Signing Off in Seattle

There was a time that Seattle was a destination market for many people. A beautiful city, with solid TV stations, and well-produced newscasts.

But, Seattle has lost its MOJO and it has also lost a lot of TV news people.

KIRO is owned by Cox, but since being taken over by the bean counters at Apollo, it is a shell of its former self. KOMO is owned by Sinclair and we all know the baggage that comes with that company. KCPQ is now owned by The Firm and has slid downhill fast. Last is KING which is owned by Tegna and, well, I don’t think I need to get into that.

Since 2019, 76 people working at Seattle TV stations have left for one reason or another. Some to left for better jobs, some because they were no longer wanted, some because they simply retired, and some decided to totally leave the business.

While people leaving a market in TV news is common in small and mid-markets, the number that has left in the Seattle market is head-spinning.

Here’s the list of who’s gone and where they went.

KING
Mark Wright - Main Anchor now retired
Lori Matsukawa - Main Anchor now retired
Michelle Li - Anchor to KSDK St. Louis
Vanessa Misciagna - Reporter/ Weekend Anchor to weekend anchor at NewsyRebecca Stevenson - Meteorologist to KOMO
Craig Herrera - Meteorologist to Fox Weather National
Rhonda Lee - Meteorologist to Chief Meterologist, Spectrum Cable, NY
Jordan Steele - Meteorologist to The Weather Channel
Jordan Wilkerson - Meteorologist/ Traffic Anchor to WTLV Jacksonville, FLBen Dery - Meteorologist to KARE, Minneapolis
Margaret Larson - Host New Day Northwest retired to North CarolinaMichael King - Evening Magazine co-host, now Boeing Communications
Kierra Elfalon - Reporter to Boeing PRMichael Crowe - Reporter now freelanceMichael Konopasek - Reporter to Frontier Airlines PRElisa Hahn - Reporter to Boeing PR
Ted Land - Reporter to Boeing PR
Glenn Farley - Reporter/ Aviation expert retired
Amy Moreno - Reporter to Comms Consultant for WA Department of Transportation WSDOT
Alison Morrow - Environmental Reporter to environmental reporter/ podcasting
Cam Johnson - Traffic Anchor to Community Engagement Coordinator/ Public Information Officer Bothell Police Dept.
Pete Saiers - News Director now VP/ ND KTLA Los AngelesRuss Walker - News Director now Editor Lancaster PA OnlineLaura Evans - News Director now ND WHIO-TV Dayton OH
Matt Elias - Producer to KAPP/ KVEW Tri-Cities WARuben Villaescusa - Executive Producer
Lindsay Sieverkropp - EP at New Day Northwest to AmazonSu Ring - New Day Northwest Producer now high school teacher
Jennifer King - Digital Producer to Manafing Editor Seattle Refined on KOMO
Christin Ayers - Tacoma Bureau Chief & EP of Facing Race series
Jim Scott - Photographer to WTSP Tampa
Megan Murnane - Photographer to Photographer/ Editor Seattle Refined on KOMO
Evonne Benedict - Digital Director now retiredJim Rose - GM to KRON San Francisco GM
Dick Trumbo - Head of Technology now Chief Engineer KRON San Francisco

KOMOElisa Jaffe - News Anchor KOMO Radio and TV, retired
Ryan Yamamoto - News Anchor to KPIX San FranciscoNick Popham - Reporter to Tampa TV
Matt Markovich - Reporter to KCPQ
Kara Kostinich - Reporter
Jonathan Choe - Reporter to Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty
Keith Eldridge - Reporter now retired
Abby Acone - Reporter/ Meteorologist now at KCPQ
Cole Miller - Reporter
Connie Thompson - Consumer Reporter/ Anchor now Independent Contractor
Bill Dallman - News Director now GM at KARE Minneapolis
Femi Abebefe - Sports Anchor to VSIN Betting Network, Las Vegas
Mike Ferreri - Sports Director

KIRO

Steve Raible - Main Anchor retired, continuing as Seahawks voiceDave Wagner - Evening Anchor/ Senior Investigative Reporter to WTSP Tampa, FL
Connie Thompson - Anchor/ Reporter, retired to Independent ContractorEssex Porter - Senior Political Reporter retired
Amy Clancy - Reporter to Director of Strategic Comms Seattle Police Dept.
Siemny Kim - Reporter
Matthew Smith - Reporter to KCPQTracy Taylor - Traffic Anchor to City of Kent WA Comms DeptJohn LaPorte - ND now Managing Editor Spectrum TV Milwaukee Cable
Casey McNerthney - Digital Director to Director of Comms at King County Prosecutor's Office
Claire Anderson - Meteorologist to WTTG Washington DC
Lisa Blegen - Asst. ND now ND at WJAX Jacksonville FL
Erin Newnam - Executive Producer to Asst. ND WSMV Nashville

KCPQ

Brandi Kruse - Anchor/ Host to Podcasting
Travis Mayfield - Anchor to occasional fill-in Seattle radio host
Tatevik Aprikyan - Anchor/ Reporter to Newsy
Matt Lorch - Anchor continuing as Auctioneer
Alexandra Lewis - Anchor/ Reporter to KUSA Denver
Nadia Romero, Anchor/ Reporter to CNN Nat Correspondent
Ali Bradley - Reporter/ Anchor to reporting stories on Internet
Ellen Tailor - Features Reporter to Podcasting
Walter Kelley - Chief Meteorologist moved to Scottsdale AZMJ McDermott - Meteorologist retiredGrace Lim - Meteorologist to KNDO/ KNDU Tri Cities WA
Eric Breon - News DirectorMichelle Ludtka - Producer/ Sports AnchorElizabeth Wang - News Producer to RUN Studios Seattle Jessamyn McIntyre - Exec Producer/ WSU Sideline Reporter
Erica Hill - News Director now VP/ ND KTTV Los Angeles
Pam Pearson - General Manager