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Local News in E. WA is in a sad state

S

seatownmedia

Not much on the Washington TV board, (perhaps because Seattle dominates the west side), so I will offer this...

Eastern Washington tv news is in a sad state. Just 15 years ago, Yakima and Tri-Cities were separate markets, now they are combined. Which is understandable to some extent, except most stations have reduced their anchor "teams" to just a solo anchor. The news is watchable for about 3 minutes to get the top story, but after that it is uninteresting and mundane. I truly believe if someone came in and spent some money to do it right, they would dominate. But for now, we get a lackluster newscast and are handed off to Fox Spokane for most weekend newscasts. I understand the local stations are not likely being supported by their owners in terms of budget, but it is really bad, as I'm sure it is in other markets of similar size around the country.
 
Technically, Yakima and the Tri-Cities has been a single television market going back to the 50s, when "Cascades Television" came on the air on KIMA/29 in Yakima and KEPR/19 in the Tri-Cities (plus KLEW/3 in Lewiston, ID). It's been a long time since I lived in Eastern Washington, but my recollection was that the syndicated programming was generally simulcast between Yakima and the Tri-Cities, with the feeds separating for local news and local commercials.

Are they now simulcasting the local newscasts between Yakima and the Tri-Cities?
 
TexasTom said:
Technically, Yakima and the Tri-Cities has been a single television market going back to the 50s, when "Cascades Television" came on the air on KIMA/29 in Yakima and KEPR/19 in the Tri-Cities (plus KLEW/3 in Lewiston, ID). It's been a long time since I lived in Eastern Washington, but my recollection was that the syndicated programming was generally simulcast between Yakima and the Tri-Cities, with the feeds separating for local news and local commercials.

Are they now simulcasting the local newscasts between Yakima and the Tri-Cities?
Click to expand...

Tom, yes they are. KNDO/KNDU seem to have the biggest staff, with a couple or three reporters in each market. KIMA/KEPR same thing with I believe fewer staff. KAPP/KVEW too. The Fox affiliate is handled out of KNDU, except for weekends when it simulcasts the Spokane Fox affiliate. In the 80's and 90's both markets had separate newscasts. Today, not only are they combined but all run with just one anchor. Now, I'm not privy to future plans, at one point earlier this year KEPR was actively looking for an additional anchor, but it has been atleast four months and nobody has been hired.
 
TexasTom said:
Technically, Yakima and the Tri-Cities has been a single television market going back to the 50s, when "Cascades Television" came on the air on KIMA/29 in Yakima and KEPR/19 in the Tri-Cities (plus KLEW/3 in Lewiston, ID). It's been a long time since I lived in Eastern Washington, but my recollection was that the syndicated programming was generally simulcast between Yakima and the Tri-Cities, with the feeds separating for local news and local commercials.
Click to expand...
You are correct. Growing up in the 80s/early 90s, with the exception of an occasional SunKings or Americans game, programming was exactly the same outside of news. Now both stations share the same news, with much more emphasis on the Tri-Cities market.
I was in the Yakima Valley the last week and the news I saw was awful. (Of course some anchors were probably part-timers stuck with holiday duties.) I've never seen more butchered speaking or awkward giggling ever. Worse yet, once you got the few opening crime reports out of the way, every story was seemingly about Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. So basically twenty minutes of infomercials.
 
installLSC said:
You are correct. Growing up in the 80s/early 90s, with the exception of an occasional SunKings or Americans game, programming was exactly the same outside of news. Now both stations share the same news, with much more emphasis on the Tri-Cities market.
I was in the Yakima Valley the last week and the news I saw was awful. (Of course some anchors were probably part-timers stuck with holiday duties.) I've never seen more butchered speaking or awkward giggling ever. Worse yet, once you got the few opening crime reports out of the way, every story was seemingly about Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. So basically twenty minutes of infomercials.
Click to expand...

Actually, KNDU/KNDO added a new anchor to their evening news. Nice improvement
Until I tuned into their Saturday morning news which has probably gotten my vote as the worst weekend am newscast of all time. Seriously. Bad. Unimportant. Boring. "Is there atleast something, even a Golden Girls syndicated something from 30 years ago that would be more entertaining?"
 
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I live in Yakima. This market makes Seattle stations look like mini-CNNs with longtime anchors.
KIMA has had one anchor for many years now. It's Scott Stovall now (who worked at KNDU for many years). Before Scott, it was Jim Niedelman (now at WHBF in IL) and David Klugh (now at WMBF in SC). The set reminds me of two kids trying to do morning announcements for their middle school over a closed-circuit TV system. Bare blue color with two HDTVs displaying the KIMA Action News logo. 10 years ago when it was Fisher, they had a desk with room for 4 people, and a beautiful picture of the Yakima Valley and Mt. Adams behind the anchors. YES, there were two anchors in Yakima!! KIMA uses Mike McCabe for weather (from KEPR) - they have not had a local meteorologist since Stu Seibel retired 8 years ago.
You only see one anchor on 11PM because Terry Chick was fired by Sinclair. Annie Andrews has been doing solo broadcasts, and sometimes it's Kathleen Jacob.

KNDO/KNDU looks better than they used to. NBC peacock behind Tracci Dial and the new guy (Glenn Cassie). Mornings are with Fernanda Lopez and Monty Webb, who I am glad to see on local TV (I remember him when he did weekend weather on KIRO-TV in the mid 2000s, and vaguely when he did 10PM WX on KCPQ). Last time I viewed the Saturday morning "newscast" was probably a year ago, maybe more. It was just entertainment and lifestyle stuff.

KAPP/KVEW is in a sad state, like KIMA/KEPR. Kevin Uretsky and Jade Redinger swap between 5PM, 6:30 and 11PM (really, just about 2 minutes and 45 seconds of news and about 2 minutes and 30 seconds of commercials before going into Jimmy Kimmel). Jason Valentine and Jade do Good Morning NW from 5:30-7AM. No weekend newscasts, and the station's graphics and news set looks awful...just 0.00001% better than KIMA but eons behind KNDU. Weekend newscasts were removed from 35/42 years ago due to budget cuts...and 11PM was decreased to practically 3 minutes of content at the same time the weekend newscasts left. It was a normal 35 minute newscast before that.

35/42 and 19/29 need some major improvements in anchors and set design to add up to the "OK" level of 23/25.
 
crainbebo said:
I live in Yakima. This market makes Seattle stations look like mini-CNNs with longtime anchors.
KIMA has had one anchor for many years now. It's Scott Stovall now (who worked at KNDU for many years). Before Scott, it was Jim Niedelman (now at WHBF in IL) and David Klugh (now at WMBF in SC). The set reminds me of two kids trying to do morning announcements for their middle school over a closed-circuit TV system. Bare blue color with two HDTVs displaying the KIMA Action News logo. 10 years ago when it was Fisher, they had a desk with room for 4 people, and a beautiful picture of the Yakima Valley and Mt. Adams behind the anchors. YES, there were two anchors in Yakima!! KIMA uses Mike McCabe for weather (from KEPR) - they have not had a local meteorologist since Stu Seibel retired 8 years ago.
You only see one anchor on 11PM because Terry Chick was fired by Sinclair. Annie Andrews has been doing solo broadcasts, and sometimes it's Kathleen Jacob.

KNDO/KNDU looks better than they used to. NBC peacock behind Tracci Dial and the new guy (Glenn Cassie). Mornings are with Fernanda Lopez and Monty Webb, who I am glad to see on local TV (I remember him when he did weekend weather on KIRO-TV in the mid 2000s, and vaguely when he did 10PM WX on KCPQ). Last time I viewed the Saturday morning "newscast" was probably a year ago, maybe more. It was just entertainment and lifestyle stuff.

KAPP/KVEW is in a sad state, like KIMA/KEPR. Kevin Uretsky and Jade Redinger swap between 5PM, 6:30 and 11PM (really, just about 2 minutes and 45 seconds of news and about 2 minutes and 30 seconds of commercials before going into Jimmy Kimmel). Jason Valentine and Jade do Good Morning NW from 5:30-7AM. No weekend newscasts, and the station's graphics and news set looks awful...just 0.00001% better than KIMA but eons behind KNDU. Weekend newscasts were removed from 35/42 years ago due to budget cuts...and 11PM was decreased to practically 3 minutes of content at the same time the weekend newscasts left. It was a normal 35 minute newscast before that.

35/42 and 19/29 need some major improvements in anchors and set design to add up to the "OK" level of 23/25.
Click to expand...

It is clear that KAPP/KVEW is not serious about being a local news leader. They simply will do the minimum and they apparently are OK with that, IMO. Sad, because when I lived in the market in the 90's, they were trying to compete, and actually did a good job.

As for KNDU/KNDO, yes they are the leader. They built up this new set, which is not new (I believe it is the old KIRO Seattle set before said re-branded a couple of months ago. Perhaps an improvement from the green screen of before, but still welcome back to 2000.)

Like I said, congrats for hiring a good co-anchor there, now KEPR/KIMA needs to do the same. The beat goes on...
 
They bought KIRO's old set? Wow, didn't know that...
Found this 1993 KAPP news open on a VHS tape at an estate sale...the person had recorded The Thorn Birds (on ABC in July 1993) and left a couple minutes of the newscast in. They didn't look that bad for a small market in the early 1990s...and the 11PM newscast was a half-hour, not 3 minutes! I have posted over 1,800 videos to my YouTube account of various commercial breaks, newscasts, and other obscure classic TV material...all acquired from various VHS tape lots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nI8xpuBN4Q
 
crainbebo said:
They bought KIRO's old set? Wow, didn't know that...
Found this 1993 KAPP news open on a VHS tape at an estate sale...the person had recorded The Thorn Birds (on ABC in July 1993) and left a couple minutes of the newscast in. They didn't look that bad for a small market in the early 1990s...and the 11PM newscast was a half-hour, not 3 minutes! I have posted over 1,800 videos to my YouTube account of various commercial breaks, newscasts, and other obscure classic TV material...all acquired from various VHS tape lots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nI8xpuBN4Q
Click to expand...

Crainbebo, just for the record I said "I believe" that is the old KIRO set. I'm not 100% certain, and even if it is, there were certainly modifications made. I too am into tv news, will have to look up your collection. You probably are familiar with Southern Media, a great website that offers tv theme music and intros from just about every top 150+ market in the country, and historically as well. Great site! Don't know their exact website so you may need to do a search.
 
Yes I am familiar with SouthernMedia.
SouthernMedia-NMSA.com is the weblink. I just posted an entire WFAA-8 newscast on my channel from December 1991. Classic Dallas anchoring team of Chip Moody and Tracy Rowlett, and "Bow Tie" Troy Dungan doing weather.
WFAA used the same "Spirit of Texas" theme as KATU and many other stations used in the 1990s.
 
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crainbebo said:
Yes I am familiar with SouthernMedia.
SouthernMedia-NMSA.com is the weblink. I just posted an entire WFAA-8 newscast on my channel from December 1991. Classic Dallas anchoring team of Chip Moody and Tracy Rowlett, and "Bow Tie" Troy Dungan doing weather.
WFAA used the same "Spirit of Texas" theme as KATU and many other stations used in the 1990s.
Click to expand...

Cool! How much video/dvd do you have? I would be willing to trade, depending...but I have not digitized most of my stuff. Still operating on DVD at this point, and have not offered anything to youtube yet. Though I have the raw material. Just waiting for the right time to offer it to the public. (unrelated, check out KHOU and find many former SEA news folks working there!)
 
Latest updates:
Kevin Uretsky left 35/42. In his place is Mike Gonzalez, who formerly worked for WNCN Raleigh (back when they were NBC) and KXLY Spokane (ABC). The news graphics also changed a bit...they got a new music package.
There's also a new weather girl at KVEW...Kristin Walls (ex-WHAS 11). Very ironic, because Monty Webb (also ex-WHAS, and ex-KIRO) is on KNDO/KNDU during the morning newscast! So no more having to feed prerecorded content from Spokane/KXLY anymore.
KIMA? Still not a lot of changes. Same set, same graphics. They are one of the last Sinclair stations left WITHOUT their new graphics package (i.e. like KOMO). They are still using 2007/08-era Fisher graphics and fonts. One reporter left, but there's 4 or 5 others at the station at the moment.
This market is a training ground. You always see change because the reporters/anchors move to stations in bigger markets.
As for channel 29, hopefully they will step up soon. I enjoy Scott and Alan, but that terrible set is something, for sure. Take those two HDTVs out (that display the KIMA logo only), and it looks a lot like KXGN/Glendive...
 
I don't live in this market but its sad. Let me show you the schedule for this market for your convenience and let me remind you... DMA #123.

KNDO 23 and KNDU 25

Weekdays:
4:30-5:00 AM: NBC Right NOW Local News - Wake-Up Northwest at 4:30 a.m.
5:00-6:00 AM: NBC Right NOW Local News - Wake-Up Northwest at 5:00 a.m.
6:00-7:00 AM: NBC Right NOW Local News - Wake-Up Northwest at 6:00 a.m.
5:00-5:30 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News at 5:00
6:00-6:30 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News at 6:00
10:00-10:30 PM: FOX - First at 10:00 (Newscast KNDO 23/KNDU 25 produces for KFFX 11/KCYU-LD 41)
11:00-11:35 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News - 11 at 11:00

Saturdays:
7:00-8:00 AM: NBC Right NOW Local News - Wake-Up Northwest at 7:00 a.m.
8:00-9:00 AM: NBC Right NOW Local News - Wake-Up Northwest at 8:00 a.m.
6:00-6:30 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News at 6:00
10:00-10:30 PM: FOX - First at 10:00 (KFFX 11/KCYU-LD 41)
11:00-11:35 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News - 11 at 11:00

Sundays:
7:00-7:30 AM: NBC Right NOW Local News - Wake-Up Northwest at 7:00 a.m.
6:00-6:30 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News at 6:00
10:00-10:30 PM: FOX - First at 10:00 (KFFX 11/KCYU-LD 41)
11:00-11:35 PM: NBC Right NOW Local News - 11 at 11:00

KIMA 29/KEPR 19

Weekdays:
5:00-5:30 AM: KIMA/KEPR Action News at 5:00 a.m.
5:30-6:00 AM: KIMA/KEPR Action News at 5:30 a.m.
6:00-6:30 AM: KIMA/KEPR Action News at 6:00 a.m.
6:30-7:00 AM: KIMA/KEPR Action News at 6:30 a.m.
5:00-5:30 PM: KIMA Action News at 5:00 (KIMA 29)
- 5:00-5:30 PM: KEPR Action News at 5:00 (KEPR 19)
6:00-6:30 PM: KIMA Action News at 6:00 (KIMA 29)
- 6:00-6:30 PM: KEPR Action News at 6:00 (KEPR 19)
10:00-10:30 PM: KIMA Action News at 10:00 on CW 9 Yakima/Tri-Cities (KIMA 29.2)
- 10:00-10:30 PM: KEPR Action News at 10:00 on CW 9 Yakima/Tri-Cities (KEPR 19.2)
11:00-11:35 PM: KIMA Action News at 11:00 (KIMA 29)
- 11:00-11:35 PM: KEPR Action News at 11:00 (KEPR 19)

Weekends:
6:30-7:00 PM: KIMA/KEPR Action News at 6:30
11:00-11:35 PM: KIMA/KEPR Action News at 11:00

KAPP 35/KVEW 42

Weekdays:
5:30-6:00 AM: Your Local ABC News - Good Morning Northwest at 5:30 a.m.
6:00-7:00 AM: Your Local ABC News - Good Morning Northwest at 6:00 a.m.
5:00-5:30 PM: Your Local ABC News at 5:00
6:30-7:00 PM: Your Local ABC News at 6:30
11:00-11:05 PM: Your Local ABC News at 11:00

I hope this schedule is accurate but it just shows you the sad state of local news in this market.
 
It's not how many newscasts there are: it's how they are run. For example, look at KAPP/KVEW. The news actually runs to about 11:02, they run a ton of commercials and go into Jimmy Kimmel Live. This was due to budget cuts several years ago. Before, they had a FULL 35-minute newscast at 11PM, like the other two stations.
KAPP/KVEW has no weekend broadcasts either.
There's also no noon newscasts on any stations. At least someone could have a local newscast at that hour, maybe with a farm report/prices. We are an agriculture-rich area, and no one has a farm report...the only thing close to it is the syndicated AgDay on KCYU-41 at 6AM.
Another thing about 35/42: Their opening announcer...is none other than David Lee. That rock announcer guy with the low voice. Who made THAT decision?
Not to mention all of the screwups and butchered speaking from the reporters/anchors. This goes for all 3 stations.
 
crainbebo said:
It's not how many newscasts there are: it's how they are run. For example, look at KAPP/KVEW. The news actually runs to about 11:02, they run a ton of commercials and go into Jimmy Kimmel Live. This was due to budget cuts several years ago. Before, they had a FULL 35-minute newscast at 11PM, like the other two stations.
KAPP/KVEW has no weekend broadcasts either.
There's also no noon newscasts on any stations. At least someone could have a local newscast at that hour, maybe with a farm report/prices. We are an agriculture-rich area, and no one has a farm report...the only thing close to it is the syndicated AgDay on KCYU-41 at 6AM.
Another thing about 35/42: Their opening announcer...is none other than David Lee. That rock announcer guy with the low voice. Who made THAT decision?
Not to mention all of the screwups and butchered speaking from the reporters/anchors. This goes for all 3 stations.
Click to expand...

This is all true. I can accept some younger beginners in certain positions, but remember many move to Yakima/Tri-Cities from larger markets and most expect more professionalism. The 2-3 minute 11:00 on KAPP/KVEW is a joke and is probably recorded way earlier than 11pm. The only good news is Kimmel comes on earlier. KIMA/KEPR were competing at one time with NBCRightNow, but as Crainbebo mentions have lost both their principle anchors the past year, and seem to be in no hurry to replace either of them. Pretty bad.
 
seatownmedia said:
This is all true. I can accept some younger beginners in certain positions, but remember many move to Yakima/Tri-Cities from larger markets and most expect more professionalism. The 2-3 minute 11:00 on KAPP/KVEW is a joke and is probably recorded way earlier than 11pm. The only good news is Kimmel comes on earlier. KIMA/KEPR were competing at one time with NBCRightNow, but as Crainbebo mentions have lost both their principle anchors the past year, and seem to be in no hurry to replace either of them. Pretty bad.
Click to expand...

KEPR has hired Tom Yazwinski from Fox Seattle to anchor their evening newscasts. Nice move, unique delivery, he should do well. Will be interesting to see if they add a co-anchor.
 
Tom Yazwinski is the news director, I believe. He is definitely unique to KEPR (and KIMA 11PM, they don't use Scott Stovall at that hour). Kathleen Jacob left for KVVU-Vegas. David Lee (WW1 NFL/rock station announcer) is still a bad fit announcing news on KAPP/KVEW. And speaking of 35/42, Jason Valentine has moved from mornings to evenings full-time doing weather, Kristin Walls is now on Good Morning Northwest. KEPR is still looking for a second anchor, I enjoyed Terry & Annie. 23/25 is the only newscast with a duo anchor format.

And if anyone wants a real treat of vintage Yakima news, here's a KNDO 5:30PM newscast from 1986 that I found on a VHS tape!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsY35Z0tLkY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iXHYeW9InE
 
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crainbebo said:
Tom Yazwinski is the news director, I believe. He is definitely unique to KEPR (and KIMA 11PM, they don't use Scott Stovall at that hour). Kathleen Jacob left for KVVU-Vegas. David Lee (WW1 NFL/rock station announcer) is still a bad fit announcing news on KAPP/KVEW. And speaking of 35/42, Jason Valentine has moved from mornings to evenings full-time doing weather, Kristin Walls is now on Good Morning Northwest. KEPR is still looking for a second anchor, I enjoyed Terry & Annie. 23/25 is the only newscast with a duo anchor format.

And if anyone wants a real treat of vintage Yakima news, here's a KNDO 5:30PM newscast from 1986 that I found on a VHS tape!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsY35Z0tLkY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iXHYeW9InE
Click to expand...

Thanks for the KNDO link. Yeah, back in the days with separate news for Yakima and Tri-Cities. Actually didn't look too bad for the era. Don't know the weather guy. But I did enjoy the commercial for the Oldsmobile Delta 88. Wow, that was an ugly automobile!
 
seatownmedia said:
Thanks for the KNDO link. Yeah, back in the days with separate news for Yakima and Tri-Cities. Actually didn't look too bad for the era. Don't know the weather guy. But I did enjoy the commercial for the Oldsmobile Delta 88. Wow, that was an ugly automobile!
Click to expand...

BTW, I just switched to DirectTV today, and so now I can access both KEPR and KIMA, and I was mistaken. KIMA and KEPR still have separate newscasts, but both are currently being anchored by Tom Yazwinski, so one of them is taped earlier.
 
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