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Monday, August 31, 2009

It's getting silly at Hot 95.7 KKHH, 104 KRBE gets new jam

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Hot 95.7 KKHH is getting a new nighttime DJ:


Jill Osterman, better known as "Silly Jilly" on Clear Channel's WKSC-FM 103.5, is leaving Kiss FM for CBS Radio's KKHH-FM in Houston with the end of her current contract. READ THE REST

In other Top 40 radio news...104.1 KRBE's Matt McFly, Special K and Phoenix put together a video for the song, "Here We Go" for the Roula and Ryan Show. WATCH HERE

RELATED
- Now that's silly, Jilly leaving Kiss 103.5

VIDEO: Avatar trailer

James Cameron's (Terminator, Titanic) next film is a 3D epic called Avatar. It's been reported this movie will be one of the most expensive movies ever made. Watch the trailer and see if Avatar is worth it:


KXAN 36 launches 9pm newscast on KNVA 54

Watch out Fox 7 KTBC, KXAN 36 is launching a 9pm newscast on The CW KNVA 54:

KXAN Austin News at 9pm will better serve the Austin area through shorter and more concise newscasts.

For example, Jim Spencer’s First Warning Weather forecast and all the day’s important stories will air in 30 minutes, as opposed to the standard 60-minute 9pm newscasts that air on other television stations. READ MORE




The new show debuts September 28 with anchor Shannon Wolfson.

RELATED
Austin moves up in market size

Houston Astros reality TV show and live high school football games

Two interesting pieces in the Houston Business Journal. The Astros are getting a reality TV show and Comcast is starting to broadcast high school football games. Interesting that the cable giant is moving into the high school football arena as most of the TV station appear to be dialing back from past years efforts.

- Houston Astros to debut reality TV series
- Comcast to air Houston-area high school games, NFL RedZone

Mike McGuff interviews 'Cheaters' host Joey Greco

Who says blogs don't offer compelling journalism? Tuesday I am posting my "exclusive" interview with Cheaters host Joey Greco (airing on cable network G4 and in syndication on TV stations around the country).

He is the TV guy who was stabbed during a confrontation between a quarreling couple. Greco makes his living filming the love spats and accusations that make up reality show romance!

The 10th anniversary of "Cheaters" premieres September 26.

(Image courtesy of laurentam2007)

Making fast food meals very fancy

Why can't fast food look like what you get in very expensive restaurants? That question is dealt with on fancyfastfood.com.



The Feedbag makes Chicken McConfit with FancyFastFood.com from The Feedbag on Vimeo.


The site's creator will buy something like a ten-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, 1 large French fries, 1 medium Coke, 1 Fruit & Walnut Salad, 1 Barbecue sauce, 1 Hot Mustard sauce, 1 Sweet ‘N Sour sauce, 2 bottles of water and add organic chives (for garnish and a touch of irony).

After a little manipulation in the kitchen...voilĂ ...you have something that looks like it should cost you $40.

http://www.fancyfastfood.com

(Thanks Krystal!)

Friday, August 28, 2009

Vote for mikemcguff.com as best Houston blog

Reminder to head on over to the Houston Press site and vote for Mike McGuff as best blogger (and best Twitterer while you are at it) in Houston! Thanks!

VOTE

Need a movie bathroom break?

If you need to leave a movie for a quick bathroom break, but don't want to miss any action, here is a site for you.

Runpee.com tells you the parts of movies you can miss that won't get you too lost from the plot. It also lets you know what you missed.

Naturally there is an iPhone app for this. Who knows what happens when you install it and shake the iPhone though, it could be messy if you really have to go.

http://runpee.com

(Thanks Will-E)

VIDEO: Guess who is behind this car chase?

WATCH it. It will surprise you.

Yearbook yourself!

Have you ever wanted to take a photo of yourself and put it into a high school yearbook photo from the 80s or 90s?

HERE IS YOUR CHANCE

Check out the mikemcguff photo from the site yearbookyourself.com's 1990 look. Now do it to yourself!  Works for both men and women. The site allows you to zoom and and crop your face for the best effect.

(Thanks Michael P.!)

Thursday, August 27, 2009

AUDIO: Mike Judge talks animation and movie career

Listen to Mike Judge talk about his new movie Extract as well as the last episode of King of the Hill, Beavis and Butthead and more.

LISTEN

What is a blog?

After writing this blog since 2005, I forget there are still people out there that still are kind of fuzzy on the whole subject.

The Diane Rehm show on NPR had a great interview with Scott Rosenberg, cofounder of Salon.com and author of "Dreaming in Code," to explain it all.

What began with a handful of geeks has evolved into the pursuit of millions: how bloggers are breaking new ground in publishing, journalism, entertainment and self-expression and why blogging is here to stay. LISTEN

RELATED
- VIDEO: Laurence Simon talks blogging part 1
- VIDEO: Laurence Simon talks blogging part 2

ABC O&O station upgrades

In a time when stations are cutting, ABC owned and operated television stations seem to be upgrading. Of course I am sure these improvements were budgeted before the storm.

- ABC Upgrades SNG
- WPVI's New Home Lets It Do It All

Stopping generic TV reporters

Randy Tatano blogs about the generic TV reporters across the country. You know the type, you could replace them with another generic reporter and no one would notice.

He believes reporters should have trademarks. I am not sure that works anymore though.

READ MORE

Clipping Coupons Via Text Messages, E-mails

Bargain hunters will always find the deals - no matter where they are:

While Sunday newspapers still rule as the place that households look for coupons, text messing and e-mail is growing. Scarborough found that 8% of households acquire coupons through texting/e-mail -- more than the Internet, at 7%. READ MORE


I am not surprised that email and text messaging are the new hot spot for coupons.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The state of the San Antonio news market

Jeanne Jakle of the San Antonio Express-News lists out the news products the media offers in San Antonio. READ IT

KPRC 2 and KRIV Fox 26 to share helicopter

I have been talking about all of the sharing of resources going on between competing television stations around the country and now it is here in Houston:


KRIV (Channel 26) and KPRC (Channel 2) have agreed to share a helicopter for aerial camera feeds. This marks the first move by Houston stations toward the news cooperatives that are becoming commonplace in large television markets.

Channel 26, which is owned by News Corp., and Channel 2, an NBC affiliate owned by Post-Newsweek, will share a helicopter leased from Helicopters Inc. of St. Louis. The arrangement is similar to that shared by Fox and NBC stations in Dallas and New York. READ THE REST


I heard about the planning for this a while ago but thought there would be more stations participating. Will it affect the viewer?  Not really.  Now you will just see the same camera shot on two stations during car chases.


RELATED
TV stations are becoming buddies and sharing
Dallas-Fort Worth TV news stations now sharing video
- ABC stations called out for not entering video sharing agreements

Most stolen vehicles by state

What are the most stolen vehicles by state? Click here and you can see.

(Thanks Brian)

PIC: Talk about junk in the arbor's trunk...

I've never seen a tree with a pulpy rear end, but it appears to exist. A tree in Lismore, New South Wales is now a tourist attraction because who wouldn't want to see a hardwood with a hard behind?

SEE THE PHOTO

(via Murdock)

VIDEO: Zombie film could be sign of life in Houston movie scene



Filmmaker Todd Jason Cook is filming the movie Zombiefied in Houston. It could be the sign of movie production returning to Texas.

I remember in the early 2000s, Houston was the home for a lot of VH1 movies. I field produced a story for Shara Fryer on the set of Warning: Parental Advisory starring Jason Priestley of Beverly Hills 90210 fame. It was being shot at city hall. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister was there and looked just as he did at the PMRC hearings in the 80s. I was star struck.

Houston and DFW media history

That's right kids, gather around the campfire for some old tales of Texas broadcasting legend.

First up is Houston with prankster DJs Tim Nolan and Bob Byron on 950 KPRC from 1958 to 1973. Then we take a look at Dallas Fort Worth TV legend Icky (Bill Camfield) on KTVT-TV Channel 11's Slam Bang Theater. That guy had a rough life.

- Remember Tim and Bob?
- Tragedy hit hard for host of kids' TV show 'Slam Bang Theater'

VIDEO: Grandmother Confronts News Crew With Hoe

A story of possible teen strippers, an angry grandmother, a TV photographer and a hoe. This is one explosive combination or at least a Jerry Springer episode:

A WESH 2 News crew came under attack on Monday while investigating a story about two teenagers who were reportedly working at a strip club in Brevard County. READ MORE

WATCH THE VIDEO

VIDEO: Doc Bottom's Aspray

You know its going to be good when your friend sends you an email that says, "This is a real product-- not an SNL skit."

Already banned from MSNBC, Doc Bottom's Aspray two minute commercial is like a typical infomercial scenario on steroids. You won't believe how far pitchman Adam Jay Geisinger and his team go to sell you a bottle of what they say is the first "All Over" deodorant.





https://www.buyaspray.com

RELATED
- TV Ad Is Gross, But We Smell Money

(Thanks Scott!)

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

PIC: What U2's concert stage looks like this year

If you are going to see U2 in a town near you, and don't want a spoiler of what the stage looks like, then DO NOT click here.

Photo taken in Cardiff in Wales.

Houston radio ratings for July

The July Houston radio ratings by Arbitron our out. Which station is on top? CLICK HERE FOR MORE

TV anchor/reporter clothing at bargain prices

Like a good deal? Then maybe you would like to buy former clothes right of the backs of television anchors and reporters:

So here's how this works. Anchors/reporters whose clothes have worn out their welcomes can put them up for sale on tvnewscloset.com. All of their discards are priced at 60 percent off the original retail price, with the site taking 50 percent of the cut on high-end items and 60 percent on cheaper duds.

All clothing is pictured on the site, with prices and sizes included. There's also a description of where it's been, although specific stations and the sellers' identities aren't revealed. READ MORE

Monday, August 24, 2009

Galactic Cowboys, why the Beatles broke up and more

GALACTIC COWBOYS Reunion Shows: Photos, Video Footage Available

Lennon Tapes Reveal Beatles Bickering
- Photos and report regarding Paul McCartney's concert at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa
- Why the Beatles Broke Up: The New Issue of Rolling Stone
- BBC’s Beatles Tribute Uncovers Unheard Outtakes, Rare Footage

John Norris: 'TRL Was Really Lame...'

12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists

Banned Rolling Stone Documentary Leaks Online

Pennywise Singer Leaves

Cameron Crowe’s Video for Pearl Jam’s “The Fixer” Premieres

THEM CROOKED VULTURES: Video Footage From The Studio Posted Online

Endino, Channing Speak Up About Nirvana’s “Bleach” Reissue

VINCE NEIL: AXL ROSE Let His Fans Down
- MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE: Deluxe Version Of 'Dr. Feelgood' Due In September
- AEROSMITH Drummer Performs With MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE In Mansfield
- MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE: 'A Visual History, 1983-2005' Book Now Available

RATT Guitarist Discusses New Album

Brian 'Head' Welch: 'Most Of The Korn Fans Don't Want Nothing To Do With What I'm Doing'

SMASHING PUMPKINS Officially Recruits 19-Year-Old Drummer MIKE BYRNE

Resurrected Death Row Records Reissuing Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic”

Alice Cooper To Guest On Slash's Solo Album

LIVING SACRIFICE To Release 'The Infinite Order' In November

DELIVERANCE Working On New Album

A look at the $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium

David Barron took a tour of the new Cowboys Stadium. Oh yeah, it's big. Jerry Jones was inspired by what he saw in Houston over the years:

“I was envious of Reliant the day I saw it,” Jones said. “Reliant started me down the road of trying to create as airy a place as we could.” He also drew on an iconic stadium from Houston’s past for inspiration.
“I remember walking into the Astrodome during my senior year at Arkansas and thinking, ‘My gosh, what would it be like to be a part of something this impressive?’ ” Jones recalled. “It has been a reflection to me for the last eight or nine years of what I want to do, and it set a bar of impression that made me want to reach it or to exceed it in 2009. Reliant did that for me as well.” READ THE REST


RELATED
Titans punter A.J. Trapano nails Cowboy Stadium's $40 million scoreboard

PICS: Hummingbirds invade Houston

I looked outside Sunday and saw that the hummingbirds are back in Houston. At least they found their way to my yard.

 Jay Lee aka The Bald Heretic has been photographing the birds in his yard.

SEE THE PHOTOS

(Image courtesy The Bald Heretic)

1560 The Game KGOW's struggles chronicled by Richard Justice

Richard Justice talks about the second anniversary of 1560 The Game KGOW:

I'm a very small part of 1560. In fact, my place in 1560 history will be the first on-air guy to have his daily show cancelled. Were there harsh words? Oh yes, brother, oh yes. I thought they'd pulled the plug on two hours that were as smart as Charlie Rose and as funny as David Letterman. They thought otherwise. READ THE REST

RELATED
- The media loves 1560 “The Game”
- 1560 The Game KGOW keeps moving on up
- 1560 The Game KGOW has top morning show
- Mike McGuff talks with Ken Hoffman of the Houston Chronicle

12 most annoying types of Facebookers

CNN's Brandon Griggs writes about the 12 most annoying types of Facebookers. I am many of these.

SEE THE LIST

This type of article/post is a great way to get traffic. It's been done for Twitter too.

RELATED
The 12 characters you meet on Twitter

Friday, August 21, 2009

Roseann Rogers aka The Buzz Lady for Bellaire City Council?

Miya Shay tells us that Roseann Rogers aka The Buzz Lady (former KPRC 2 and current KTBU 55) has filed to run for the Bellaire City Council, Position 3. She'll be running against attorney Corbett Parker.

Like Miya said, Rogers has been on the air in Houston in some form for a long time. She probably has this one in the bag.

RELATED
- The Buzz Lady goes national
- KPRC's Roseann Rogers takes Buzz Lady thing to 55 KTBU

PHOTO: Aerosmith's Steven Tyler...I hope not!

Please let this not be a photo of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler!!!


Seriously? is this Steven Tyler? KTBZ is saying so... on Twitpic

WOAI's Kim Fischer leaving SA for KXAS in DFW

It sounds like most of San Antonio has the hots for News 4 WOAI's Kim Fischer.

 Well now the city will be heartbroken as she heads to DFW to NBC 5 KXAS. READ MORE

Even a Twitter petition could not keep the TV reporter in SA.

Here is Fischer's Twitter account by the way TXNewsGirl.

(Image courtesy of kissrocks.com)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Def Leppard, Poison, Cheap Trick at Houston's Woodlands Pavillion (8/19/09)

Still making up for the two years I worked nights at 13 and missed all concerts coming to Houston, I saw Def Leppard, Poison and heard Cheap Trick Wednesday night at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The great thing was our seats were close enough to the stage to feel Poison's pyro and smell Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen's incense he was burning.

This was my first Def Leppard live experience. It was a good one. Great multi-leveled stage made of video screens. Def Leppard can play live, that's for sure. Our seats were right in front of the speakers and I could literally feel Rick Savage's bass. And let me tell you the hits kept coming. I was told to 'Rock Rock Till You Drop' from the get go and that is what I did. The band played at least one song from new effort Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, but the rest of the night's musical selections were from the vault. No High 'N' Dry (Saturday Night) though. We were on the side of the stage with guitarist Phil Collen.

Poison put on a typical Poison show. They are good entertainers. Mr. SunCaughtFire, who is a musician and attended the show with me, said they need to practice their instruments more often. Although we both agreed that Poison is not a band a lot of groups would want to open for them. They know how to pump up the crowd and wear them down a bit. We were on the side of the stage with bassist Bobby Dall.

You might remember how I said that the Pavilion has been seriously revamped since Hurricane Ike ripped it apart last year. Well, part of the improvements were in the audio system. We were walking up to the venue and could hear Cheap Trick very clearly. They sounded great and so did the sound outside. Why am I paying for a ticket?

After going to these types of shows for a while, it is obvious to see the audience has shifted.  Lots of younger folk who probably were exposed to this rock from Guitar Hero or Rock Band.

RELATED
- Coldplay Houston review (7/22/2009)
- Rod Stewart Houston review (7/24/09)

VIDEO: Mattress Mack (Chopped and Screwed Remix) Ft. Paul Wall

After all of Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale's troubles this year, I thought we could take a moment to pay tribute to his zaniness:

A bunch of Gallery Furniture commercials from the 80's, edited to the chopped and screwed beats of a Jamie Kennedy song featuring Paul Wall.

Also look out for a cameo by none other than Chuck Norris!

Rock 101 KLOL billboard becomes symbol

Hooray for Clear Channel in making the decision to kill Rock 101 KLOL in 2004. Smart move as Houston is still talking about it five years later. Remember the Facebook group I recently told you about?

It seems the base of a billboard on US 290 between W. Little York and Gessner was uncovered recently and guess what was under there? That's right a Rock 101 KLOL billboard. Now you can see photos of it all over Flickr. The station will not die.

Why did Clear Channel kill Rock 101? I've been told it was because you had 93.7 The Arrow KKRW which was classic rock on one side and on the other was alternative 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ. Rock 101 was stuck in the middle and kind of played music from both formats. The company realized that it had too many stations playing the same music. Which one was the one to die? The one that played what the other two did. Never mind that Rock 101 was a 30 year heritage station with a lot of history and a sense of community. Sure the station sucked in later years, but listeners were hopeful and still loyal. I was told the station was still making money too.

I have nothing against Mega 101. But it should have been Mega 93.7 in my opinion. Does anyone really care about 93.7 The Arrow? It gets listened to because it is one of the few places to play classic rock, but it has no real emotional connection with listeners like Rock 101 did. I suspect the 101.1 target looked viable for a Mega format because it was close on the dial to 102.9 FM.

Clear Channel does not own KLOL anymore. CBS now does. CBS should take a dead station like Mix 96.5 (it also recently acquired) and change that to Mega 96.5. Then bring back Rock 101. Just don't make it suck this time like Rock 103.7 KIOL please. The new Rock 101 should have a fresh coat of paint and updated image/music.

I would like someone to put on an event where all the old Rock 101 DJs come together and tell stories from back in the day. Local bands could play. The cost of the ticket to get in would pay for the event and also be donated to The Stevens and Pruett Ranch charity. Heck, maybe old Rock 101 advertisers would like to foot the bill. I think an event could get some buzz in the media and online too (that would make sponsors happy). Maybe I will work on this if this post generates any interest.

Maybe we should take some of the money from the event and buy a billboard across from the CBS studios that says "Bring Back Rock 101!"

If you liked Rock 101, pass this link to your friends please.

RELATED
KLOL and KHMX are with CBS
Rock 101 KLOL DJ Dayna Steele writes book
David Sadof talks to the Mike McGuff Blog
Houston radio's Laurie Kendrick talks to Mike McGuff
97.1 The Eagle KEGL Dallas, Fort Worth gets rock back (It can happen)

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Big Thriller inspired dance in The Woodlands PART 2

Remember last year when I told you the Arthur Murray dance studio near The Woodlands was participating in an event called Thrill the World (benefiting the Montgomery County Women's Shelter) where folks dance like the dead?

Guess what? They are thrilling us again. Todd Combs let me know the details for 2009:

We're doing it again this year..Thrill The World Houston 2009. Practice starts Sept 5th at 12:30pm at The Woodlands Arthur Murray Dance Studio 936.321.9200
www.DanceTX.com
www.ThrillTheWorldHouston.com

VIDEO: Three cheers for TV consultants!

Here is a great video about Frank N. Magid - the pioneer of all television consultants. Granted this is a very old video, but still very eye opening. I don't think much has changed except for the consultant company's use of technology and better hairdos.

TV consultants usually bother TV station employees, but their influence does not stop there. They also affect viewers as they bring in the old play book "on how to make good TV." That usually means take out the local flavor and make it all look like every other TV station across the country. For example...a consultant of today would not like a Marvin Zindler type.

WATCH IT

Who owns a reporter's Twitter account?

Here is a hot topic in the media social networking world. When a reporter leaves a station, can he/she take their Twitter account to the new job? It is a gray area, but I bet in most cases the answer is no.

Mike McGuff's secret TV dad revealed

You learn something new everyday. Supposedly I have a secret TV father on a major cable network. I'll let Bob Martin "The Accountant to the Stars" fill you in:

"It has been determined that Mike McGuff is the long lost son of Mike Michael Eugene Joseph Jerrick who appears on the Fox network morning show entitled "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet".
It is rumored that Mr. Jerrick was going to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of back child support to his son Mike McGuff until he learned that his Fox show has been cancelled.

Instead, he has decided to live a life of luxury with the child support money and not pay a dime to Mike McGuff.

Mike McGuff was quoted as saying:

 "I knew that show biz ran in the family and what the heck, it's only money."


I think I was misquoted where ever this was published. I want the money!  Time to go on Maury Povich to set this straight!


RELATED
- Full Bob Martin "Accountant to the Stars" coverage

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

VIDEO: Watch the full Ghostbusters movie on YouTube

Yes, it sounds crazy, but you can watch the entire Ghostbusters film on YouTube right now.

WATCH IT HERE

Not bad quality either.

RELATED
mikemcguff.com YouTube channel

Houston ranked as affordable dating city, Dallas too

Hey, the economy might suck, but Texas has a few cities that are affordable dating hubs according to Match.com.

With contradictory economic news coming out each day leaving Americans counting every penny, Match.com has found that there are still plenty of cities around the country where a romantic night out won't break the bank.
1. Pittsburgh - Dating is a steal in the Steel City.
2. Detroit - A night at the drive-in in the Motor City won't break the bank.
3. Sacramento, Calif. - When it comes to cheap dates this place is the capital.
4. Phoenix - The desert heat won't dry up your bank account.
5. Indianapolis - The Indy 500 isn't the only thing that gets hearts racing in Indianapolis.
6. St. Louis, Mo. - The Gateway to love doesn't have to be expensive in St. Louis.
7. Tampa - St. Petersburg, Fla. - With such cheap date prices, residents practically live like buccaneers in this Florida city.
8. Orlando - Daytona Beach, Fla. - Another reason this is the "happiest place on Earth:" romantic dates that won't deplete your checking account.
9. Houston - Everything is big in this Texas city, except the cost of dating.
10. Charlotte, N.C. - Guys in North Carolina have a lot to smile about -- Southern belles and inexpensive dates.
Extended List 11-25
11. Atlanta
12. Denver
13. Cleveland
14. Miami
15. Portland, Ore.
16. Minneapolis - St. Paul
17. Seattle
18. Philadelphia
19. Boston
20. Dallas - Fort Worth
21. Washington, D.C.
22. Chicago
23. New York
24. San Francisco
25. Los Angeles

Norm Hitzges still force in Dallas radio

Dallas radio sports talk host Norm Hitzges hits 35 years and the Dallas Morning News gets the interview:

Through the years, he worked stints at KERA-FM (90.1), WFAA-AM (570) and WBAP-AM (820) before his 15-year morning drive run at KLIF-AM (570). In January of 2000, he moved to sister station KTCK-AM (1310). His 10 a.m.-noon show has been a Ticket staple ever since. He is believed to be the longest-running sports talk host in a market in the country. READ THE REST

Houston's The Art Guys latest project

Last Thursday night I headed over to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to see The Art Guys talk about their new DVD project which is a look at their career.

For those of you not familiar with the artsy Houston duo, here is their Wikipedia page.

Honestly I am not a fan of everything they do, but they definitely have their moments. I love this story from CBS Sunday Morning about their suit marketing piece.

Here is more on Art Guys, The Home On The Range.

http://www.theartguys.com/

The Top 10 Hottest TV Women in Dallas

I apologize for being late on posting this list. It's obvious readers have a hunger for this type of info (and that goes for both sexes).  Richie Whitt of the Dallas Observer did the tough job of ranking the top 10 women on television in Dallas. Don't blame me...he did it.

SEE THE LIST

You'll never guess who makes the top spot.

I think I'll come up with a hot TV guy list for Dallas and Houston just to get some rumors started. This could be the buzz I need to win best Houston blog. VOTE HERE

RELATED
- Houston's Top Ten Female TV Reporters
- The Secret Lives of the Hottest News Guys on Houston Television
- TV´s 10 Hottest News Anchors

88.7 KUHF gets David Pitman as new Morning Edition host

I listen to NPR's Morning Edition on 88.7 KUHF every morning and I noticed a new voice. KUHF wrote an announcment about new host David Pitman on its Web site:


David comes to us from WMFE in Orlando, where he also hosted Morning Edition. No worries - KUHF’s Jim Bell isn't going far – he’ll soon be the new host of the KUHF mid-day news block – The Diane Rehm Show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, BBC World Have Your Say, and Talk of the Nation – on KUHF HD Channel 2 and our Internet radio station KUHF News – your 24/7 source for public radio news and information. READ THE REST


If you hit Google, you can learn that Pitman is a North Texas native:


David is a Dallas-area native who earned a BA in Broadcast Communication from the University of Texas at Arlington. He got his start in top-40 radio, before moving onto news and talk stations such as KRLD and WBAP. He took a break from radio for a couple of years to be an Associate Producer at the Dallas FOX television affiliate -- churning out soul-deadening stories for anchors to read about random acts of crime and animals caught in precarious situations on video. READ THE REST

On another note, it is interesting how KUHF is devoting Jim Bell to work on the station's HD2 signal. As one of the five people who own an HD radio in Houston, I love listening to KUHF's HD2 station to get the NPR and BBC shows the main station does not play. It was a killer a couple of weeks ago when the station took down the signal for maintenance. On another note, notice that the station is now starting to play BBC on HD3 instead of the Spanish speaker targeted programming?

Monday, August 17, 2009

VIDEO: The first NBC Today Show: January 14, 1952




This is fascinating. It's video of the first NBC Today Show from January 14, 1952. Check out how Channel 4 WNBC was called WNBT back then. The host, Dave Garroway, actually wore a stick microphone attached to his belt! The behind the scenes staff was not behind the scenes, the show took place all over the newsroom in the NBC Broadcasting Center in the RCA Exhibition Hall.

What did the Today Show replace? A test pattern.

Even then shows could take live shots from around the nation and get reporter audio from overseas. Garroway showed how the morning papers from "important American cities" (no word if Houston or Dallas papers were there) were flown in each morning. I was floored when I saw Garroway get on a phone and get the weather forecast. Garroway then took his direction and chalked the weather on a map for the camera. Technical issues stopped the audience from hearing the meteoroglgist on this first day. Garroway explained there would be lots of technical issues!

The big stories of the day were flammable sweaters and bad weather around the country.

The commericals are good too. Check out ones for Howdy Doody, Kukla, Fran and Olie, a walk to fight Polio, Big Brothers of America and more.

The Today Show of 1952 is not that far off from the 2009 version as you might think. Both started with hard news and moved to lighter fare as the hours went by. The host also showed home gadgets to make your life easier (a machine to thread a needle in this case). Both feature music. At the end of the video you will see Garroway tell Tom Brokaw years later that the show went down hill from the first day.

Here is more on Today's history.

RELATED
- David Garroway
- Jack Lescoulie
- VIDEO: Walter Cronkite--What's My Line (Thanks @Runaas)

(Thanks Bob Martin "The Accountant of the Stars")

BREAKING: KTRK's Jeff Ehling moves shows

Breaking news from the mikemcguff.com newsroom (OK you got me, it is just really my home office/bedroom), KTRK Action 13 Consumer Reporter Jeff Ehling's reports are moving to 5:15pm.

He has been in the 4:55pm slot since starting as consumer reporter in 2004.

Congrats to Jeff on the big move. He is lucky station management did not move him to the new 4:30 am Eyewitness News show!

RELATED
- Jeff Ehling talks about getting into TV news
- VIDEO: Jeff Ehling on where to eat for lunch in Houston on a budget

39 KIAH Houston adds new newscasts

After owning the beat for Houston news stations adding 4:30am newscasts, I feel it is my duty to notify you we have a newscast addition more than 12 hours later too.

Sources inside KIAH Channel 39 tell me the station is getting a 5pm and 5:30pm newscast this fall. I think that is great news. The more news competition, the better I say.

I just learned the station also announced the news through KIAH Vice-President/General Manager Roger Bare's Twitter account! Now that is a Web 2.0 station!

It is all amazing to me, especially after the news of Tribune's financial troubles.

RELATED
- KTRK 13 quietly debuts 4:30am show
Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations
KHOU 11 announces new early morning newscast at 4:30am
KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast


(Image courtesy littlelostrobot)

The media loves 1560 “The Game”

1560 The Game KGOW, the little independently owned Houston sports station that could, just keeps getting love from the media. First it was the Houston Press and now the Houston Chronicle jumps in.

I have to brag and say I was covering this station since its call letters were KILE!

Had lots of fun hanging out over there on the radio with Ken Hoffman a few years ago too.

RELATED
- Houston Sports Radio About To Strike Out Again

Take Google's next-generation search engine for a spin

Dwight Silverman of The Houston Chronicle blogged about Google's latest search technology the search giant is quietly testing:

Overall, the first-page results are similar, though ordered somewhat differently. As you go deeper into the results pages, the differences become more apparent. The newer engine seems to offer more news-based results for this topic, which may indicate it strives for better timeliness. READ MORE

YOU CAN TRY IT HERE

The new search technology is code named: Sandbox.

KTRK 13 quietly debuts 4:30am show

Mike McGuff blog reader Diana Sanders tells me that KTRK 13 quietly debuted a 4:30am show this morning. Like I said, I would never know about it since I don't get up that early.

And you think to yourself, "Wow Mike, you worked there eight years and no one from the station alerted you?"

That's right. That's how that place rolls. The other stations are up on the rooftops shouting about the new 4:30am shows they are debuting, but KTRK has a sneak attack.

Channel 13's theme song should be "Our Lips Are Sealed" by the Go-Go's.

RELATED
- Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations
- KHOU 11 announces new early morning newscast at 4:30am
- KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast

Dumb KPRC 2 rumor of the month

Out of all the dumb rumors that come to me about Houston television...this one wins. Chatter on a message board says Channel 2 KPRC is losing its 11am and 4pm newscasts soon. This rumor is making it to my blog comments too.

That would be really odd if the station just started killing news. So I want to clear this one up.

A KPRC rep told me the station is not canceling any newscasts.  In fact the station is, "ranked #2 in all key demos for every newscast in July."

The reality is that the station is adding news! So there you go. Dumb rumor squashed.

RELATED
- Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations
- KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast

Texas TV newscasts battle to be top music acts

Forget about the news informing you...who needs that? Now some Texas Fox morning shows are entertaining you with raps all the way to full bands!

In this corner we have meteorologist Nick Kosir of KBTV in Beaumont with some mad rhyming skills. In the other corner we go to North Texas for the Fox 4 KDFW Good Day gang Chip Waggoner, Evan Andrews and Fiona Gorostiza playing in a full band. Gorostiza has the moves down!

Which news talent will win out? Heck, the Fox stations should use the slogan, "We make the music, you decide."

SEE THE VIDEO MATCH OFF

In Houston the stations just start at 4:30am. No music.

RELATED
- Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations
- KPRC 2 anchor Owen Conflenti suffering from mild case of Bell's palsy

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Nirvana, Motley, Alice in Chains, Dream Theater and more

NIRVANA's 'Bleach' To Be Reissued With Previously Unreleased Live Performance

The Most Inappropriate In-Flight Songs

Inside Green Day’s 21st Century Punk Explosion: Backstage Photos

MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE To 'Take Quite A Bit Of Time Off' Following 'CrĂĽe Fest 2'
- MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE: Quality 'CrĂĽe Fest 2' Footage Posted Online
- MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE With SEVENDUST's MORGAN ROSE: First Video Footage Posted Online
- MĂ–TLEY CRĂśE's TOMMY LEE Explains Arm Ailment; Video Available

"I Was At Woodstock. And I Hated It"

Jack White: 'Fly Farm Blues' From 'It Might Get Loud' Arrives

STEVEN TYLER On Stage Fall: 'I Zigged When I Should Have Zagged'
- AEROSMITH Cancels Remainder Of Summer Tour
- AEROSMITH Guitarist Says STEVEN TYLER's 'Shoulder Blade Was Broken In Two Places'

Original Faith No More Singer “Will Rap Over Hard Rock for Food”

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Check My Brain' Released To Radio; Audio Stream Available
- ALICE IN CHAINS: Pro-Shot Footage From U.K.'s SONISPHERE Festival Available
- Elton John Joins Alice In Chains' New Album

Report: MTV To Vacate Times Square Studio
- Flashback: Ween Visit MTV Back When It Was “Oddville”

WATCH: Walt Mossberg interviews Moby about music in the digital age

W.A.S.P.: New Album Details Revealed

Dream Theater: Quality New York City Footage Posted Online

GENE SIMMONS 'Reviews' NINE INCH NAILS' Concert In Singapore

Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” Coming To Theaters October 30th

Vote for mikemcguff.com as best Houston blog



You can make a difference in a little blogger's life. Just vote mikemcguff best blog (maybe Twitterer too) in the Houston Press: Best of Houston 2009!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Just think how you can come to my blog almost anytime of the day and find fresh content waiting for you.  It's not easy.  Sleep has gone out in favor of entertaining you with this blog! I'm breaking stories here, getting the interviews no one else is...I sound like a freaking TV promo!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Ex-TV reporter claims stake in Taub fortune

You might remember the name Mary-Ellen Conway from her reporting days at KTRK Channel 13 in Houston. Now she is in the news again due to her relationship with the late businessman and philanthropist Henry J.N. Taub. Name sound familiar? His uncle was Ben Taub.

READ FULL STORY

Friday, August 14, 2009

VIDEO: News anchor blooper

I bet this news anchor was glad he had makeup on because he must have been very red after making this mistake. And then to add insult to injury, his coanchor couldn't control herself!

WATCH IT

KPRC 2 anchor Owen Conflenti suffering from mild case of Bell's palsy

If you've been wondering where KPRC 2 morning anchor Owen Conflenti has been:


KPRC (Channel 2) anchor Owen Conflenti said Thursday he is suffering from a mild case of Bell's palsy but hopes to return to work next week and plans to be on hand to help launch the station's new 4:30 a.m. newscast Aug. 24.

Conflenti has been off the air this week recovering from the illness, which affects a facial nerve, causing swelling and affecting the ability to control muscles on one side of the face. READ THE REST


RELATED
- Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations
- KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast

Thursday, August 13, 2009

The mini Up Experience and the staring contest

I told you about the Up Experience a few years ago. Wednesday night I was invited to a mini Up Experience at Rice University and had a great time. Good speakers:

Shawn Achor - Shawn is the winner of over a dozen distinguished teaching awards at Harvard University, where he delivered lectures on positive psychology in the most popular class at Harvard. His research and lectures on happiness and human potential have received attention in The New York Times, Boston Globe, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as on NPR and CNN Radio. Based on his research and 12 years of experience at Harvard, he clearly and humorously describes how to increase happiness and meaning, raise success rates and profitability, and create positive transformations that ripple into more successful cultures. One of the favorite speakers at UP 2008, he is coming in from Boston to talk to us about "The Science of the Ripple Effect."

Louise Parsley - Louise began writing about family life in community newspapers and magazines when her three children were young and she realized she needed an outlet to preserve her sanity. In Revelations in the Rearview Mirror: One Mother's Hard-won and Hilarious Epiphanies on the Road to the Empty Nest she has collected the crowd-pleasing columns that cover the career life of a mother. Winner of the Houston Press Club's Texas Lone Star and Excellence in Journalism Awards, Louise will present "Family Side Up" on how laughter is a natural buoy when you're drowning in your own gene pool.

Achor, who is from Waco (Sic 'em), made us turn to the person next to us and stare into their eyes for seven seconds straight without showing emotion. When I told my seat mate it was love at first sight he got up and moved. Oh well, I guess it is awkward meeting new people at these big events.

Shout out to PR queen Susan Farb Morris! We talked on Facebook a few hours before the event and then she ended up sitting right in front of me! Didn't know we were both attending either.

The full Up Experience is this October. http://www.theupexperience.com/

It was over when: Tales of romantic breakups

If you like the concise nature of Twitter or Facebook Lite, and like tales of love gone wrong, then you will love itwasoverwhen.com:

It Was Over When is dedicated to cataloging the exact moment when you realize a relationship isn’t going to work. This could be years into a romance, on the first date or even before the first date. These stories can be funny, poignant, abysmally sad and universal.
The aim: To provide a bit of comfort, humor and, hopefully, healing identification.

Hopefully my wife doesn't read this post and contribute to itwasoverwhen.com:

"He wouldn't stop blogging. Every day and night he made me feel that he loved mikemcguff.com more than me."

Honey, I love you...even more than the blog! Don't worry. I'll outsource my blogging to India if need be.

Now don't get too depressed by all of this heartache. The site has a companion called itwaslovewhen.com.

(Thanks Michael P.)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations

Since most of the Houston TV stations will be starting news at 4:30am, I am beating everyone to the punch. I would like to announce that I am pitching, right here on this blog, a new 4am TV show to all of the Houston TV stations. It will consist of me in my pajamas reading my blog aloud to the camera.

No additional staff will need to be hired. I will produce it myself. All you have to do is show me how to setup the lights and camera (I have TV production experience). Your master control operator can punch me live on air and go to commercial break.

I might get interviews to come in. If not, I can play interviews like my Sam Malone or Ken Hoffman one from the mikemcguff.com vault.

Here is an example of my studio television work.  Remove my suit with your eyes and pretend it is flannel PJs.

This will be a great lead in (focus on the price ladies and gentlemen) to your morning news. I will talk to the highest bidder. That is all.

RELATED
- KHOU 11 announces new early morning newscast at 4:30am
- KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast

KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast

Is there some kind of bug going around Houston? It seems that all of the TV stations have caught it and are now starting morning news at 4:30am! 


UPDATE JANUARY 2023
KPRC 2 dumps 4:30am newscast


First it was KHOU 11, now KPRC 2:

With the addition of the 4:30 a.m. News, Local 2 will now have 2½ hours of local news each morning, Monday through Friday. Anchor Owen Conflenti and Meteorologist Anthony Yanez will help Houstonians begin their busy day at a better, more convenient time. 

And here these aren't even the stations rumored to expand newscasts! At least I am giving the TV trades a lot to link to today.

RELATED
- Mike McGuff's 4am show pitch to Houston TV stations
- KHOU 11 announces new early morning newscast at 4:30am




KHOU 11 announces new early morning newscast at 4:30am

I thought other television stations in Houston were expanding morning newscasts. Now it seems almost all of them are doing it if you listen on the streets. Here is Channel 11 KHOU's 4:30am official announcement:

Beginning Labor Day, September 7, KHOU-TV/DT Channel 11 will break new ground with Houston’s first 4:30 am newscast called " 11 News First Look." The program will be anchored by Sherry Williams, currently a reporter for "11 News This Morning," along with meteorologist David Paul. READ THE REST

Is KHOU the first to make it official? And here I thought those newscasts already started too early for my liking!

UPDATE
- KPRC 2 Launches 4:30am newscast

Hear Houston radio's Sam Malone again



I'm opening up the mikemcguff.com vault to play a portion of my recorded interview with Houston radio's Sam Malone (Mix 96.5 KHMX, 740 KTRH, 104.1 KRBE). Sam's fans keep searching this blog for news of him, so I thought they would like to hear him again in action.

If you are a Malone fan, then you will love his behind the scenes talk about his show, career and Maria Todd. Radio geeks will get a kick out of his talk about the industry and what it takes to be a good morning show host in a top radio market like Houston.

You can read a transcript of my full interview with Malone here.

If you have a mean IT department that blocks YouTube - no worries. You can listen to the interview here.


RELATED
KRBE's Maria Todd has a new job

Star TV anchors on the endangered species list?

Elizabeth Jensen of TVWeek has an interesting article about the state of the highly paid and pampered TV news anchor. It doesn't look like a bright future for them all:

In St. Louis, KSDK-TV’s lead anchor, Deanne Lane, a 25-year-veteran of the Gannett Broadcasting station, was let go mid-April. That same month, KNBC-TV in Los Angeles said goodbye to highly paid Paul Moyer, who retired after 24 years. At New York’s WNBC-TV, sportscaster Len Berman signed off on April 22, after nearly a quarter century there, when he couldn’t come to terms on a new contract; his old one paid an estimated $1 million annually. READ THE REST

I think the time of the star anchor making boat loads of money and just reading the teleprompter (I am not saying the above anchors were this way - I don't know them) are probably coming to an end. Why? Well, lots of that staff that supports them is thinning out. Someone will have to pick up the slack or script in this case. Face it, if you were an anchor in the last 25 years, you had it pretty good. You were in the golden era. No future anchors will get it that good!

Could we actually be going backwards in terms of the TV industry. As newsroom staffs shrink (one man bands, eliminated positions), it appears to me that we are returning to the staffing levels of the old days.
Randy Tatano had a recent post about "the good old days." Could his description actually be the future for anchors and the newsroom?:

The year was 1982. My first reporting job was in Roanoke, Virginia. The staff consisted of reporters, photogs, and anchors, a News Director and an assignment editor. No producers.
"What?" you ask. "How did you ever get a newscast on the air?"
Well, the anchor produced the show. Reporters wrote and edited the packages, intros, v/o's and vosots. The anchor wrote copy stories and teases, then tied everything together. READ THE REST

Anchors producing the shows and writing teases? Oh the horror.

RELATED
- TV news anchors and reporters hit bad times
- VIDEO: Cussing TV anchors
- TV´s 10 Hottest News Anchors
- VIDEO: Who says TV anchors have no moves?

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Atom Smasher: Where are they now?

Remember Atom Smasher from 104.1 KRBE? He's been located. Mr. Smasher is now the morning guy at Hot 96 WSTO-FM in Evansville, IN. You can hear his air check from 1999 on KRBE.

Previous to that he was at 106.1 KISS FM KHKS Dallas.

SEE HIS NEW BIO

RELATED
- KRBE talks about why morning show was changed
- Atom Smasher of 104. 1 KRBE fame gets a new job
- Atom Smasher leaves Dallas 106.1 KISS FM

When is BarCampHouston 4?

I've been to all of the BarCampHoustons and it seems like we should be having the fourth one now. Turns out this year it is in September (hopefully hurricane season doesn't knock this one out - that is prime time my friends):

BarCampHouston4 - 2009 will be a Return to the Basic & Fundamental Principles of BarCamp. Come and discover what made this movement so powerful. Unlike a traditional Conference - BarCamp is all Corridor. We'll be adhering very closely to TheRulesOfBarCamp
Date September 12, 2009
Time 9:00 A.M.

http://www.barcamp.org/BarCampHouston4

RELATED
BarCampHouston3 TV

VIDEO: Dancing cop caught on tape

Remember...you never know when someone or something is watching you. That goes for police officers too. This cop thought he could pull off some rocking Michael Jackson moves in the back of a convenience store unnoticed. Fail. Believe me, we noticed!

WATCH IT

Houston Chronicle's new news aggregation site

The Houston Chronicle is the latest local media operation to enter the new exciting world of news aggregation! The site is called HoustonNowNews.com.

HoustonNowNews.com is actually a multipronged operation. First it is a Web site with lists of Houston area stories from other newspaper and TV operations. The Chron is pulling the stories from those sites via Twitter. Do you want to participate? Just tag your tweets with #hounews to get the job done.

Since this starts with Twitter...you guessed it. A matching Twitter account exists @houstonnownews.

You might remember how I profiled KIAH 39's (Tribune) entrance via Headlinehouston.com. That is the site that looks like a Houston version of the Drudge Report and makes no mention of the company behind it. The Chron's site is the same way. You have to do a WhoIs and look at the source code to learn Hearst owns the domain and Chron.com is serving the ads.

Now there are two of these sites that I have found, how many more exist in Houston? Are other media outlets creating separate branded Web sites and social media accounts?

I actually had this idea last year for KTRK and even implemented. Turns out the station was not interested. So my Twitter aggregator quietly collects and posts. It has 1,790 followers now. Not bad for a robotic Twitter account. Maybe I will write a post about it and share the account name soon.

Heck, I should rent my robo account out to a media organization to post its stories on. My account almost has 2,000 followers, that work is already done. It's just like when folks buy video game weapons and characters from other players...but the news junkie version.

RELATED
- Houston Chronicle launches 29-95.com (beta)
- Headlinehouston.com offers Drudge style news from a Houston TV station

Monday, August 10, 2009

ESPN bans personal Tweets...who is next?

ESPN is ahead of the media on most of everything in terms of technology. So when I see that the ultimate sports network has banned Twittering I think to myself who is next?

I can see certain TV station groups following the mighty E's example. You have anything to do with a television newscast? Then you can't write about it on Twitter or Facebook (or any other social networking site).

Frankly I expected a ban much earlier than this. I think Twitter and Facebook have kind of stunned media management to a degree. They are not sure what to do with it. You can tell that by seeing what employees release on their personal accounts.

Heck, you can also tell that by some station's official social networking strategy. Most of the time it seems like they give everyone a Twitter account and say "go." They must expect some employee will eventually figure out how to use it. Good luck with that.

Google Voice review

I told you a couple of years ago about a company called GrandCentral that would let you use one number to ring all your phones. Godfather of Houston Podcasting Russell Holliman wrote on my blog about it:

I've been using GrandCentral for about 6 months now and I love it. They assign you a "number for life". You then configure all of your various telephone numbers and when someone calls your GC number, they all ring. You can screen the calls, record them, and even configure your GC address book so that certain people ring on certain phones, and groups of people get different voice mail greetings. There's even a pretty good "spam" filter that sends computer calls right to voice mail.

Well now this company is owned by Google and is called Google Voice. Naturally it has been Googleized. That means it gets gourmet meals and free dry cleaning on the search engine's Mountain View, California campus. Ok...it is actually a lot more than that.

Former Houstonian and current mega-blogger Paul Stamatiou has an invite to Google Voice and provides a very in depth review of the service. READ IT

In other news, Amy Tierney of TMCnet says Google is reportedly building a Web browser-based application for Google Voice to run on Apple's iPhone. READ MORE

RELATED
- GrandCentral: receive calls and post voicemail with your blog
- One number that will ring all your phones

Houston's Ten Most Overrated Restaurants

Great post from Katharine Shilcutt of the Houston Press on Houston's top 10 most overrated restaurants! Do you agree...I think I do!

SEE THE LIST

Houston to lose West Alabama Bookstop

You thought a Bookstop being open is weird enough, but what about it being in a former Houston movie theater from the 1930s? Well that's over reports the Houston Chronicle:

Barnes and Noble Booksellers will close its Bookstop location in the revered Alabama Theater, 2922 South Shepherd, on Sept. 15 and reopen Sept. 16 in a new store tailor-made for a larger audience just up the street in the River Oaks Shopping Center at West Gray Avenue. READ THE REST

- Alabama Bookstop Stop Date: September 15th
- Alabama Theater

Why did former Fox 26 anchor Anna Davlantes drop out of Chicago TV?

Chicago media really likes itself. When former Fox 26 KRIV anchor Anna Davlantes left NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 in the Windy City this month - the newspapers went crazy. Notice that is plural in this city's case.

Now journalists are doing follow ups on the case of the missing Davlantes!

- Why did Davlantes walk away with no job offer?
- Davlantes opens up, as much as she can

RELATED
Former Fox 26 KRIV anchor leaves NBC Chicago

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Lollapalooza, Motley Crue in Dallas, Weird Al, Aerosmith, DJ Shadow and more

Full Lollapalooza coverage


Concert review: Motley Crue, Godsmack, Drowning Pool bring the heat at Dallas' Superpages.com
- Things Get Hot At Crue Fest 2 In Dallas
- The Feelgood concert of the week?
- VINCE NEIL's 'Surprise' Performance At Feelgoods Bar And Grill

"Abbey Road," the photograph, the crosswalk "zebra" after 40 years
- Paul McCartney: 'I'm Not Retiring'

DAVE MUSTAINE Stands By His 'METALLICA Planned To Fire LARS ULRICH' Story
- METALLICA Frontman Talks Touring, Songwriting

Toadies To Host Second Annual 'Dia De Los Toadies'

AEROSMITH Singer's Fall From The Stage: The Video
- AEROSMITH Guitarist Says Tour Could Be Delayed Between Four Weeks And Two Months
- STEVEN TYLER 'Walked The Wrong Way And Landed On His Head,' Says Daughter
- 'STEVEN TYLER' Interviewed On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'; Video Available

FAITH NO MORE: Pro-Shot Footage Of Last Night's FESTIVAL SUDOESTE Concert Available

Microsoft Unveils New Zune HD

Limp Bizkit To Start Recording New Album 'In A Couple Of Weeks'

Michael Jackson Left Hard Drives of New Songs, ’80s Recordings
- Report: Columbia Pictures Scores Jackson Rehearsal Footage

All Hail Britney, Queen of the VMAs! Rob Sheffield on Seven Super Spears Moments

Former Megadeth bassist talks music royalties 101

“Weird Al” Parodies The White Stripes, Charles Nelson Reilly

DJ Shadow Launches His Own Music Store On New Website

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Where is weatherman Brad Barton of 1080 KRLD-AM?

I know lots of folks have been calmed by the voice of Brad Barton during Dallas-Fort Worth severe weather, but the weatherman has been dismissed from 1080 KRLD-AM:


Barton, 52, wore many hats in his 31 years at KRLD-AM (1080). In addition to giving weather updates, he most recently co-anchored the KRLD Morning News with Mike Rogers.

He said he was let go when his morning shift ended at 10 a.m. Thursday. READ THE REST


RELATED
- KRLD Fires Brad Barton

Friday, August 07, 2009

VIDEO: Why TV stations have good security

You don't want a guy like this getting in and on the air!

WATCH IT

(Thanks Ed)

NBC cuts KXAS 5 promotions department

Sign of the times? NBC has give notice to around 10 staffers at KXAS NBC 5 that they are gone soon. The cuts are in the stations promotions/marketing department.

- NBC Restructures Creative Services at O&Os
- NBC-owned KXAS-TV guts promotions/marketing departments, cedes control to New York corporate masters
- Channel 5 Lays Off Promo Staff, While KRLD Fires Brad Barton

Stop getting screwed with car maintenance

Smartmoney.com offers some smart consumer advice about not being taken in the car maintenance world:

Got a tale of an overzealous repairman? You're not alone. With the recession crimping profits, repair shops are under growing pressure to sell extra services that critics say probably aren't necessary -- everything from "decarbonization" to transmission fluid "flushes" that, at the end of the day, can inflate your bill by hundreds of dollars. READ THE REST

The article even mentions the new nitrogen in your tires thing...I always wondered about that.

RELATED
- 10 Things Your Gas Station Won't Tell You 
- 10 Cheap Ways to Care For Your Car

(Thanks Brian!)

Thursday, August 06, 2009

VIDEO: Amish family helps rebuild Crystal Beach




Texas Country Reporter tells us about an Amish family from Missouri using traditional timber framing techniques to build stronger, taller and better beach houses along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Their first house is at Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula. That area was totally devastated by Hurricane Ike last September.

Director John Hughes dies of heart attack

I have written about John Hughes on this blog over the years. He directed one of my all time favorite movies Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Today the 80s mega director died due to a heart attack. He was 59.

As Murdock, who delivered the bad news to me said, there will be no Ferris Bueller 2 now. Matthew Broderick has supposedly said he would never do a sequel without Hughes. I can understand why.

It's a sad day for 80s movie fans. Hughes also directed such classics as Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.

RELATED
- John Hughes: 80s Hollywood director MIA
- Ferris Bueller deleted scenes you haven't seen
- VIDEO: Jennifer Connelly in Career Opportunities

What happened to Lanny Griffith after he left Fox 26 KRIV...

I told you last week how Fox 26 KRIV's Lanny Griffith is now gone from the station. The Houston Chronicle's  Ken Hoffman (also 1560 The Game KGOW) follows up with news what happened immediately after the feature reporter was let go:


“When we got home from our white-knuckle drive, the downstairs toilet exploded!” READ THE REST


Ouch! Lanny has been in Houston for 30 years, he will survive. I've already had someone ask me how to get in touch with him about a job. See, I told you!

Twitter trouble this morning

Use Twitter? Then I guess you've noticed the problems this morning...like the site doesn't exist anymore. Reports say the microblogging service has been experiencing a denial service attack (what is this?).

- Serious Twitter Outage Ongoing, Denial Of Service Attack
- Twitter hit by denial-of-service attack
- Twitter's Site Goes Down

To make matters worse, The Financial Times is reporting that social media sites are losing popularity with the youth.

UPDATE
- Twitter, Facebook attack targeted one user
- Professor Main Target of Assault on Twitter

10 promotional stunts gone wrong

In our crazy, non-stop, 24 hour news cycle kind of culture, some clever marketers are always trying to get attention. It is not easy. Some crazy stunts go well, but there are some like these that just backfire in the worst way!

SEE THE LIST

(Thanks Brian!)

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Weird Al movie comes to life with new site

Remember the Weird Al Yankovic cult classic UHF? Now a guy is bringing that to life in a way:


20 years after a critically acclaimed cult classic is released in theaters, homage is paid in tribute. The Real UHF is taking the concept behind Weird AL Yankovic's brainchild, the movie "UHF," and developing it into a full-time television network. "UHF" was the story of George Newman, a guy destined for mediocrity despite his inspired imagination. This all changes when lady luck twists his destiny into a blank television signal/canvas. In the movie "UHF," Newman ("Weird Al" Yankovic) is given control of a faltering television station which he turns into an overnight sensation filled with eccentric television shows that gain praise from the local community.

Now, in 2009, Zachary Wolk, a man destined for the same future is given control of Radio Recorders (a television studio where Elvis' movie Jailhouse Rock was filmed) and creates four completely original television programs to air on http://www.therealuhf.tv/


Shows include Dr. Demento (who helped give Weird Al his start and The Count Smokula Show. Tom Green even makes an appearannce.

Fox 26 KRIV's 9pm to air in Beaumont

Looks like Fox 26 KRIV's 9pm newscast is going to air in Beaumont reports The Bayou blog:

We just got another TEE VEE newscast to kick around. Sort of. Former Fox affiliate, KUIL, has just announced that they'll be entering the news fray. Since they lost their Fox affiliation, KUIL has been calling itself "The U" -- airing a hodge podge of syndicated programming and Sham-WOW informercials.

And now...NEWS! But it ain't exactly local. Beginning September 14th at 9 pm, they will simulcast Houston's KRIV Fox 26 news. The impetus for the move is obvious, ad dollars. Advertisers, even in this day and age, just LOVE themselves the local (or in this case, not-so-local) news. Now we can not only hear about regional dysfunction, but view it, too. READ IT

UPDATE
I am told that Fox 26 KRIV's 9pm already airs in Corpus Christi, TX too.