Taylor Announces She Will Leave KIRO 7

 The Puget Sound Media reports that KIRO 7 traffic reporter Tracy Taylor will be leaving the station at the end of this month. 

Taylor, originally became known in the area when worked on the morning show with host Mitch Levy on Sports Radio KJR 950.  After starting there, she would leave the area, returning in 2006, once again, working with Levy and the KJR crew.

Taylor left KJR for good in 2010, appearing on KING 5 TV.  Her departure from the station at the end of 2016, resulted in a post on this blog getting well over 30 thousand hits.

Taylor had been working since 2017 on a split shift between KIRO 7 TV and its former broadcasting partner KIRO 97.3 radio. 

Taylor announced earlier this year that she would leave the evening radio gig.  Her latest announcement is that will soon be leaving the Seattle airwaves completely.  

We will let you know if  Taylor announces further career plans.

Fearless Diary Of A Badass Reporter--Julie Blacklow Reported And Made History

With my longtime interest in TV broadcasting, I couldn't wait to read this book on Julie Blacklow, one of the best known TV journalists in the Seattle area.I found out that we have a few things in common, like me, she was mesmerized by both the Kennedy family and the Beatles.
Growing up in the D.C. area, Blacklow  went to the US Capitol, where President John F. Kennedy lay in state.  She also attended the Beatles first US concert. She was in the crowd at the  March On Washington.
Blacklow's book, Fearless Diary Of A Badass Reporter, reads like a personal letter personally engaging the reader.  It begins with her childhood and her love of attention, along with her desire to right certain wrongs. She continues through her college days and how she wound up in Seattle broadcasting at KING 5 TV as one of the first female TV reporters in the country.  She would later move to KIRO 7 TV and Entertainment Tonight.
Blacklow's resume is like a Seattle history lesson.  She has reported on the area's most notorious and horrific crimes like the Bundy murders. She also used her out of the box methods to interview Watergate figures John Ehlichman and former President Richard Nixon.
Blacklow also interviewed John F. Kennedy, Jr, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.
Blacklow finishes the book talking about her retirement from TV and her second career of running a local horse ranch, where she is today.
Fearless Diary Of A Badass Reporter is available on Amazon.

Elisa Hahn Leaves KING 5

Elisa Hahn has left KING 5 TV in Seattle after 22 years as a crime reporter.  Hahn reported that now that she's a mother, years of  tragedies local and across the country had begun to take their toll.   Hahn is reportedly taking a new job with Boeing. 
We wish her the best.

Benicio Bryant On KING 5 Feature

A couple of weeks ago, KING 5 came to Maple Valley to do it's "Beyond The Studio" feature.  In this segment, they interviewed local singing sensation Benicio Bryant who has previously been featured in this blog.

KING 5 TV Goes To Maple Valley

I was surprised to flip on the TV and see KING 5 crew reporting on our town of Maple Valley.  It looks like they were well received and everyone enjoyed their coffee.

Tracy Taylor Joins Ron And Don Team As KIRO FM's Evening Traffic Reporter

After a busy spring and summer of fill ins and special projects on both KIRO 7 TV and KIRO FM 97.3, Tracy Taylor has finally found a home as afternoon and evening traffic reporter on KIRO FM.  Tracy will report the drive home on the popular Ron And Don Show.  She replaces Candy Harper who will produce the afternoon show.
With a love of traffic, a distinct delivery, and a great sense of humor, Taylor began reporting traffic on KJR Sports Radio 95, leaving to join the KING 5 TV morning news team.  After almost 7 years on KING, Taylor found herself jobless, sparking angry viewer outrage toward the station. 
The post on this blog announcing her departure set records at over 30 thousand hits.

Tracy Taylor Takes This Blog To New Heights

No More Tracy Traffic On KING 5 Dec 13, 2016, 63 comments	17703
Meeghan Black Leaving KING 5 Nov 24, 2013, 9 comments	10593
Vancouver Canucks Going To NHL Finals May 25, 2011	8621

It's incredible, but in less than 2 months, the post on Tracy Taylor leaving King 5 has not only become the all time most popular post, it crushed the previously number one pos Meehan Black Leaving King 5, which is an accumulation of  three years and two months, by a landslide.  

Of course, this will eventually level off, but now it shows little sign of doing so.  Maybe by that time, we can report on Tracy finding a new job.

Tracy Taylor Radio Interview

Tracy Taylor is very much missed in this area. A post I made about Tracy leaving King 5 has gone viral.  In one month is became the all time most popular post on Barers Of Maple Valley, surpassing a three and a half year old one on Meeghan Black leaving that station.  It has still increased this blog's traffic 10 fold.  I'm posting this guest interview that Tracy on a Bellingham radio station.

KING 5 Viewers Miss Tracy

Traffic on this blog has increased 10 times since I posted on Tracy Taylor's departure from reporting traffic on King 5 morning news. On one of the most visited posts of all time, comments have reflected shock and outrage.  It is not known if anything more than staff cut backs were to blame for her leaving the station after almost 7 years.
In posts and live reports on her facebook fan page, Taylor has inferred that she may already have something new going on for 2017.

We Will Be On New Day Again!

Almost a holiday tradition, Barers Of Maple Valley will be on New Day Northwest Thursday December 22 at 11am on King 5 TV in Seattle.  We will be once again offering shipping advice for The UPS Store.  Hopefully, you can all tune in!

No More Tracy Traffic On KING 5

After nearly 7 years reporting Seattle's commute on KING 5 TV, Tracy Taylor and the station have parted ways.  Taylor, whose facebook fan page has nearly 9000 likes and who sends facebook birthday greetings to all her friends, apparently was a victim of media consolidation.  The station, once a Mom and pop, fixture, is now owned by East Coast based TEGNA. 
In a live broadcast on her fan page, Tracy says that she is doing fine, enjoying having more time to spend with her family.  She also said that she will continue to post pictures of her "12 days of ugly sweaters" on her fan page. 

New King 5 Studios

On your way to a Mariner's game, you can check out the new KING 5 TV studios. Unlike the old studio, which was basically a fortress, the news is done in a store window street level studio.  This setting is much like the Today show.  Of course, KING 5 is an NBC affiliate. 
My hats are off to the Newscasters, who are not distracted by the goings on outside.  The cameras are self operating.  There are now no camera operators or at least, they are not behind the cameras.  It is totally fascinating and the newscasters are happy to wave to the people watching through the windows.
The studios are directly across from Safeco Field.

Bosch Will Join King 5

Heather Bosch, the former KIRO radio news reporter who went on to report for CBS news radio, announced on her facebook page that she was joining KING 5 TV.  Heather announced in May that she was returning to the Seattle area.

Behind The Scenes--New Day Northwest

From our appearance on KING 5's New Day Northwest, a few of air shots.  Top picture, our props are staged before taken into the studio.  The pumpkin man, who is the size of a small kid, was used in the show's closing.  Bottom picture, the studio audience was invited to get it's picture taken with it's great host Margaret Larson. 

Mike And Deb On New Day Northwest

After a brief hiatus, Deb and I will be on New Day Northwest  (Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00), on KING 5 in Seattle.  Should you read this, and this has already happened, don't worry, we will once again post a video of the segment here on the blog.  As always, we will represent The UPS Store, this time the topic will be small business solutions. Margaret Larson is the host of New Day Northwest.

Tracy Taylor Fan Page Nearing 6 K

A facebook  fan page started by me for KING 5 Traffic reporter Tracy Taylor has reached 5680 likes.
I started the page after a post about Tracy on this blog drew a high amount of traffic.  At the time, I did the first post,  she worked for Sportsradio KJR.  Since 2010, Tracy has done traffic on the KING 5 TV Morning News. Soon after she moved to TV, I started the fan page, barely knowing how to set one up.  It has been fun watching it grow.

Maple Valley Home Featured

KING 5 featured this house in the Maple Valley area, which is being sold to benefit the Children's Hospital in Seattle.  An open house is featured the today (Saturday May 9th) from 1-4 this afternoon.

Veteran News Reporter Linda Brill Retiring

Retiring King 5 TV reporter Linda Brill, reflects on her 37 year career.  Probably her most notable recent interview was Seattle's socialist councilwomen Kshana Sawant.
 

KING 5 TV Plans Move

It will still be at channel 5, but Seattle's oldest broadcasting station KING is planning to move it's offices and studios to the SODO area.  The station has been at it's Dexter Avenue location, not far from KIRO, KOMO and the Space needle for over 63 years.   The new location will be in the Home Plate Center, kitty corner from Safeco Field.  The new location will have a street level studio, where passersby can watch news casts, much like the Today Show, which airs on the station.  Two of KING 5's sister stations KONG 6 and NWCN will also have offices and studios at the new facility. 

Meg Coyle Leaving King 5

Meg Coyle (center) announced this weekend that she is leaving King 5 for another job opportunity.  Coyle has been with King 5 since 2000, most recently anchoring the Saturday morning news, with Natasha Ryan.  Coyle said she is leaving to pursue a new opportunity. 
Many will remember Coyle as the reporter that had her report interrupted by an angry snow tuber.  Meg is married to Evening Magazine's Michael King.