Shafer's Co-Star Derya Ruggles Leaving Kiro's `Hour Northwest'

Derya Ruggles, the co-host of "Hour Northwest" on KIRO-TV (Channel 7), is leaving the program after this week, the station announced yesterday.

Ruggles will appear through tomorrow in taped reruns. Beginning Monday, Ross Shafer will host the 4 p.m. show solo. There are no plans to replace Ruggles, said John Reim, KIRO-TV director of local programming.

"We want to change the focus of the program a bit and create a vehicle which allows Ross a little more room," Reim said. "Derya is a high-quality young woman with a lot of talent, but the direction of the program we're shifting to required a different lineup."

Reim declined to elaborate on what changes "Hour" will undergo except to say that the plan to add a studio audience, when space is available in a new building across Third Avenue from KIRO, is on track, probably for sometime in February.

"Between now and then we'll get the program out (on location) more," Reim said. "Ross's strength is interaction with people."

Ruggles could not be reached for comment. She has been with the show since its debut on Sept. 20. Until "Hour," Ruggles was principally an actress and did two stints on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives."

"Hour Northwest" is a hybrid program that is a little bit magazine, a little bit talk and in no small way is shaped by Shafer's sense of humor and comfort at ad-libbing like the stand-up comedian he is.

Shafer is about as big as Northwest celebrities come, but from the beginning "Hour" has been regarded by many in Seattle television as a programming gamble.

Viewership during the 4 p.m. hour is regarded as important because it can carry through to the two-hour news block starting at 5 p.m.

In the November Nielsen "sweeps" "Hour" received a 2.7 rating and a 7 share, compared with 11.9/30 for "Oprah" on KING-TV (Channel 5) and 5.8/15 for "Geraldo" on KOMO-TV (Channel 4).

Reim said "Hour" has shown improvement since November in daily ratings. On Tuesday, "Hour" earned a 3.8 rating and 9 share, compared with 9.6/23 for "Oprah" and 7.5/18 for "Geraldo."