KOMO teevee:" keep your head down or we'll april zepeda your ass!"

We're getting more interested in local teevee dish since covering the problems of KOMO and the incredible shrinking Fisher Communications.

("Bill Virgin reported ominously this week: "A New York-based hedge fund management company has sent a letter to Fisher Communications Inc. telling the Seattle-based broadcasting company: Start talking to people who want to buy the business.")

We've long heard that he radio stations, KOMO. KVI, 101.5-FM, have the jolly atmospherics of a mortuary Xmas party. But now we're hearing fear dominates the emotional pot pourri, and has spread throughout the cluster including, particularly at KOMO teevee.

In fact, weekday morning anchor Natasha Curry was fired Monday after just 18 months on the job, and in the middle of her contract.

She was "April Zepeda-ed," now the verb in local media for being escorted ignominiously out of the building immediately with a cardboard box full of your stuff kind of firing.

Molly Shen is filling in until a permanent replacement is found.

No one knows why Curry was fired, although she was a co-anchor of recently cancelled, long-running (since 1984!) Northwest Afternoons, the last of the live and local afternoon drivel-driven talk shows. (which will run until August).

Maybe they thought she was dead weight without that show. The syndicated Dr. Phil and Rachel Ray kicked NWA ass on a daily basis.

We never watched NWA, but its demise is just another sign of the end of live & local Seattle media. The investors want more return, and the response must be to cut the overhead and give us more McTV off the satellites to compete with the McTV off the competition's satellites.

(We also mourn it because authors have one less media venue in this bookish town to sell their new books. NWA was the last of the teevee venues).

Former Seattleite, New York blogger Alex Cozens writes:

"Jimm Brown, the eloquently captivating and vivacious spokesman for the Fisher-Broadcasting run station, announced that many of the existing show personalities will be absorbed into other facets of Fisher Broadcasting including KOMO Radio and Star 101. 5. By this time next year, with all of those opportunities having failed, they will have no choice but to April Zepeda them right out onto Dexter Ave S.

He asks the question on everyone's mind: Whatever will the resume-less Cindi Rinehart do?

Comments

[joanie]

First of all, Cindi's probably received a pretty good paycheck for her soap efforts. Hopefully, she squirreled some of it away.

Why did Fisher get itself into this situation? I don't know so much about private-public companies. If Fisher still owns the majority share, how can a hedge fund tell them what to do?

Wish someone would explain that.

Also, did the family get so big there just wasn't enought pieces of the pie to go around? Every wanting more and more... Doesn't that equal greed? Is it Fisher greed bringing down the heretofore Fisher dominion?

[Georgia Brown]

Sometimes I believe in karma... these sleazy local corporate types, who sold their souls to the NY money people are getting what they deserve with the failing company. Unfortunately, the Seattle audience is the biggest loser.
Can't say I would trust these people with flour-making anymore either.
Such a difference in the way the Bullitt family and the Fishers handled handled the end of their dynasty. The Bullitts left a public legacy, the Fishers left bad feelings and burnt investors. Clever by half.

[joanie]

I should preview... enough...Everyone

[AuthenticAndrew]

Not only do I not watch channel 4's local productions but I make an effort to avoid them. channel 4 news came on after Grey's Anatomy and or Desperate Housewives and I was like "NOOO!" and would quickly change the channel. I have no rationale for doing this; it's purely mammalian instinct. Make of that what you will.

[sparky]

Someone I know who works in television said ( no surprise) that Reinhart never watched the soaps--she read prepared releases from the networks. I guess that there was an element of the viewing population who believed she sat down in front of a bank of televisions and took notes..lol.

With what people think is important these days, I'm betting that she will be the one who lands on her feet..more interest in the entertainment world than the news world. And why people watch Rachel Ray is just beyond my understanding.

[AuthenticAndrew]

I'd hit that.

[chucks]

On the occasional morning, when I might be having a tough time waking, my bride might turn the TV to channel 4 news. Nothing like waking up to Rachelle and Natasha.
Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.
I have know idea how tv news works. She is easy to look at and can read a script with out muffing it.
It is like April Z. She is easy to look at, can read without error, plus she could ask intelligent questions.
Screw it, I am going back to channel 13. They seem to have fun while competing with the higher budget news readers and stations.

[Scaredy Cat]

Whatever they do, they should set aside some cash to get rid of that brown volkswagen on Molly Shen's upper lip.

[KS]

Something that April Zepada and Natasha Curry may have lost their jobs over - they were Global warming deniers... See why on the following link...

http://wattsupwiththat.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/coloring-the-models-climate-change-through-color-change/

Bla'm's sarcasm has caught on.

[Puget Sound]

Spot on KS
I guess it may turn out the Global Warning Deniers are on the other side of the debate.
We still have a few on this website that actual believe in the Carbon Offset Program.

[meow]

KS!
Global warning deniers? They are/were reporters. Not commentators. I doubt you have any evidence of their stance on the issue.

[balderdash]

Cindi has already secured employment with a gravel pit/croissant outfit in Marblerock.

[KS]

"Global warning deniers? They are/were reporters. Not commentators. I doubt you have any evidence of their stance on the issue."

That was sarcasm, as in the Colbert Report. Lighten up out there !

[joanie]

Colbert is a liberal you know.

[KS]

I don't care - I like his stuff. His interview with Adam Smith was hilarious - Smith handled it well. I don't see him as being a progressive.

[joanie]

Oh, so your eyes determine another's politics?

He did one with Rick Smith as well. Smith was very deadpan and it worked.

[joanie]

It just occurred to me: did you mix up Adam and Rick? Did he do one with Adam as well?

[KS]

Liberal doesn't imply progressive. Progressive is a flatulent term, in my opinion and can be construed as a code word.

Are others aware that Colbert's schtick is to mock O'Reilly - good stuff. He's got a quick wit and uses good material.

[KS]

No, It was Adam Smith, US House Rep. from my district that I have voted for twice.

[joanie]

Then they were both on. I saw Rick Smith and he doesn't look anything like Adam!

[trickydick]

I remember April Zepeda, I am just not sure how a marginal talent getting canned now gets her own verb (zepeda'ed). What's the background story?

[joanie]

KS: It's Rick Larsen and Adam Smith. Sorry!

trickydick: Zepeda's family around here.

[coiler]

If others are not aware that Colbert mocks O Really, they need to stick to Lawrence Welk episodes on Ch 9, or vote for Mc Cain