Last week, KMBC-9 lost its news director. Now the other shoe has dropped, as the ABC affiliate plans to make its most dramatic on-air change since the departure of Laurie Everett seven years ago.
Kris Ketz will move from the 5 p.m. newscast to “FirstNews,” KMBC’s morning show, beginning Monday. Perhaps just as significant, he will leave the 10 p.m. newscast, where he has been a fixture for two decades, and his “Larry and Laurie” signoff — in recent years, “Larry and Lara” — is much imitated.
The move, which was in the planning stages for a long time, will make Channel 9 more competitive in the ever-more-important early news daypart. It will also break up one of the most durable on-air teams in Kansas City history. Kelly Eckerman, who has been teamed with Ketz at 5 p.m. since 1994, will co-anchor the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts Tuesdays through Thursdays with Larry Moore, Fridays and Saturdays with Jim Flink.
On Mondays, Larry Moore and Lara Moritz will anchor the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. newscasts. Jere Gish, currently on weekday mornings, will co-anchor “FirstNews” weekends with recent hire Dion Lim. The other two parts of the weekday “FirstNews” team — weatherman Joel Nichols and co-anchor Donna Pitman — remain in place.
Word of Ketz’s move leaked out of KMBC’s new Swope Park headquarters quickly. On Tuesday, general manager C. Wayne Godsey confirmed a report posted on Rob Zerwekh’s KCradio Web site that changes were imminent.
With these moves, said Godsey, “we are trying to spread our strongest, most recognizable anchors through more of the week.”
Taking Ketz, one of the station’s most recognized faces and voices, off of evenings was an acknowledgment of the declining importance of the 5 p.m. newscast and the increasing importance of early morning news. It also signaled a heightened sense of urgency inside KMBC. Though management can still point to leads in the crucial demographic ratings, Channel 9 no longer enjoys the kind of market dominance it once did. It routinely is edged out by KCTV-5 in the 10 p.m. ratings, and must now battle three competitors, including top-ranked Fox 4, in mornings.
Godsey said that former news director Michael Sipes had been part of the discussions about shuffling the station’s top anchors before his resignation last week. But the timing of the changes did nothing to dispel the widespread skepticism that greeted the report of Sipes’ departure. While Sipes cited “family obligations” and the stress brought on by a months-long move out of the station’s downtown studios, rivals said that ratings had fallen steeply in every newscast during Sipes’ tenure.
In morning news (5 to 7 a.m.) KMBC ranks second behind WDAF-TV (Fox 4) in total audience and viewers ages 25 to 54, according to Nielsen ratings for the May sweep period. However, KCTV-5 has made strides in mornings and now ranks a competitive third, while KSHB-TV has a sizable younger audience. In the May ratings period, the most recent, Nielsen reported KCTV had a slight edge over KMBC in total viewers from 5 to 5:30 a.m.
Larry and Lara Anchor Sunday's Thru Thursday's at 5pm,6pm and 10pm.
This means Kris probley won't be reporting at 10pm know but Kelly will probley be reporting.
Also lose Dan and Maria to Reporters and maybe fill in Anchors.
KCTV5 could follow suit but their Evening News Teams aren't messed up because Brad works with Karen on Monday's thru Fridays,Craig with Dana on Monday's thru Wednesday's and Brad and Dna usly on Thursday's and Friday's.
Posted by: Matt Galvin | October 17, 2007 at 09:01 AM
Maybe we need to see an interview with former news director?
MICHAEL SIPES NAMED KRDO NEWS DIRECTOR
By Staff
TVNEWSDAY, Mar 29 2008, 12:09 PM ET
Michael Sipes, news director of Hearst-Argyle’s ABC affiliate KMBC Kansas City, Mo., has been named to the same position at News-Press & Gazette Broadcasting's ABC affiliate KRDO Colorado Springs.
Posted by: roy jamison | November 17, 2008 at 05:40 PM