In a little more than a week (Sept 12th to be exact), KXLY makes a big switch. I say good bye to the evening news (after more than 8 1/2 years) and “GOOD MORNING!” to Good Morning Northwest! In an even bigger move, Sports Director Derek Deis makes the switch to news and will join me on the morning show. Mike Gonzalez and Nadine Woodward will leave mornings for the 5 and 6 pm newscasts. Ben Kaplan who’s been our weekend sports guy for the last couple of years will become Sports Director.
Some of your favorites will do their best to keep things sort of consistent 
Mark Peterson will show us the ropes in the morning (and ensure we’ll stay awake) and Chief Meteorologist Kris Crocker will hold down the fort at 5, 6 and 11. Kalae Chock will stay put on the 11.
I am so excited for the move! I know a lot of people may think there is more to this than meets the eye, but there isn’t! I love my job, but I miss my family. Going to mornings will give me more quality time with them. My work day will be half over before my kids ever wake up. I will actually “be there” when my kids come home from school. It will be me (instead of a babysitter) who helps them with homework, gets them to practices, rejoices with them when they’ve had a good day or comforts them when it’s been a rough one. I haven’t been able to be there for any of that.
Working the morning shift will also allow me to give more attention to my charity, Teen Closet, as well as other local organizations and projects (I will join the Board of Directors of the March of Dimes, Olive Crest and an advisory board for the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations).
I have enjoyed the 5, 6 pm (and for quite a few years, the 11pm) news, but morning news is fun. I have always liked the format and the idea of helping people get their day started.
Just so you know, I have been treated with the utmost respect by my bosses (all the way up to the station’s owner) in making this decision. I went to THEM about going to mornings, they didn’t boot me from evenings.
I will miss the day/evening crew! I will TOTALLY miss hanging out with Dennis, Keith and Steve each afternoon on 700ESPN (often the highlight of my day). I love them! I adore my producers, the production staff (with all their quirks), the reporters, web folks.. AND Kris Crocker! She has become my dearest friend and confidant here at KXLY. We are already planning on regular coffee dates (plus, our daughters are friends, so we’ll have even more excuses to get together). In the same respect, I am excited about building relationships with the morning team. I’ll also get to hang out with my friends, Jay and Kevin (and Slim) on Coyote Country 99.9, Bud and Kristi on 920 am.. and hopefully with Dave, Ken and Molly (and cutie-patootie Jessica) on 92.9.
To those of you who have given thoughtful comments online, thank you for that. I appreciate the support and I know Derek, Nadine and Mike and the entire station does, too.
I think the changes will be great! Now, set your alarm, if you aren’t already, and join me on GMNW beginning Sept. 12th!
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I am looking forward to seeing you on the mornings again. I missed you on KREM when you left for KXLY and switched to KXLY for the morning show. I really loved Kalae and Mike and was equally thrilled to see Nadine join the show (I miss Kalae though, I can’t stay awake that late). It will be fun to see all the changes.
i think you have made a great choice,our children grow up so fast.cheerish these years ahead,the memories will be something to share later in life.God Bless Your Family.
Robyn, we were watching the 6:30 news today (our favorite) and were quite surprised to not see you-and it looked permanent. “Where’s Robyn? What happened to Robyn?” I know it’s the nature of the business for people you are used to seeing to just dissapear (Sally Showman for example). “What about Kris?” we thought. “WHAT ABOUT KRIS???” Fortunatley, she was still among us. Whew!
It’s also difficult to find out what happens to these people who become a part of your living room-then vanish like the click on a remote gone from our lives forever. Maybe we shouldn’t care, but there’s some intertwining cosmic wierdness about seeing someone every day-even though it’s “just on TV”-that makes us somehow give a rip. I was hoping a quick web search would answer the question of “Where’s Robyn?” and it did. Found your blog. All’s good. You weren’t exiled to Fargo.
Nice to read the chemistry on air between you and Kris was real. And the part about your kid’s is very touching and makes a whole lot of sense. Guess we’ll have to give this Nadine (and the dude) a good look. She ever done this before?….KXLY-the only TRUE HD news show in town (no stretch-o-vision and no “just the field cameras” bullhockey). Peace.
Lee, I appreciate your comments. I really do understand the confusion that change brings. I grew up in a small town that only got reception to 2 stations.. there was rarely any change to the news team at the main station we watched, but when there was.. it was really disconcerting. So, I get it!
I hope you’ll tune in!
And,… whew.. no, no exile to Fargo!