagree.
We've already mentioned Sandy Hill and Ann Martin. How about Aaron Brown, Hattie Kaufman, David Kerley, Joe Witte, John Marler, Cathy Marshall, and Jan Charlton to mention just a few. Even Bruce King went to NYC for a couple of years.
As I mentioned before, Seattle has been luckier than most markets in terms of journalist turnover. Times are definitely changing.
I'm aware of all those that you listed who "moved on."
But David Kerley was the last one, and left town twenty years ago.
I did qualify my statement with "within the last five years." If you look around... Paul Deanno went to San Francisco, Joe Fryer went to NBC News, Brian Monahan went to Atlanta (lateral move).
A big group left Seattle in the early 2000s for bigger markets / greener pastures - many of whom were Todd Moktahri hires at Q13 (he had an eye for talent). Less so lately because either they stay in TV in Seattle, or they leave TV entirely to stay in the city.
http://fortune.com/2016/09/20/presidential-campaign-ads-hurts-broadcasters/
Yes Sinclair blames low ad revenue from 2016 figures.
Yes Sinclair blames low ad revenue from 2016 figures.
http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/sinclairs-katu-makes-cuts/183954
Update Sinclair makes cuts at KATU in Oregon for the same reasons cuts are taking place at KOMO, WJLA and WLOS.
Update Sinclair makes cuts at KATU in Oregon for the same reasons cuts are taking place at KOMO, WJLA and WLOS.
Low ad revenue is right! I watch KIMA's news every night and lately all I see is promo after promo after promo for a syndicated show, or KIMA patting itself on the back for the "best Yakima news." Over and over and over. Very few local ads. Does anyone in Yakima advertise on TV anymore!? I used to see commercials for local car dealers, small businesses, grocery stores, community events...even places in Sunnyside and Ellensburg. And there were loads of local ads on Yakima TV in the 1990s and 1980s as well. I will change the channel the next time I see that idiotic Celebrity Name Game promo, or that Harry promo - "This is Y'ALL'S SHOW!"
It is disheartening to hear about all the Sinclair layoffs. However, they do seem to want to invest in certain areas, like sets...KOMO built their best set of all-time under Sinclair in 2015. They also improved the KATU set last year. But in the end, it is people, not sets. You gotta have intelligent reporters to make a major market operations successful. I wonder if they have lost sight of this.
As for their smaller markets, I don't think they think of them as big revenue centers, so yeah, you won't see much in Yakima/Tri-Cities, or even Boise, and other smaller markets.
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The lack of ads worries me. Is it the beginning of KIMA's news closing up shop and sending everything to KEPR Pasco?
And if not, I'm waiting on ch 29 to improve that poor "set" they have. Small desk and HDTVs - and a blue wall. Wow (sarcasm). Yet they spent millions to build a brand new one in Seattle.
And if not, I'm waiting on ch 29 to improve that poor "set" they have. Small desk and HDTVs - and a blue wall. Wow (sarcasm). Yet they spent millions to build a brand new one in Seattle.
Don't know...their website offers no clues. However, it is evident that Chesky is the new replacement for Dan Lewis. I am guessing they are predicting he is the future, and probably about the same age as Dan when he came on board in the mid-80's, perhaps a few years younger.
Sorry, I missed your "last five years" comment. Yes, I totally agree with you. Many are simply leaving television but staying in Seattle. Plus, I think people are thinking more about quality of life these days, rather than always "getting to a bigger market".
I know several people who've left Seattle radio, but are still living in the area. Some remain because their spouse is still employed. Some remain because of the "quality of life" you mention. Some feel there simply is no "greener pasture" than Seattle. They'd rather change their line of work, and there are certainly off-air jobs to be had in the area.
True on that. Especially if they have bought a home in the market, where the values have been exploding. How many ex-Seattle reporters or radio jocks are driving for Uber? Just askin'...
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