Kelly, low wages are correct, but the environmental issues have been proven to be false over the past decades. Tri-Cities is just as safe as Seattle or Portland environmentally. Funny how past stereotypes remain despite the fact that they have been proven false.
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Local News in E. WA is in a sad state
- Thread starter seatownmedia
- Start date
Sorry Seatown, I have a longtime friend that owns a toxic cleanup business that's worked on cleaning up various parts of the Hanford site for over twenty years. There are still hidden messes that will still be a problem for generations to come.
I recognize that residents of the area have always been (pardon the pun) defensive about the mess that Hanford has created over literally thousands of square miles. I get it, because Hanford had, for at least two generations, been a major economic engine for the area. The defensiveness even spanned the fact that during the time our generation was in their twenties and early thirties, people our age who were born in the Tri-Cities area had the highest incidents of rare forms of Leukemia and Thyroid Cancer. My friend even invited me to take my portable Victoreen Geiger Counter out and measure radiation on a random tumbleweed. I was about fifteen miles from the Hanford reservation and still managed to measure a pretty significant amount of broad spectrum radiation on a tumbleweed. Waste generated from that work has permiated the ground and ground water, just as it did in Nevada around the nuclear test sites. Just like Eastern Washington, Nevada residents also have chosen to turn a blind eye to the problems right under their feet, and into the rivers. Columbia River included.
Now that Hanford operations, and clean up has been ramping down due to budget cuts, combined with the agriculture businesses closing up, the economy in that area has been in steady decline. There are simply less citizens to broadcast-to.
Even with ramped-down Hanford operations, the population is still growing here. There's over 200,000 in Benton County alone in a 2019 estimate, a jump of 16%. Yakima County's population is up to a quarter million. And Kittitas is up 17% from the last Census, their vacancy rate is very low. I assume most of it is one of either two things - western WA people that are sick and tired of the big city, the traffic, the rain and/or even the politics; and Hispanic families moving up from California and Mexico (many are from Michoacan) to work in the farm fields.
Even with a drop in Ag, apples and fruits are still extremely profitable in Yakima, along with the hop industry. Many breweries have started up here in the past half-dozen years. Bale Breaker can be found at any supermarket in the Northwest nowadays, they've had tremendous growth.
Realize that stations need to adapt to the population that continues to grow. So far there's been some good and some laughable moments on our TV sets the past few years. There's tons of local news out there (even with Coronavirus). KIMA doesn't need to have half-a-dozen must runs during the 5PM newscast. They can shove that stuff to 5AM like what KOMO was doing. But what can you do with limited budget and over half of the operation at KEPR?
Even with a drop in Ag, apples and fruits are still extremely profitable in Yakima, along with the hop industry. Many breweries have started up here in the past half-dozen years. Bale Breaker can be found at any supermarket in the Northwest nowadays, they've had tremendous growth.
Realize that stations need to adapt to the population that continues to grow. So far there's been some good and some laughable moments on our TV sets the past few years. There's tons of local news out there (even with Coronavirus). KIMA doesn't need to have half-a-dozen must runs during the 5PM newscast. They can shove that stuff to 5AM like what KOMO was doing. But what can you do with limited budget and over half of the operation at KEPR?
It is quite common for "westsiders" to dislike Hanford and Tri-Cities in general. I won't debate that. However, many do not understand that a major cleanup continues, and Trump did try to reduce it, but won't have much luck with a democratic congress and backers like Cantwell and Murray. Work on this project continues, despite the (hopefully) short-term corona crisis.
Before the corona crisis, Tri-Cities was booming. Housing construction is so strong they were recruiting construction workers from all over the country. Population is now over 300K in the two-county metro, up more than any other larger metro in the the State by percentage 2010-2019.
In the meantime, the economy of the area has diversified greatly. It isn't just Hanford anymore. It is food processing, tourism, the wine industry, retail, and being a major medical center for the region.
I have now lived in the Tri for a total of 12 years of my life. No health problems due to living here, and apparently my neighbors don't have any either.
https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Cancer-deaths-not-higher-around-Hanford-study-1201993.php
And that was once the great liberal newspaper of Seattle.
I understand this all sounds like boosterism, but it is based on reality. I will end with where I started. The westside has always been anti-Hanford, anti-Tri Cities. As you know, Kelly, I am a Seattle native and will always have a special place in my heart for the city, despite its problems. But I find this area to be ideal for my retirement. Come on over for some sunshine and see how much this area continues to grow.
I wouldn't say I'm anti-any location. Well, okay, maybe Fresno.
I'm still part owner of two radio properties in North Central WA. (upwind) I've just known too many residents of the area who were born in the 60's and 70's who are no longer with us, and went through painful and awful deaths at too early of an age. Although you may be entirely correct, that the pollution by Hanford has been cleaned up substantially. It will never be cleaned up enough for me, or my kids to live there. When I visit, always drink bottled water...
I predict this whole crisis is going to change Tri/Yak news forever. I think KEPR will eventually be seen on KIMA. I thought this would happen without the crisis. Eventually we may see Spokane taking over the Cowles and Morgan Murphy tc/yak stations. That might be somewhat disruptive. But then again what is not disruptive in today’s world?
We're already seeing that. Family Feud has been preempted nightly for a KHQ-KNDU combined COVID-19 newscast at 6:30. I wonder how KAPP-KVEW is holding up with budget? Jason and Carissa are still there AND there's a new set with a view of one of the bridges. I don't see KXLY taking over KVEW for quite a while, but perhaps they will eventually go to a circle logo and 'News Now' like KXLY. Perhaps even a regionalized identity - like 'Yak-Tri ABC' to match their website.
KIMA is probably waiting for Alan Sillence to retire and after that they could begin the winding down phase, but it could happen sooner than later. One of the few good things about KIMA, albeit there's no sports now.
EDIT Hey, my 11,000th post!
KIMA is probably waiting for Alan Sillence to retire and after that they could begin the winding down phase, but it could happen sooner than later. One of the few good things about KIMA, albeit there's no sports now.
EDIT Hey, my 11,000th post!
Last edited:
Hey, my 11,000th post!
Congratulations! Maybe Frank will send you a framed plaque like YouTube does with someone who reaches the 100,000 subscriber mark?
KNDU Tri-Cities and KHQ Spokane combining their 6:30 news really looks good. Really well done. Somebody is on top of things here, no doubt. I do wonder if this is not the future, however. After the crisis pasts, I predict we are going to start to see combined newscasts with Spokane, either with "remote" anchors in Tri/Yak, or just a pure Spokane cast with the obligitory references to Tri/Yak. I may be wrong on this, but mark this post as a prediction! And yes, I understand the DMA's. But this is a whole new world.
KFBB/KHBB-LD, KWYB/KWYB-LD and KTMF/KTMF-LD already air a combined 6:30 p.m. newscast under "Montana Right NOW." But that's permanent. I'm not sure if this one will be permanent too considering the listings have it as "Local News Coronavirus Special."
Yes I am familiar with the Montana setup. The markets are small for the most part so it makes sense. I do wonder if us in Eastern WA are in for a similar setup as profits drop.
"Breaking News from Montana Right NOW; one of Jim Herald's prized Steer's Bruno, died without explanation sometime last night. Veterinarians will be performing an autopsy because Bruno's owner, suspects fowl play."
"Lindsey Graham, Senator from South Carolina, will be including Bruno's suspicious death in the upcoming Congressional investigations into the Obama Administration's role in all things unproven."
"And now the weather!"
LOL. That is about right. (Except it isn't "now the weather", it is "let's head over to the weather center where we will get about a hundred hi's and low's from across the state".)
Tim Adams appears to be back on KNDU/KNDO after some time off again. This time he is doing the weather from Spokane, though it is unclear whether this is a home studio or from KHQ. He looks good and sharp. His retirement promos have been silenced (I think), but who knows as his status seems to change by the month. He sure offers a huge presence compared to those who have been filling in for him lately. Why KNDU is saying he is checking in from Spokane is puzzling. Why would that be anything Tri-Yak viewers would be impressed with?
Maybe because Spokaneistan is considered 'The Big City'?
Thumbs up to Kapp Kvew for covering the severe weather that hit northeast Oregon and the Tri cities today. Thumbs down to kndu and kepr who were either not staffed or didn’t care.
It appears that KNDO/KNDU have dropped their local weekend news and are going with KHQ Spokane. Not to blow my own horn, but I predicted this to happen. I also predicted eventually this may eventually happen 7 days a week. I don't know if and when this will happen, but they certainly seem to be moving in that direction. To their credit, they are including Tri/Yak stories, albeit briefly.