Seattle TV Station Loses News Director After Apollo Acquisition

KIRO searching for new leadership as Cox stations face changes under new ownership.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 5:06am

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A minimalist, high-end studio photograph of a modern desk lamp with a warm, amber-toned light bulb casting soft shadows on a clean, monochromatic grey background, symbolizing the leadership and illumination provided by a news director now absent from the KIRO newsroom.The departure of an experienced news director leaves a void in the leadership and direction of a local TV station facing an uncertain future.Seattle Today

Three years after leaving her previous role as news director at WHIO in Dayton, Ohio to join KIRO in Seattle, Laura Evans is reportedly no longer with the Cox-owned station. The departure comes as Apollo Global Management, the private equity firm that acquired Cox Media Group in 2019, is said to be looking to sell off its television stations, making it difficult for KIRO to find a replacement news director of similar caliber.

Why it matters

The loss of an experienced news director like Laura Evans is a blow to KIRO, one of Seattle's top television news operations. It also reflects the broader challenges facing local TV stations as they navigate ownership changes and industry consolidation, which can disrupt newsroom leadership and operations.

The details

According to the report, Evans joined KIRO in 2023 after previously serving as news director at WHIO in Dayton. Her departure comes as the station's parent company, Cox Media Group, was acquired by private equity firm Apollo Global Management in 2019. Since the acquisition, Apollo has been exploring options to sell off its television stations, creating uncertainty for KIRO and other Cox-owned outlets.

  • Laura Evans left her news director role at WHIO in Dayton, Ohio in 2023 to join KIRO in Seattle.
  • Cox Media Group, KIRO's parent company, was acquired by Apollo Global Management in 2019.
  • Evans is no longer the news director at KIRO as of April 2026.

The players

Laura Evans

A veteran news director who previously worked at WHIO in Dayton, Ohio before joining KIRO in Seattle in 2023.

KIRO

A television station in Seattle, Washington that is owned by Cox Media Group, which was acquired by Apollo Global Management in 2019.

Cox Media Group

The former owner of KIRO and other television stations that was acquired by private equity firm Apollo Global Management in 2019.

Apollo Global Management

The private equity firm that acquired Cox Media Group in 2019 and is now reportedly looking to sell off its television station assets, including KIRO.

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What’s next

KIRO is currently searching for a new news director to replace Laura Evans, but the station's future ownership remains uncertain as Apollo Global Management explores selling off its television assets.

The takeaway

The departure of an experienced news director like Laura Evans from KIRO highlights the broader challenges facing local television stations as they navigate ownership changes and industry consolidation. The uncertainty created by Apollo's potential sale of KIRO and other Cox stations could make it difficult for the Seattle station to attract top talent to lead its news operations.