Longtime KIROFM morning news co-host Jane Shannon was fired today. She was escorted out of the newsroom Wednesday and all traces of her were expunged from the news department's web pages.
News Director and fellow co-host Greggg Hersholt must be smiling… her demise at the troubled station was the realization of one of his longtime professional goals.
They said it was about budget cuts, but who will replace her? Nobody? probably... it's a boys club over there now in the ayem... actually, it always has been.
Stay tuned.
sorry to hear that about jane shannon. i have always enjoyed her work.
Posted by: Puget Sound | November 11, 2009 at 04:53 PM
Two bucks says Jessica Gottesman is her replacement.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | November 11, 2009 at 05:02 PM
2 bucks says it won't matter who they put in there, the station's toast.
Posted by: Bruce | November 11, 2009 at 05:12 PM
Anychance that Tina Noles could come back to produce that show and whip it in to shape? She was stellar working for Dave Ross and has since gained a lot of national exposure.
Posted by: Puget Sound | November 11, 2009 at 05:30 PM
KIRO is still on the air? Who knew!
Posted by: Ted Smith | November 11, 2009 at 05:31 PM
One day I will pop on to Blatherwatch and see an R.I.P. post and not have my heart jump out of my chest.
Except for Seahawks games on the ride to and from the game, I hadn't listened to KIRO in years. I don't even know who she is, but based on 15 years of service, and being a gurl, she needs to talk to April's lawyer.
Posted by: chucks | November 11, 2009 at 05:31 PM
I thought they were subdued this morning at 5:00 and I wondered why. Now I know ... I enjoyed her when she was added to be the bright side of Bill Yend (sp?). He never knew if she was joking or not. I will miss her. Don't know if I will set by alarm by KIRO anymore.
Jessica Gottesman thinks she's on E-News. Tone it down, girl.
Posted by: [email protected] | November 11, 2009 at 05:39 PM
Fatal Friday in radio! Sorry to hear of Jane being fired. Personally, I feel the P.D. should have gotten axed before Jane or anyone else.
Posted by: Bill Wippel | November 11, 2009 at 05:43 PM
Can't say much about the aleged tension between the two... only heard about it here. In any case, she'll hopefully show up in a better place.
I wonder if you even get a fake Chinese knockoff watch for 15 years these days.
Posted by: ksr | November 11, 2009 at 05:52 PM
You're the lip, whip. I agree. I liked her voice.
Posted by: joanie | November 11, 2009 at 05:58 PM
Jane and Gregg in the a.m. were getting REAL stale. Corny comments thrown in at the most inopportune times didn't help. I actually thought they would both be replaced. I must say that of the two I preferred Jane though.
Jane go over and take Kirby Wilbur's place at KVI, he's garbling his words more every year. Good Luck.
Thanks for keeping us on the cutting edge there Michael.
Posted by: MadMenViewer | November 11, 2009 at 06:24 PM
I guess I will have to depend on Steve The News Tool to keep me informed in the morning.
KIRO news coverage has gone completely in the toilet. Might as well go completetly with traffic and weather all morning long since thats about all they do anyway.
Perhaps they should do like KISW. Mix hours of talk with hours of music.
Or perhaps mix morman blood atonement on the whole mess.
Posted by: ryder | November 11, 2009 at 07:30 PM
i'd like to hear Shannon's great voice in a more sophisticated adult format. I notice on KGO they aren't trying to be yukyuk cornball all the time during morning drive news. Are Seattle people that much less sophisticated then our Bay Area counterparts. It's like they're afraid they'll lose listeners if they don't lather on the corn butter all the time with stupid, juvenile jokes and quips. They might find that the opposite is true. I feel like i'm in Fargo or Provo Utah listening to this silly cornball crap.
Posted by: Tommy008 | November 11, 2009 at 08:00 PM
Tim Eyman is the distributor for fake Chinese knock-off watches- go talk to him.
Posted by: Drew | November 11, 2009 at 08:15 PM
You know, Tommy, I agree with that. Chris Brecher (formerly KING talk show host) does some of the news on KGO and it is news without silliness.
I haven't heard much of it so perheps they have their Gregg and Jane show. I don't know. But KGO does a good job of radio when I listen.
Well, except for Dr. Bill. I'd say he belongs in Utah.
Posted by: joanie | November 11, 2009 at 08:34 PM
Put your $$$ on the News Chick (Linda Thomas) to succeed Jane.
Posted by: RobP | November 11, 2009 at 09:01 PM
Tony Miner has a great voice, but I guess is some where to the "right" of Glen Beck.
Posted by: Mike Barer | November 11, 2009 at 09:15 PM
Sad for me. Happy for Jane. She deserves to have a happier work life. Hopefully, she feels relieved to be out of the poison environment.
Posted by: Mr. Bean | November 11, 2009 at 11:37 PM
I used to work with a fellow in radio in FL back in the 1980s who remarked to me that there was nothing worse than being called an asshole. Think about it. An ass-hole. The orifice that shit comes out of.
And for writing "News Director and fellow co-host Greggg Hersholt must be smiling… her demise at the troubled station was the realization of one of his longtime professional goals," Michael Hood, YOU are an ASSHOLE.
And to show again that you nothing about KIRO or anything else, Hersholt is NOT the news director of the station.
Posted by: Corporate Suit | November 12, 2009 at 08:36 AM
When the word asshole comes up Gregg hersholdt's name is always mentioned in the context of KIRO. Who is this Michael Hood?
Posted by: KIRO Kubicle man | November 12, 2009 at 09:52 AM
I'll miss Jane, although I know things have been sketchy down at Eastlake for some time in the morning. Sure is shitty of them to fire Jane and rehire somebody else cheaper. Sure wouldn't want to be unemployed in this market in the morning. Maybe they will just go with present staff. Nobody listens to it anyway.
Posted by: Cyn | November 12, 2009 at 09:58 AM
Yeah, nobody listens to KIRO-FM but yet everyone seems to know everything about them. Who do you think you're kidding; they're still the power within the greater Seattle area. Heck, even Tommy008 (of this blog's fame) listens and tolerates their signal.
Posted by: fRed | November 12, 2009 at 10:03 AM
I usually listen to KPLU, but this morning I listened in to KIRO for awhile. Couldn't believe how many commercials there are, and how many times the "reporters" got their "interviews" from Channel 7.
Posted by: Mark C. | November 12, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Wouldn't be the first co-host Gregg helped out the door...
Posted by: Never You Mind | November 12, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Greg Hersholt is the little tin god of Eastlake. He is insufferable unless he doesn't consider you threatening.
Posted by: spooge | November 12, 2009 at 10:29 AM
You are so wrong, Duffman. KIRO is not even in the top ten "within the greater Seattle." It has fallen on hard times. KOMO and KUOW lead the talk pack in Seattle.
Posted by: tarantula | November 12, 2009 at 10:42 AM
This so sad. Jane had a bad car accident last month.
Posted by: jilly | November 12, 2009 at 10:44 AM
WHAT IS GREGG'S BEEF WITH SHANNON. sHE SOUNDS and looks like a very nice person. Is it because she has the deper voice. Is it simply the "tiny penis syndrome" problem that Dori already has and makes the staffers suffer for?
Posted by: Tommy008 | November 12, 2009 at 11:07 AM
I have to believe this solo act with Gregg Hersholt is temporary, unless the PD is trying to turn KIRO into a big sausage party, a move that would follow the trend of turning KIRO into an un-dead reanimation of "The Buzz".
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | November 12, 2009 at 11:37 AM
When the word asshole comes up Gregg hersholdt's name is always mentioned in the context of KIRO. Who is this Michael Hood?
1 part all the news that was reported on radio-info 3 days ago, warmed over and then paraphrased into semi-readable, rambling run-on sentences littered with catchphrases and youthful sloganeering awkwardly applied in cringing style by a very, very old man
+
1 part the occasional "anonymous source" that is so clinically bizarre in its verbiage and so always totally incorrect that it makes one legitimately ponder if "anonymous source" = "imaginary friend"
The only actual good news and analysis here on BW is all the updates and reports we get from the very, very relevant and Geov Parrish on sports radio!
Posted by: pascal | November 12, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Tony Miner for KIRO Morning News anchor.
Bill Wippel (the man who brought Dave Ross to Seattle) for KIRO program director, again.
Posted by: Erictheeditor | November 12, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Correct me if I am wrong, but seems to me that Linda Thomas was the first female co-anchor on the morning news, supplanting Dave Stone who had co-hosted the show with Bill Yeend for nearly a decade. Jane came over from KING when Linda left KIRO to devote her attentions to her young family.
Posted by: Bill Taylor | November 12, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Kirby Wilbur has just been let go from KVI.
Any more people cut loose, this stupid blow won't have any more "news" to report.
Posted by: Corporate Suit | November 12, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Are you serious CS? Effective when.
Posted by: fRed | November 12, 2009 at 01:04 PM
Effective at 9:01 AM. He was told after his show was over today.
http://www.radio-info.com/sections/2-breaking-news/news_items/7534-longtime-kvi-seattle-talk-host-kirby-wilbur-is-cut-loose
Posted by: Corporate Suit | November 12, 2009 at 01:06 PM
Billy Bob was right, Kirby Wilbur has been kicked ... to the curb.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | November 12, 2009 at 01:08 PM
"Billy Bob" doesn't know shit.
Posted by: Corporate Suit | November 12, 2009 at 01:10 PM
ABC cancelled Hank!!!
CRAP!!!
Posted by: chucks | November 12, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Chucks, apparently being replaced by Spanked starring Kirbur Wilbur and Jane Shannon.
Posted by: fRed | November 12, 2009 at 01:33 PM
I enjoyed Gregg and Jane in the morning, but look at it in terms of ROI. To my knowledge, Jane was not doing any "reporting" - she was basically a news reader/presenter/co-anchor. With stations trying to amortize their costs as much as possible, why doesn't it make sense to have a full-time beat reporter ALSO co-hosting the AM news, then going out on a story or two to run in other dayparts?
Posted by: Dangerous Dan | November 12, 2009 at 07:26 PM
Because it's less monotonous.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | November 12, 2009 at 07:45 PM
Because we want women to prevail Dangerous Dumb-ass.
Posted by: Unionless | November 12, 2009 at 07:46 PM
Yeah, you know like AuthenticAHole says we don't want it to be monosylabilistic.
Posted by: Unionless | November 12, 2009 at 07:49 PM
That's my point, Andrew. The current reality of KIRO-FM's ratings/revenue doesn't allow them the "luxury" of having TWO hosts who merely host. Aside from what schadenfreudean spin Michael wants to put on this, it seems to be a business decision pure and simple.
Posted by: Dangerous Dan | November 12, 2009 at 08:08 PM
If what you're saying is true, KIRO is not a healthy radio station. Cancelling TBTL is one thing, you can argue that it wasn't pulling its own weight, but this is basic service stuff. Does anyone know if they've pulled the Folgers? That's often the first dead canary (although in this case it might be the third or fourth).
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | November 12, 2009 at 09:11 PM
Best chick radio voice in Seattle.
Posted by: Atticus | November 13, 2009 at 05:10 PM
It's actually Greggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg, not Greggg.
Posted by: Sclub | November 14, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Jane Shannon will be okay she's a surviver. No reason to listen to Kiro in the mornings any more. Jane we will miss you!
Posted by: Linda | November 14, 2009 at 08:15 PM
I think KIRO does a good job with news in the morning but I haven't been able to listen to them for years. The lack of camaraderie in the morning was apparent. It seemed to go both ways with Gregg not liking Jane and Jane not liking Gregg. I usually listen to Manda and Bill on KOMO. I might switch back depending on who they replace Jane with.
Posted by: Paula | November 14, 2009 at 10:15 PM
What's with the dead silence on the morning show about these firings?
Frank Shiers almost made a gaffe tonight by saying "set your clock radio for Gregg and JJJJ....the gang".
What do these people get paid considering they get laid off so fast. I heard somewhere Ron and Don get $200/show each. Comments?
Posted by: Billy Winston | November 17, 2009 at 08:02 PM