Longtime readers will have watched me leave KTRK 13, consult social media for KPRC 2 and now freelance report for KIAH 39 until NewsFix arrives.
The news of me reporting at KIAH 39 News was reported in this morning's Houston Chronicle Ken Hoffman column. READ THAT HERE Hoffy said some nice things in there and I thank him for that.
I didn't blog about starting at KIAH 39 for fear that I would blow it. After all, I haven't reported on live TV since 2001. Things went fine though. Am I ready to win my next Emmy or AP award with the two stories I've done? Not yet. But since they are my first two stories, and I haven't written or interviewed folks for TV in more than a year or so, I'm pretty happy with the results.
SEE MY FIRST TWO STORIES HERE:
- 20 Year Old Cold Case Arrest
- West Orange-Stark Quarterback Dies After Collapsing During Football Game
The producers were happy how I used some old job skills and web produced my West Orange player story into a newspaper style report for 39online.com (at least newspaper style for most TV station sites that is).
People are asking me when I will show more personality on air. Didn't feel that was too appropriate since both stories so far dealt with death.
As Hoffman noted, NewsFix is coming and people are leaving the station. But actually the vibe is pretty good there. The station is filled with some great folks who have been very welcoming and helpful. In fact the place is filled with a ton of former KTRK 13 and KHOU 11 folks. Last Saturday I was with four former KTRK employees and that says something since all television stations have less staff working on weekends. Knowing a lot of people going in, and the fact many staffers seem to know me from this blog, has made the new gig a lot easier.
One funny story actually relates to this blog. I was recognized by someone while shooting my last story. He didn't know me from 39 yet, he recognized me from mikemcguff.com! He thought I was shooting video with a photographer for the blog you're reading now! I've only done that once or twice from what I can remember.
Here is my last story on video:
