Out Of The Box: News Director Fired

Andy Ludlum, the besieged director of KIRO radio and TV news, and originator of the controversial "out of the box" news format, has been fired, according to sources at the station.

Ludlum, whose title was vice president for news operations, was told today he could remain as head of radio news, at his current salary, but chose to leave the station instead. Ludlum was unavailable for comment.

The station issued an official statement that said Ludlum last day at the station was today.

"I have concluded it is in the station's, and my, best interest to leave at this time," he was quoted as saying.

"Andy Ludlum is one of the highest quality executives we have at KIRO and we will miss him very much," KIRO president and chief executive officer Ken Hatch was quoted as saying.

A KIRO source said the station's board of directors decided last Monday that Ludlum had to go. He joins what is becoming a long list of casualties in the "out of the box" debacle, including several top news executives who were let go earlier this month. More firings are to come, said one KIRO source.

The station's most popular anchor, Susan Hutchison, has resigned from the staff, hinting at dissatisfaction with the format. Her last day on the air is tomorrow.

The "out of the box" format, designed by Ludlum, went into effect last February. Known in the TV news business as a "walk-and-talk format," it features news anchors roaming a vast newsroom, rather than sitting at desks. The format has been soundly rejected by viewers, as KIRO-TV news has reached record lows in the ratings.

Ludlum was the point man for the new format, appearing on camera to promote it before and after it was introduced. As recently as two weeks ago, he was still defending the format and predicting it would eventually find acceptance with the viewers.

Top KIRO executives were said to be huddling today at the Batelle Conference Center in Laurelhurst, seeking to put a positive spin on the firing, pick a successor and plan the future course of KIRO News. No one from KIRO would say officially that Ludlum had been fired, but officials said they would issue a statement later today.

Despite the turmoil at KIRO News surrounding the "out of the box" format, some in the newsroom remain loyal to Ludlum. One said, "he's just simply the fall guy."

Although many in the newsroom disagreed with Ludlum and his elaborate, expensive experiment in news programming, he seems to have been almost universally well-liked. KIRO staffers within the newsroom and in other departments almost invariably describe Ludlum as "a nice guy" who cared for his staff.

"He listens to people," said one staffer, "unlike most of the executives around here."

"News out of the box" was launched Feb. 4. The extensive renovation of the news set - which combined the staffs of both KIRO radio and TV news in one room - and promotion of the new format was said to cost some $3 million.

As it became apparent the format was a failure, heads started to roll. News director Gail Neubert and executive producer for TV news Carrie Krueger were let go earlier this month.