KIMA - TVSpy

Sinclair Broadcast Group to Acquire Fisher Communications for $373M

Merrill Knox — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:17:58 +0000

Sinclair Broadcast Group is buying Fisher Communications for $373.3 million, the two companies announced Thursday.

Fisher owns 20 television stations in eight markets, reaching 3.9% of U.S. TV households (full list is after the jump). The transaction also includes three radio stations in Seattle. As part of the terms of the agreement, Fisher will provide “certain operating services” for three TV stations in Eugene, Ore. – KMTR, KMCB and KTCW — after the transaction is approved by the FCC.

TVNewsCheck reports Sinclair won a bidding war with LIN Media for the station group “in a deal finalized in the wee hours of Tuesday night.”

“Sinclair is the largest independent TV broadcaster in the country, and we believe its commitment to the industry — along with its greater scale and sizable resources — will provide our stations, team members and business partners with new opportunities to flourish,” Fisher president and CEO Colleen B. Brown said in a statement. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Audrey Asistio Joins KOVR as Morning Anchor

Merrill Knox — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:16:38 +0000

Audrey Asistio is the new morning anchor at KOVR, the CBS O&O in Sacramento.

Asistio, a Bay Area native, joins KOVR from KSEE in Fresno, where she has been a reporter and anchor for two years. She has previously worked at KHSL-KNVN in Chico as well as KIMA in Yakima.

“We’re happy to have a California native with Audrey’s experience join our morning team. She will bring a great deal of energy to our morning news,” KOVR news director Cameryn Beck said in a statement. “Combined with meteorologist Laura Skirde, I believe we will give viewers a fresh new reason to wake up with CBS13.”

Asistio replaces Lisa Gonzales, who left KOVR for rival KCRA in December.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Former KIMA General Manager Ken Messer Dies

Merrill Knox — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:05:46 +0000

Former KIMA general manager Ken Messer died this morning from lung cancer. He was 70.

Messer spent 35 years at KIMA, the CBS-affiliate in Yakima. He joined the station in 1972 in the sales department, eventually working his way up to vice president and general manager of the station, as well as sister stations KEPR in Pasco, WA and KLEW in Lewiston, ID.

During his tenure at KIMA, Messer was awarded two Broadcaster of the Year awards, including one in 2005.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Sports Anchor Tim Lewis Leaving Spokane to Join His Dad at Seattle’s KOMO

Andrew Gauthier — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:27:10 +0000

“Look who’s coming to KOMO 4 News!” longtime KOMO anchor Dan Lewis wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. “My son, Tim, is going to be our new weekend sports anchor and sports reporter.”

Tim Lewis is currently the sports director at KREM in Spokane, where he’s worked since 2006. He is set to leave the station on May 25th to join his dad at KOMO.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in Spokane, and I can’t thank everyone enough for making this a great place to call home,” Lewis tweeted recently. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Troy Barrett Filling In For Chuck George on KOLD

Merrill Knox — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:31:02 +0000

KOLD, the CBS-affliliate in Tucson, has brought on freelance weathercaster Troy Barrett to help the station in Chuck George‘s absence.

George has been absent from his post as chief meteorologist since mid-September, when he appeared on the evening newscast to be slow and rambling, on the same day he Tweeted a string of bizarre messages. The station announced the next day that George would take a leave of absence and would be back on the air within six weeks.

Barrett was most recently a weathercaster and news anchor for KIMA in Yakima, WA. He has previously worked as a weathercaster at KNXV in Phoenix, KDRV in Medford, OR and KVIA in El Paso.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.