This took some time in coming. Since Ian Furness left KCPQ FOX 13, we have all been asking where Ian might land. No, not KIRO 7. It’s KRAKEN tv, which is KING 5 & KONG 16.
I guess the background check and contacting his references took longer than expected.
Furness on FB: Today was a good day. I left Fox 13 a couple months ago for “another job in television” which was announced today. I am the new television host for the @seattlekraken and I could not be more humbled and thrilled with this opportunity. The Kraken Hockey Network is filled with incredibly talented people- in front of the camera and behind it. It has been an amazing experience already being around and these pros. More importantly for #SeaKraken fans, the games will be available for free! ESPN legend Linda Cohn will host a handful of games as well which is fantastic. On a personal note, hockey has always been a passion for me and the years of riding a bus in the Canadian prairies along with my time in the AHL and IHL was well worth it! To sign a contract with a NHL team to be part of its new broadcast network, in my hometown is surreal. I can’t wait to get this thing going!
Ian did a great show on KJR back when I listened. He is a great addition to the Kraken broadcast team.
My guess is he is an employee of the Kraken, like Linda Cohn would be doing games while still at ESPN. I doubt KING is hiring anybody right now with a new CEO and just losing it’s #! news exec to upcoming retirement. I think the Kraken pay John Forslund as well for pbp. Obviously some kind of unwired network (so to speak) where ad dollars get shared.
I will take your word for it, I am NOT familiar with the workings of sports network contracts, in fact I will say, I was the kid chosen last in games at recess. So, whatever.
The Kraken network includes non-Tegna stations that have signed on. Even in Alaska. Just to clarify, I was talking the Tegna, corporate parent of KING, has a new CEO and is losing its #1 news boss, so I do’t think they want to spend more hiring. That said, they just saved a bundle dumping The Daily Blast on all its stations. It’s hard to predict this stuff, but fun to speculate.
Yeah the Staffing at King 5 is huge compared to the other stations King 5’s got three Sports people, channel 4 has one channel 7 has none unless you want to consider Eric Thomas their Weekend News host one who fills in and then of course they got Jake Chapman for post game Seahawks
Makes sense that Ian has done some play-by-play I think for the Thunderbirds in the past and the only thing I don’t like about Ian when he’s on his radio show he gets motor mouth and starts talking super fast with commercials Etc I for one if I was an Advertiser and KJR I wouldn’t want him reading my ads cuz it’s like he’s just trying to rush through him and he does it with some other host as well he needs to learn to keep his pace commentary the same
Just to clarify, it is KING’s corporate parent who just hired a new CEO and lost its #! news exec, which tells me more changes are to come. The Kraken network includes non Tegna stations, like in Tri Cities and even Juneau AK. Different owners in several cases. KONG is the only duopoly with significant sports. FOX 13+ has a couple small teams, but not at the level of the NHL. Fun to speculate.
Had I been in school with you, you would have been picked before me.
If I had been there, you would have been next to last!
Milt Furness obit (1933-2017)
Milton John Furness, Jr.
Milton John “Milt” Furness, Jr. was born February 1, 1933 in Everett, Washington. Raised in Juneau, Alaska, he died April 27, 2017 in Seattle, surrounded by family.
Milt began his broadcasting career when he was just 13, at KJNO-AM in Juneau. This was the beginning of his life-long love of radio and communication. After graduating from Juneau High School, Milt enlisted in the Army during the Korean War and served in the Army Signal Corps in Ketchikan and Juneau. He served for six years, and then enrolled at Seattle University, where he served as editor of The Spectator, and was named Journalist of the Year. While a student, Milt also worked at KIRO Radio as a DJ, and KING Radio as a news reporter. He worked for United Press International (UPI) in Olympia following his graduation, then joined KIRO TV as a news reporter. His first television work was leading up to and during the Seattle World’s Fair.
Milt moved to KOMO-TV in 1967, where, over the next 15 years, he rose to popularity as one of Seattle’s most trusted and reliable news reporters and anchors. Milt initially served as news desk manager and field reporter, became the morning news anchor in the early 1970s, then moved to the evening news anchor chair in the late 1970s, continuing through the early 1980s. He also hosted the innovative television program, The Baxters. When Fisher Communications launched its own cable news network, Satellite News Channel (SNC), Milt was named News Director and served as the network’s primary anchor. After SNC was sold to CNN, Milt worked briefly for CNN. He then joined Boeing Aerospace as Public Relations Director for the Air and Space Division, where he worked until his retirement. Milt won multiple awards and accolades during his career, both in journalism and public relations, and is remembered as being a kind and thoughtful reporter.
It’s a good thing they have a revolving door at KING 5’s building on 1st Ave. First we get word that Amity is leaving that vapid mid-morning puke fest and now Ian Furness comes to the station that was once great and powerful – KING 5. The once great tv station is a whisper of it’s self, a shell. Hopefully they will improve. Furness’ father Milt worked in the old KOMO 4 newsroom and in front of the camera each night. Back when tv news was where we turned for information before tv news drank the corporate Kool-Aid of propaganda dissemination several times each night and aaaaallllllll day long.