And just like that KIMA鈥檚 longstanding reign as the Valley鈥檚 TV news leader has come to an unceremonious end.
After working in a bigger TV market for more than a decade, when I returned to Yakima in the early 1990s to take over the on-air sports duties, I was surprised by the high quality of work being done at the local CBS station.
T.J. Close was the boss and main anchor. Reporters and photographers were experienced pros.
KIMA broadcast morning news cut-ins, a live noon show as well as 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts. Live weekend news shows from Yakima as well.
Through the years as the number of TV channels increased and general TV viewership declined, so did local advertising revenue. Where once tens of thousands tuned in to watch KIMA news, only a few thousand were watching in the end.
To save money, the managers in charge were hiring inexperienced reporters willing to work for minimum wage.
With all the KIMA newscasts now being broadcast from KEPR in Pasco, the only thing coming out of the Yakima station now is Austin Pepper鈥檚 sports segment. But, Austin has to share that 3-minute window with experienced pro Ryan Rogers at KEPR TV in the Tri-Cities. I usually had 3 to 3陆 minutes. Austin now has about 1 minute, 20 seconds. So even less local sports coverage now.
I鈥檓 writing this because people continue to tell me they鈥檙e surprised and disappointed that there is no longer KIMA news in Yakima.
I鈥檓 disappointed as well. But not surprised.
When KNDO and KAPP folded their tents here and moved everything to the Tri-Cities, we knew it was just a matter of time before KIMA would take the same cost-cutting measures and follow suit.
Like so many things in our lives these days, so many of the good times are now memories.
In the words of the greatest ever, Walter Cronkite: 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 the way it is.鈥
