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Local News in E. WA is in a sad state
- Thread starter seatownmedia
- Start date
Yep, there are declining resources for smaller market stations among all network affiliates in Eastern Washington. It really isn't the fault of the local stations, it is their owners. While NBC right now, operated by KHQ out of Spokane, is still the market leader, even they have pretty much given up on the Tri and Yakima. They farm out their weather to Spokane on the weekends. I would expect that they will perhaps farm out the entire newscast to Spokane at some point. If that happens, truely unfortunate for a growing TV market, even when you break down Tri and Yak.
Their entire 10PM newscast is Spokane on weekends (Fox 41/11). I think KNDU/KNDO will still have a presence on weekends from Tri-Cities, but KIMA/KEPR is the one I'm worrying about.
The 5/6PM news spends several minutes on a few Yakima stories, along with a Sinclair-fed political story and some community events/activities. With mornings/11PM/weekends all at KEPR (and 11pm is taped!), along with Mike's weather taped from KEPR, they may as well be planning on closing shop and sending everything to KEPR in the next couple of years.
Wonder where all of their budget went to. Everything was local in Yakima, 15 years ago. Tri-Cities newscasts weren't fed to Yakima usually (weekends, maybe, but from what I know KIMA produced the newscast that aired in both markets).
Noon is opening up thanks to the cancellation of Celebrity Name Game. We can only hope for a KIMA (or KIMA/KEPR) newscast there, right?!! But in the real world, they'll probably replace CNG with yesterday's Inside Edition (that they ran for years).
The 5/6PM news spends several minutes on a few Yakima stories, along with a Sinclair-fed political story and some community events/activities. With mornings/11PM/weekends all at KEPR (and 11pm is taped!), along with Mike's weather taped from KEPR, they may as well be planning on closing shop and sending everything to KEPR in the next couple of years.
Wonder where all of their budget went to. Everything was local in Yakima, 15 years ago. Tri-Cities newscasts weren't fed to Yakima usually (weekends, maybe, but from what I know KIMA produced the newscast that aired in both markets).
Noon is opening up thanks to the cancellation of Celebrity Name Game. We can only hope for a KIMA (or KIMA/KEPR) newscast there, right?!! But in the real world, they'll probably replace CNG with yesterday's Inside Edition (that they ran for years).
Did not hear about Celebrity Name Game. Is this a local cancellation, or is the show shutting down completely?
EDIT: Appears the show is over nationally. I kind of liked it.
As for a noon newscast chances are likely 0%.
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CNG was at the bottom of the barrel in ratings for just game shows alone. In fact, Harvey's Feud is beating Wheel and Jeopardy more often than not, and I'm really shocked. I guess sexual innuendo sells. I've been spoiled from Seattle news - KIRO and KING still have noon newscasts, both an hour long (KIRO's was a half-hour from 1997-a couple years ago). A noon newscast in Yakima could provide a stock market update and a farm report in addition to local news/weather. The Yakima Valley is rich in agriculture yet there's nothing said about cattle and vegetable prices.
I thought CNG was actually above average as game shows go. But whatever...
I have noticed that KEPR is not using Tom Yazwinski as much. Perhaps he is still N.D., but looking to add another anchor. I would predict that KEPR and KIMA will combine sometime soon, as KNDU has done with KNDO have in recent years.
Cody Proctor and Nicole Fierro have been on at 11pm as of late. And no, Cody is actually a female anchor - not a male.
We've had flooding not far from my location which started Friday - but KIMA hardly spent any time on it while roads were closing and creeks were raging! Several major arterial roads were shut down in Yakima on Friday night, and now 72nd/Washington/others are closing again due to flooding threats. It's too bad KIMA tapes 11pm early because this would have been a good time to send a reporter or two out for a live report. I'm getting better info from the Yakima Scan Facebook page. I know KIMA is no KOMO, but at least they could have tried to cover it in a bit more depth. They did one taped report on a local mobile home park that flooded.
On the other hand, KNDO had a local reporter out in West Valley yesterday covering the floods, but I have no idea why the video was so bad! His live report looked like a low-quality Internet stream. Wonder if it has to do with the news based in Tri-Cities.
We've had flooding not far from my location which started Friday - but KIMA hardly spent any time on it while roads were closing and creeks were raging! Several major arterial roads were shut down in Yakima on Friday night, and now 72nd/Washington/others are closing again due to flooding threats. It's too bad KIMA tapes 11pm early because this would have been a good time to send a reporter or two out for a live report. I'm getting better info from the Yakima Scan Facebook page. I know KIMA is no KOMO, but at least they could have tried to cover it in a bit more depth. They did one taped report on a local mobile home park that flooded.
On the other hand, KNDO had a local reporter out in West Valley yesterday covering the floods, but I have no idea why the video was so bad! His live report looked like a low-quality Internet stream. Wonder if it has to do with the news based in Tri-Cities.
Not sure, but I think Tom at KEPR is not anchoring anymore, except for subbing. This week the NCAA tourney is taking over, and will continue for the next few weeks. Since they advertised for new anchors awhile back, perhaps they have found someone. Still seems to be KNDU/KNDO #1, KEPR/KIMA #2, and KVEW/KAPP #3. I don't see much progress with KVEW/KAPP, but atleast they rid themselves of whatshisname rocker voice. They also got rid of him in Spokane, and still are working with a single anchor there, Nadine Woodward...who is quite good, but needs a co-anchor, IMO.
corrected spelling below.
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Sinclair KOMO Seattle's Shannon O'Donnell "phoning" in the weather to KEPR/KIMA tonight (Sunday 3/19). First time I can remember that a Seattle station is now feeding Eastern Washington in a principle anchor spot. Wow.
KXLY was using David Lee on the v/o? That doesn't make sense either, especially with the market size. According to SouthernMedia, KXLY was using Bill Ratner for their voiceover with no reference to Lee. Didn't KXLY have two anchors just a year ago?
Yes, I'm watching KEPR's news and there's Shannon, again. This wouldn't happen at a Fisher-owned KIMA/KEPR. By the way, Mike McCabe started as the weekend WX anchor before he became the chief at both stations.
But according to Sinclair's job page, they have an open weekend weather position along with weeknight anchors. Hopefully someone fresh will come to KEPR soon.
On the other hand, could Scott Stovall be leaving? KIMA has an open slot.
http://www.jobs.net/jobs/sinclair-b...irector-Weeknight-Anchor/J3L14W63GX9J4WDJ8SZ/
Yes, I'm watching KEPR's news and there's Shannon, again. This wouldn't happen at a Fisher-owned KIMA/KEPR. By the way, Mike McCabe started as the weekend WX anchor before he became the chief at both stations.
But according to Sinclair's job page, they have an open weekend weather position along with weeknight anchors. Hopefully someone fresh will come to KEPR soon.
On the other hand, could Scott Stovall be leaving? KIMA has an open slot.
http://www.jobs.net/jobs/sinclair-b...irector-Weeknight-Anchor/J3L14W63GX9J4WDJ8SZ/
Don't know about Scott. I have been searching facebook/twitter and it appears that Tom Yazwinski is still the ND for KEPR/KIMA, but has left the anchor desk. My best guess is they have hired a new anchor and he/she will start soon.
Cody Proctor is doing weeknights, and Nicole Fierro is doing weekends with a new sports gal (Justin Lum is on weeknights at KEPR, I think). Shannon O'Donnell was prerecording weather from KOMO last weekend as well. I presume this is temporary until they find someone new to take over in T.C.
Whoever's taking over, I hope they do well with their job and camera performance.
Still the same at KIMA except they have a new reporter. Scott is still solo at the anchor desk. I wonder if they are looking for a CO-anchor finally, for their 5/6pm news? The other two stations have two anchors at the desk.
Whoever's taking over, I hope they do well with their job and camera performance.
Still the same at KIMA except they have a new reporter. Scott is still solo at the anchor desk. I wonder if they are looking for a CO-anchor finally, for their 5/6pm news? The other two stations have two anchors at the desk.
Severe Thunderstorms in the Tri tonight. No local Fox newscast, but Fox Spokane mentioned it. Will KNDU be back on the air for coverage? And will they have any comprehensive coverage? Are they prepared? Questions. And where were the "crawls" about the severe weather on KNDU? Uh, nowhere. What a lack of coverage and ability to get on the air in severe weather. They love to promote their "severe" coverage, but when it comes to crunch time, complete FAIL. What a joke! If this was a weekend I could give them some slack, but for now, they can't back up their promotion. Sad.
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Sinclair has moved Scott Stovall from KIMA Yakima to KEPR Tri-Cities effective last night. No official word on who will replace him at KIMA, but Jake Taylor was anchoring last night.
Jake Taylor IS the new KIMA anchor, ex-KHGI/KWNB Nebraska (NTV). Also worked at KRGV and KIFI in the past. I like him, very easy to understand, and not flubbing too many words on his first day. I think KIMA found a winner in this anchor. Now to improve the bare bones set and hire a second anchor to compete with KNDU/KVEW.
Is it me, the lighting, or does Scott Stovall look 10 years younger now at KEPR? His face looks 'shinier' and his hair isn't as gray. Just an observation - I enjoyed watching Scott and I'm glad he's back in Tri-Cities! Most people know him from the 20 years (maybe?) of tenure at KNDU.
Also gone at KIMA - reporter Ryan Yadao. He had been there since, I think, when Scott began anchoring at KIMA (2015).
Is it me, the lighting, or does Scott Stovall look 10 years younger now at KEPR? His face looks 'shinier' and his hair isn't as gray. Just an observation - I enjoyed watching Scott and I'm glad he's back in Tri-Cities! Most people know him from the 20 years (maybe?) of tenure at KNDU.
Also gone at KIMA - reporter Ryan Yadao. He had been there since, I think, when Scott began anchoring at KIMA (2015).
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Cody Proctor joined Scott tonight. Can't say I saw much chemistry, but both of them are not used to a co-anchor, so it may take some time. Reporters tend to move on out of markets like Tri-Cities and Yakima, so Ryan is just a statistic. Alan Hoshida, however, is very good on sports, and I will not be surprised when he moves up bigtime in market rank. The only downside for him is the decline of sports anchors in local news these days. But he still has a great future IMO.
Good - KEPR's finally back to the 2-anchor newscast. They haven't had co-anchors since Terry Chick and Annie Andrews a few years ago. Meanwhile, Jake is alone except for those last couple minutes when Alan Sillence joins him to blab. If I was the ND at KIMA, I would try to hire a second anchor to test out Jake's chemistry. I don't know if he was ever a co-anchor at KHGI or KRGV. It would also compete with the other two stations, which both have co-anchors.
Saw a bit of Hoshida on Friday night when Alan Sillence was absent. Didn't watch too much of it however. What can you cover in Yakima/Tri-Cities besides HS sports and Seattle professional teams? The larger the market size, the more professional teams you can cover - thus this is why Paul Silvi has been at KING for many, many years. But they haven't gone as far as covering a JV or Freshman Football game yet...
I notice that Jason Valentine is anchoring the 2 minutes of 'news' on KVEW at 11PM. I still think it's prerecorded.
Saw a bit of Hoshida on Friday night when Alan Sillence was absent. Didn't watch too much of it however. What can you cover in Yakima/Tri-Cities besides HS sports and Seattle professional teams? The larger the market size, the more professional teams you can cover - thus this is why Paul Silvi has been at KING for many, many years. But they haven't gone as far as covering a JV or Freshman Football game yet...
I notice that Jason Valentine is anchoring the 2 minutes of 'news' on KVEW at 11PM. I still think it's prerecorded.
KIMA seems to be getting better with their product. Last night Ariella Toren (reporter) joined Jake Taylor for a few minutes for the top story. Slight chemistry but should get better. This is what I'd like to see more often! This also happens often on NBC Right Now with a big story. Usually, any live reporter is off to the green screen.