King Admits `Mistake,' Rehires Renner

Weathercaster and meteorologist Jeff Renner, who left KING-TV last December, will return to regular weeknight newscasts beginning Monday at 5 p.m.

Shelly Monahan, who had replaced him, will move to weekends starting Saturday. Larry Schick, who has been doing the weekend news, will stay with the station for the time being as a relief weather anchor. And Rich Marriott, morning weather forecaster, will remain in that slot.

News Director Bob Jordan announced the decisions today.

``I believe it was a mistake, that the station erred when we let him (Renner) go,'' said Jordan this morning.

When Renner left, the station received several hundred letters from viewers asking ``Where's Jeff?'' said Jordan.

The news director wouldn't discuss the details of Renner's new contract, but did say, ``It was apparent that bringing Jeff back was a viable option some time ago, but we didn't really put a deal together until sometime this week.''

A prepared statement from the station quoted KING 5 vice president and general manager Rick Blangiardi: ``Extraordinary viewer reaction indicated that Jeff was one of our most popular anchors, and we are excited about having him back on KING 5.''

Renner, who signed a four-year contract yesterday, said, ``They're glad to have me back and I'm glad to be back with them.''

``One thing that has really made a difference is the amazing support my wife (Susan) and I received from people who don't know me other than from what I did. They expressed it in calls and letters. There was a real sense of gratitude on my part.''

Replacing Renner last year was evidently tough on Monahan. She ``bore the brunt'' of the audience's feelings, said Jordan.

Renner joined KING-TV in 1977 as science editor, and began anchoring the weather in 1980. A study by the University of Washington - where Renner earned a B.A. in atmospheric sciences in 1988 - once rated Renner the most accurate weather forecaster in Seattle for predicting precipitation.

When deep-voiced Renner started delivering the weather at Channel 5, he was the first local weathercaster to use diagrams of upper atmosphere winds overlayed with satellite photographs to help explain the weather. He also instituted a popular feature called the ``custom forecast.'' Viewers called in to request weather forecasts for cities like Casablanca or Kalamazoo.

When he left last December, then-news director Don Varyu said the decision to replace him with Monahan came down to ``a matter of presentational style'' and ``communication.''

Soon after Renner left, Varyu was fired.

Monahan had been a weather anchor at NBC affiliate KCRA-TV in Sacramento. She also worked as a weathercaster at KING Broadcasting's KREM-TV in Spokane from 1981 to 1986.

The station's announcement said her move would ``further strengthen'' newscasts that already dominate the ratings.