Best moment of Halloween

I did a decent job decorating tonight. Trick or treaters told me it was scary. Hopefully they weren't talking about the paint job.

But the moment that really stood out was when a little dude mentioned my shirt. My weak costume was "a rocker." The only actual rocking part of my ensemble was an old Guns N' Roses shirt (it has the same logo as the image here).

So the kid says, "Hey, that's the band from Guitar Hero!"

At least Axl Rose and crew are finding new fans.

App tracks sex offenders in your neighborhood while you're trick or treating

 

Just in time for Halloween trick or treating, I did a report for KIAH 39 News on a new iPhone/Android app that tracks sex offenders. It uses maps and what's called augmented reality. FIND OUT MORE: Track sex offenders with new app while trick or treating

I also checked out safer options for trick or treating at Katy Mills Mall and the Children's Museum of Houston.

See the Astroworld model that started it all

While we don't have Houston's Six Flags Astroworld around anymore, there are still signs of its existence popping up.  Now a new exhibit is showing off the original model that started it all:

Exactly five years ago, On October 30, 2005, Astroworld closed its gates for the last time, yet the Alpine Sleigh Ride, Le Taxi, Spinout, the Astrowheel, Astroneedle and the Lost World Adventure live on for the 50,000 Houstonians who visited the park on its opening weekend and the millions who followed them.

Optical Project is commemorating this Houston landmark by presenting the park's original model, built in 1967 by Ed Henderson Productions. The model represents "The Wonderful World of Fun" as originally planned, with the attractions and rides in place for the grand opening of the park in June 1968. The model is based on the park layout designed by seminal theme park architect Randall Duell for Judge Roy Hofheinz, flamboyant developer of the Astrodomain. READ THE REST

Opening reception with Mr. Henderson, Saturday, October 30, 5-7 p.m.

OPTICAL PROJECT
1125 E 11th St.,
Houston, TX
gallery hours: Saturdays 12-5 or by appointment, 713 863-7112

Optical Project is an artist-run gallery by Houston artist and writer Bill Davenport.

Buffalo Grille's new location down Bissonnet

I spied the new location for Buffalo Grille last weekend. It's not far from the old one since it is just west down Bissonnet. The Houston Chronicle recently wrote:

Buffalo Grille, a popular West University Place eating spot looking for a new home, has leased space in the Weslayan Plaza Shopping Center at Bissonnet and Weslayan.
The restaurant's new address will be 4080 Bissonnet, at Academy Street, the far west end of the center anchored by a Randall's store. READ THE REST

As you can see, there is just pretty much the buffalo logo up right now. Sounds like the new location will open up at the beginning of 2011. thebuffalogrille.com/

Sure I like the breakfasts at the Buffalo Grille, but I will remember it for the time in 2007 I covered then Republican presidential candidate and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani there (Remember when it was supposed to be Giuliani and Hillary Clinton battling it out in 2008? That was the thought in 2007 at least). Lots of media there as you can tell in the photos.

In other Houston restaurant news, Meyerland Plaza's new Firehouse Subs location I blogged about in August is still not open. On a drive past there Sunday, I noticed construction on the inside had started though. There was a frame of a counter and more city permits on the window.

Seabrook, TX history in photos compiled for new book

Many Houston TV folks will know Monica Burke. She's worked at KTRK 13, KHOU 11 and is now at Fox Network Center-Houston.

It turns out her mother, Ruth Burke, has written a book called Seabrook that documents the growth, prosperity and resilience of the city with history dating to the 1800s. From toils of the Attakapas and Karankawas Indian tribes to the treasure-laden tales of French pirate, Jean Lafitte, the city has been home to hunters, explorers, tradesmen and land barons.

Ruth Burke is a Seabrook artist and photographer so when Arcadia Publishing's “Images of America" series came calling, she started compiling.

The book contains more than 200 photos and will be available at Barnes and Noble and Borders
bookstores as well as Seabrook area shops.

http://www.art-photography-nature.com/

PICS: The City Hall Farmers Market in downtown Houston

I told you about the City Hall Farmers Market in downtown Houston right before it debuted. Now a mikemcguff.com camera team (OK...you caught me. Really my wife with her iPhone) has snapped some photos of the big event.

RELATED
Farmers Market opening at Houston City Hall

KXAS 5's Newy Scruggs smells someone smoking pot during live shot

Throw KXAS NBC 5 Dallas sports anchor Newy Scruggs in San Francisco and what does he find? Well, during his live shot report on the Rangers vs Giants game, he smells something funny burning.

Is the satellite truck's generator on fire? No. Is the TV light burning? No.

Wait that isn't what he thinks it is...is it? Oh yeah, he is in California where Prop 19 is trying to get passed so yeah, he smells marijuana smoke. You know, AKA pot or the sweet leaf. WATCH VIDEO ABOVE

WFAA 8 Dale Hansen unplugged, Fred Cantu leaves Austin's Telemundo and more

Dale Hansen's opinions are his own
Uncle Barky interviews WFFA 8 sports anchor Dale Hansen and he's even more extreme here than on TV.

Cantu leaves Telemundo newscast
Fred Cantu’s last Spanish-language 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts on Austin's Telemundo 42.2 were last Friday.

Houstonian goes national on Steve Wilkos show
The Iniste has learned Houstonian Kathryn Griffin Townsend has gone national. Griffin has signed on as a consultant to the Steve Wilkos show.

"Backpack" reporter McGraw vacating CW33 KDAF news
CW33 reporter Dan X. McGraw, hired as a "backpack journalist" in May 2009 after being laid off by The Dallas Morning News, has decided to resign from the station.

Kat Von D book signing on Nov. 3 in Austin
For fans of “L.A. Ink,” star Kat Von D will be signing copies of her new memoir, “The Tattoo Chronicles,” on Nov. 3 at the Barnes & Noble Arboretum.

Fox promotes Dallas sales guy
Fox announced changes in sales management at its Dallas (DMA 5) duopoly of KDFW (Fox) and KDFI.

Pandora: “Our goal is to be in every new car"
Focusing on the 8.5 hours a week that Americans listen to radio in their cars.

News Web Site Economics 101
Clutter. Ask web developers to look at television station web sites and that is usually the first word out of their mouths.

Local Media Disrupted. TV and Radio Screwed?
Not so long ago, small business was at the mercy of Newspaper, TV & Radio. If you needed to advertise your restaurant or a sale at your car dealership, the big media player in town played the role of Tony Soprano.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Sam Champion's father passes away in Houston
- Former Tribune officer Lee Abrams wants news to be more cinematic
- TV WEATHER IDOL: Television meteorologists judge high schoolers in forecast showdown

The Rick Perry vs Bill White debate is here...sort of

I don't usually get political around here, but considering how close the election is, it's time to throw in some informative posts.

Fox 26 KRIV's Greg Groogan had a very creative approach to election coverage. It's the debate you thought you'd never see: Texas Governor Rick Perry versus former Houston mayor Bill White. Yeah, he took candidate interviews and spliced them together to create a mock debate. It is better than nothing (video above).

And KTRK 13's Ted Oberg did some great (and I would bet exhausting) reporting on White and Perry. He actually followed both candidates for a full day (White last Thursday, Perry last Friday) around Texas. Adios Mofo.

- A day on the campaign trail with Bill White
- A day on the campaign trail with Rick Perry

TV WEATHER IDOL: Television meteorologists judge high schoolers in forecast showdown

Have you ever yelled at the TV weather person, "I bet a high school kid could forecast the weather better than this!" If so, then your unheard diatribe could come true.

Houston-are high school students are competing in a weather forecast competition at the University of Houston. The top weather guessers will be judged by real TV meteorologists in a mock TV weather forecast.

The “Fall Grand Challenge: Weather U” contest will challenge the kids to enter daily forecasts for a week, from Nov. 1-8, accurately predicting the maximum and minimum temperatures, wind speed and general precipitation for the UH campus on the competition website at http://sep.uh.edu/contests/weather-u/.

The TV weather celebrity judges that will make Simon Cowell look like a weak storm front are Mario Gomez from KHOU 11, Khambrel Marshall from KPRC 2 and Justin Horne from KIAH 39.

Former Tribune officer Lee Abrams wants news to be more cinematic

Former Tribune Media Chief Innovation Officer Lee Abrams writes a piece on TV news for Television Business Report. He talks about revolutionizing the news product with a cinematic approach:

The problem: The eye is over-focused on news sets and cute people instead of what really can turn people on: taking the world into your living room. Visually. Pop culture works of course, but there are far better places to get it than on TV news. News photography is often unimaginative or clichéd. The problem is that every station seems to follow the same path. Change is usually so subtle and still within the “80’s focus group” M.O. that it registers as more of the same. Tribune has very talented news and news support people throughout the company. My concern is that they’re so framed within the 80’s “Ultra Action Super News In It For You At 10 On your Side” thing that they and the news itself are undermined. If a station is #1 doing this---please disregard for now. If you're not #1...there lies the issue.

The solution: Treat news like a movie with the story line being the news of the moment. Sexiness can be an ingredient, but the whole show is focused on visual stimulation which is a timeless characteristic of TV. And thinking! If a story really doesn't have a strong visual component, create one! READ THE REST

In full disclosure I worked with Abrams at Tribune's KIAH 39.

RELATED
A look at the Tribune Company board of directors

Sam Champion's father passes away in Houston

In the past, I blogged how the parents of ABC Good Morning America weather anchor Sam Champion live in Houston. Sadly, his father passed away earlier this week:

"After a life of service to his country and his family, Lt. Col. James H. Champion, U.S. Marine Corps (retired), passed away last night in Houston, Texas," "Good Morning America" senior executive producer Jim Murphy wrote in an e-mail to the show's staff today. "He was better known to us as Sam Champion's dad. Sam, his sister Teresa and his mom, Sylvia, were all together with the Lt. Col. at the end." READ THE REST

ABC News says In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests any donations in memoriam be made to:

MD Anderson Cancer Center (RE: Lt. Col. J. H. Champion)
PO Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210

or

Virginia Autism Project at VirginiaAutismProject.org

RELATED
- Sam Champion says his parents live in Houston
- VIDEO: KHOU 11's Greg Hurst anchoring at WABC 7 New York with Sam Champion

(Image courtesy of Ida Mae Astute/ABC)

Sexy Halloween costumes: Too sexy or just right?

 

Before you call me a wet blanket (I'm sure I've been called worse), have you ever noticed that Halloween costumes for women have gotten sexier over the years? Blame it on society and what sells I guess. It was my Saturday night story for KIAH 39 News.  READ: Are Halloween costumes getting too sexy?

By doing this story, at least I got to talk about the cast of Jersey Shore on live TV. That's one more thing I can cross off the list. Maybe I should have worn one of those sexy outfits for the live shot - you know, good reporter involvement. The consultants would have eaten it up.

Valles leaves KEYE, NSFW weather report, KTVT weather and more

Michelle Valles announces she’s leaving KEYE
Michelle Valles, one of the hosts of “We Are Austin Live” on KEYE, announced Monday on her Facebook page that she’s leaving the station.

Your NSFW Weather Report For The Day
You may not have heard of KLST in San Angelo, but it's the best place to go for news of the throbbing heart of the Concho Valley. Also, they like to show what looks like male sexual organs in their weather reports.

Former KTRK 13 employee featured in London Evening Standard
Veteran court artist Priscilla Coleman today described how she creates her images with only the help of written notes.

FOX 4 KDFW Social Media Spoof an Unexpected Internet Hit
A FOX 4 KDFW spoof designed to entertain journalists has become a big hit outside the news business.

Two Versions Of The Chron's Bill White Story Out There: The Houston One Is Nicer
The Houston Chronicle did its Bill White's Houston Legacy story today, and it was picked up online by the Dallas Morning News. It had the same writer in the byline, and the stories were essentially the same. But there are subtle differences between what showed up in the News and the Chron.

New weatherman joins KTVT-KXTA in Dallas
Jeffrey Ray joins KTVT-TV (Channel 11) and KXTA-TV (Channel 21) as weekend meteorologist.

Networks still aim to bring out the big guns for sweeps
V has become such an event-obsessed, guest-star-obsessed, year-round monster that the notion of "sweeps" month stunt programming is becoming increasingly antiquated.

Texas Tribune and New York Times Will Partner in Texas (Thanks Susan)
The Tribune has indeed inked a partnership with The New York Times that will result in the best of its content appearing in the pages of the most iconic newspaper in the world.

NBC Local Media Sets 'Nonstop' Launch Dates
NBC Local Media is rolling out its Nonstop multicast channels, adding the 24/7 channels. KXAS Dallas will launch the channel in 2011.

San Antonio TV anchor spreads word of early detection
The past year has been a life lesson that KABB anchor Karen Martinez wasn't prepared for but is grateful she experienced.

KFOX's Shore leaves El Paso's KFOX
KFOX-TV Channel 14 (cable Channel 8) reporter Derek Shore is leaving the station at the end of the month.

NBC News draws the line on election night by separating itself from partisan MSNBC
NBC News isn't about to acknowledge this publicly. But Thursday's "unprecedented" decision to expand its Nov. 2nd mid-term election coverage into late night hours seems like an obvious way to keep both Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw away from an increasingly partisan MSNBC. I

MTV Is Looking Beyond ‘Jersey Shore’ to Build a Wider Audience
The second-season finale of “Jersey Shore” last week was one of the highest-rated hours all year on MTV. There was, perhaps, no better time to promote another boozy, in-your-face unscripted show.

Univision's Spanish Conquest
Aiming to become the top broadcast network.

Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels resigns
Four-member Executive Council to run company as it struggles to exit bankruptcy.
- WPIX, Jodi Applegate Create New Look at Ten

Local Fox Stations Told to 'Shake Up TV News'
Local news is losing viewers at an alarming rate, so News Corp. executives during the summer directed the company's owned-and-operated stations to try something different: roundtable discussions, guests, analysis -- the sort of thing Fox News Channel does.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- New websites for KIAH 39 and Houston Business Journal
- KHOU 11 news director Keith Connors leaving in November
- Texas TV station moves roundup

NASA astronaut checks in Foursquare from space

Just when you thought you couldn't find a place that hadn't been checked into on Foursquare - NASA had to pull some rocket science on your social media mobile GPS self.

NASA astronaut and International Space Station Commander Doug Wheelock became the first person to "check in" from space Friday using the mobile social networking application:

When Wheelock checked in to the space station venue using Foursquare's mobile site, he received a message that revealed a new Foursquare badge:

"You are now 220 miles above Earth traveling at 17,500 mph and unlocked the NASA Explorer Badge! Show this badge and get a free scoop of astronaut ice cream."

When Wheelock completes his mission and returns to Earth at the end of November, the NASA Explorer badge will be available for Foursquare users to earn.

"Check-ins from around the world have been cool, but this blew my mind!" said Dennis Crowley, CEO and co-founder of Foursquare. "We're psyched to partner with NASA to help users explore the space program and the universe."

Foursquare users check in to venues wherever they go using the service to find nearby friends; get helpful tips about the places they're visiting; and be challenged and rewarded for experiencing new things.

As result of the partnership, Foursquare users who check in to a NASA-related venue will find information from NASA about the location. For example, someone checking in at the agency's headquarters in Washington will discover that a replica of NASA astrophysicist John Mather's Nobel Prize is on display in the lobby.

I can boast that I just became the mayor of KIAH TV Channel 39 on Foursquare. My thing doesn't quite match up to Wheelock's though.

http://www.foursquare.com/NASA
http://www.nasa.gov/connect/foursquare.html

By the way, space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin an 11-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 3:40pm Monday, Nov. 1, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-133 mission is Discovery's final scheduled flight.

How to get a job for the holidays

 

If you need extra cash for the holidays, check out my story on KIAH 39 News from Friday night. It's tips to get seasonal employment. What jobs are out there, the pay, mistakes people make and gigs you can start all by yourself. READ: Tips for quick holiday cash

Thanks to @workplacedoctor who helped me out with the story.

Houston TV, radio, newspaper market profiled in Mediaweek

Mediaweek takes a look at the Houston television, radio and newspaper market. Even I learned stuff. GO READ ALL ABOUT IT

The article mentions:
-TV station rankings,
-How 94.5 The Buzz is one of the top alternative stations in the nation
-KIAH 39 Newsfix

Also interesting are the Houston markets vital media stats:

TV DMA Rank: 10
Population 2-plus: 6,015,877
TV Households: 2,177,220
TV Stations (Net/Ind/Multicast/Public): 6/11/3/3
Wired Cable Households: 1,227,930
Radio Metro Rank: 6
Population 12-plus: 4,815,700
Radio Stations (rated): 46
Newspapers (Daily/Weekly): 9/61

Texas TV station moves roundup

Media Moves reports Bianca Castro has left KRIS-6 in Corpus Christi as the main anchor to join the WRDQ/WFTV team as anchor/reporter. She's worked in Waco too.

Meanwhile the folks at No Whining Talent have unleashed a bunch of Texas TV moves on us.

Dave Froehlich moves back to his beloved home state of Texas to become morning anchor at KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi.

Tina Shively returns to her home state of New York to become weekend anchor at WROC-TV in Rochester from anchor at KFDA in Amarillo, Texas.

Ryan Wolf enters into a new agreement as anchor at KGBT-TV in Harlingen, Texas.

Arezow Doost goes from freelancer to full time reporter at KTVT in Dallas.

Hallie Shulman moves from morning meteorologist at KTEN in Denison, Texas to weekend meteorologist at KAKE in Wichita, Kansas.

Cut the price of your plane trip this holiday

 

Thursday night my KIAH 39 News report was on good travel deals for Houston flyers during the holiday season. Not only that, but we also learned some tips that can cut the cost of your trip. I've been on the consumer beat since 2002 and even I hadn't heard some of these! READ: TRAVEL DISCOUNT TIPS

KHOU 11 news director Keith Connors leaving in November

I heard the news early Wednesday afternoon and started my digging. Multiple sources told me the rumors were true that KHOU 11 news director Keith Connors is leaving the Houston station at the end of November.

Now Mega-agent and friend to Connors, Rick Gevers, is talking about Connors departure in his popular TV news director newsletter.

That's about all anyone apparently knows at this point. We don't know why he is leaving KHOU 11 or where he is going next. Naturally people in the Houston television news world are wondering if KHOU 11 assistant news director Andrea Parquet-Taylor is taking over. They are asking because Parquet-Taylor was previously the news director of the legendary WXYZ in Detroit. We don't know if this is true either.

KHOU sends me good news like this (and I thank the station for that), but I have not heard back from Channel 11 on the Keith Connors news after my inquiry Wednesday afternoon.

It is interesting to point out what Gevers wrote in his newsletter. Connors has been with Belo for awhile. Previously he worked at WCNC-TV in Charlotte and WVEC-TV in Norfolk. It was pointed out to me that while at WCNC, Connors was featured in a 2001 PBS documentary about local news called Local News.

NASA webcam shows new Mars rover being birthed

Take a second to stop watching Houston's new KUBE 57 channel and take a look at NASA engineers building the next Mars rover. A webcam is broadcasting NASA's Mars Science Laboratory staff build the new Curiosity rover in a clean room at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. A clean room means no pretzels or cigars.

Curiosity should be able to drive longer distances over rougher terrain than previous rovers with a science payload 10 times the mass of instruments on NASA's Spirit and Opportunity. No word if it can go 'mudding' though.

So what's this very expensive device going to do? NASA says it will investigate whether the landing region has had environments favorable for supporting microbial life and for preserving evidence about whether life existed on the Red Planet. That is no small job either.

WATCH THE LIVE CAM HERE | More on the rover

New websites for KIAH 39 and Houston Business Journal

Ladies and germs...we have some new Houston media websites to look at. It seems KIAH 39 and the Houston Business Journal websites both had makeovers.

HBJ rolls out new website

http://www.39online.com/

Beyonce preggers? Ellen DeGeneres gets the scoop from Tina Knowles today

As clueless as I am, even I know that Houston's own Beyonce Knowles is rumored to be pregnant. So how does Ellen DeGeneres do it?

I'm bringing Ellen in to this, because she just happens to have Beyonce's mother, Tina, on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" today:

Ellen: Let's clear it up. The rumors are that Beyoncè is pregnant. Are you going to be a grandmother again?
Tina: I heard that but I'm here to clear the rumors up. The truth is that's it's not Beyoncè that's pregnant. It's me.
Ellen: Really?
Tina: I'm kidding y'all. I'm 56. No, no it's not true. Not right now.
Ellen: Well, you'll let us know when she is.
Tina: I'm looking forward to it.
Ellen: I bet.
Tina: With all the rumors by now I should have 5 or 6 grandchildren.
Ellen: I know. I'm sure you're used to all the rumors between the two of them. What a great couple they are though
Tina: Yes, they are.

Here is when the show is on in Texas TV markets.

(Photo Credit: Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.)

WOAI Broome lands new gig, KDFW laughs at social media, Houston DJ murdered and more

WOAI's Jennifer Broome lands new TV weather job
Jennifer Broome is back on TV doing the weather. But alas, S.A. fans, she's strutting her expertise in Denver, not San Antonio.
- WOAI 4 Meteorologist Jennifer Broome leaving station

Fox 4 KDFW parodies TV social media trend for Emmy awards
If you woke up this morning respecting your local news broadcasters a little too much, well, witness the healing power of the KDFW-produced video after the jump.
- 8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards winners
- KHOU 11 Honored for Station Excellence at 8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards

Tribune's top exec poised to resign
Randy Michaels, Tribune Co.'s embattled chief executive, has decided to resign his post at the Chicago-based media company and intends to leave the company before the end of the week, reports the Chicago Tribune.

90.1 KPFT's Matt Helfrich ID'd As Montrose Stabbing Victim
Matt Helfrich, an imposing-looking but good-natured volunteer and occasional fill-in DJ for 90.1 KPFT FM, has been identified as the man stabbed to death at the Skylane Apartments.

Traffic Bait Doesn’t Bring Ad Clicks
Sure, articles about Lindsay Lohan’s repeat trips to rehabilitation and Brett Favre’s purported sexual peccadilloes generate loads of reader traffic, but do they actually make decent money for the Web sites that publish them?

How Much Does it Cost to Buy an Ad on the Primetime Broadcast News Programs?
While the signature news programs are typically the morning shows like “Today,” and “Good Morning America” and the evening newscasts like “CBS Evening News” and “NBC Nightly News,” all three broadcast networks will occasionally program news shows in primetime.

Sirius XM Explores Alternatives for Life Without Howard Stern
Sirius XM Radio Inc. is exploring programming alternatives in case the satellite broadcaster and talk-show host Howard Stern aren’t able to agree on a new contract.

Starbucks launches in-store digital network with lots of free content
Four months after making its in-store Wi-Fi free, Starbucks is now using that connection to give away premium content from the Wall Street Journal, Nickelodeon, Apple's iTunes and others.

CBS's premiere of "THE TALK" lifts women demos
"The Talk" Is Up +22% in Women 25-54, +29% in Women 18-49 and +67% in Women 18-34 Compared to Year-Ago Time Period.

Bernie Madoff's expensive stuff could be yours

Remember Bernie Madoff? All of his really expensive stuff is about to get auctioned off in November by the United States Marshals Service. The proceeds from the more than 400 pieces of personal property, jewelry, and antiques from Bernard L. Madoff and his wife, Ruth, will go to the victims fund. The stuff is from the Madoff residences in New York City and Montauk, NY.

Here is a sample:

Diamond Ring: One ladies diamond engagement ring consisting of: one emerald cut diamond weighing 10.54 cts. Diamond is „VS2‟ in clarity, „F‟ in color. Diamond is of extremely fine proportions with GIA certificate # 8376741. Diamond is set in a platinum hand-made mounting with two baguette diamonds on each side, total weight .90 cts. Baguettes are „VS‟ in clarity „F‟ in color.

Steinway and Sons Grand Piano with Bench: Model M, Serial Number 188880, Circa 1917. Diagonally measures: 6' 2", 38"½" height.

Slippers: [1 pair] Black velveteen slippers, size 8½, red quilted lining, “BLM” embroidered with gold thread. You would have to make up something new for BLM to stand for.

KHOU 11 Honored for Station Excellence at 8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards

KHOU 11 lets us know it received 20 Lone Star EMMY Awards for 2010 - more than any other station in Houston.

HOUSTON –– For the third time in eight years, KHOU took home the Lone Star EMMY Award Saturday night for overall Station Excellence. KHOU received 20 Lone Star EMMY Awards in various categories – topping all other stations in the Houston market.

Lone Star EMMY Awards are presented by the Lone Star Chapter of the National Television Academy and aim to recognize news excellence across the state of Texas. To see a complete list of winners and nominees, visit www.LoneStarEmmy.org.

Congratulations to KHOU’s Lone Star EMMY Award recipients listed here:

STATION EXCELLENCE
KHOU-TV Station Excellence
KHOU
Susan McEldoon, President & General Manager

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Star of Hope for the Holidays
KHOU

Deborah Duncan, Host/Senior Producer
Reggie Sadberry, Photographer/Editor
Lisa Shumate, Director of Programming and Marketing
Caroline Shumate, Songwriter

INTERACTIVITY
Belo Texas Interactive Debate Coverage
BELO
Jan Boyd, Producer
Greg Matthews, Producer
Jeff Anastasio, Producer
Doug Boehner, Producer
Michelle Homer, Producer
Christine DiStadio, Producer
Emily Hummel, Producer

NEWSCAST - MORNING/DAYTIME - LARGER MARKETS (1-25)
11 News This Morning
KHOU
Keith Connors, Executive News Director

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT - SINGLE STORY
My Neighborhood Tax Fraud Service
KHOU
Jeremy Rogalski, Investigative Reporter
Keith Tomshe, Photojournalist/Editor

Under Fire: Discrimination and Corruption in the Texas National Guard
KHOU
Mark Greenblatt, Investigative Reporter
Keith Tomshe, Photojournalist/Editor
David Raziq, Executive Producer

FEATURE NEWS REPORT - LIGHT FEATURE / SERIES
Rescue Me
KHOU
Kevin Reece, Reporter
Ernesto Torres, News Photojournalist
Chris Desmond, News Photographer

BUSINESS/CONSUMER - NEWS SINGLE STORY / FEATURE
Corporations Helping Crooks
KHOU
Mark Greenblatt, Investigative Reporter

HUMAN INTEREST - NEWS SERIES
Powerless
KHOU
Frank McBride, Photographer/Editor

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT - NEW SERIES
City-Owned Slum Properties
KHOU
Jeremy Rogalski, Investigative Reporter

SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT REPORT - NEWS SINGLE STORY/FEATURE
Dying to Breed: Panola County Puppy Mill
KHOU
Brad Woodard, Reporter

TEXAS HERITAGE - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE
Black Cowboys
KHOU
Len Cannon, Reporter
Gus Pereyra, Photographer

WEATHER - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE
Still No Home on the Range
KHOU
Brad Woodard, Reporter

WEATHER - PROGRAM/ SPECIAL / FEATURE/SEGMENT
Storm Warnings: Winds of Change
KHOU
Chris Nocera, Producer
Gene Norman, Chief Meteorologist

PROMOTION - NEWS PROMO - SINGLE SPOT
11 News - 2009 Year Ender
KHOU
Bobby Rigg, Promotions Producer

EDITOR - NEWS - WITHIN 24 HOURS
The Daily Grind '09-'10
KHOU
Todd Rogenthien, Photojournalist

ON-CAMERA TALENT - ANCHOR - NEWS
Live, Local, And On The Desk
KHOU
Christine Haas, News Anchor/Reporter

ON-CAMERA TALENT - PROGRAM HOST / MODERATOR / REPORTER - PROGRAMMING
Great Day
KHOU
Deborah Duncan, Show Host/Senior Producer

ON-CAMERA TALENT - REPORTER - INVESTIGATIVE
Jeremy Rogalski/11 News Defenders Investigations
KHOU
Jeremy Rogalski, Investigative Reporter

ON-CAMERA TALENT - REPORTER - SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT / CONSUMER / MEDICAL
A Voice for the Voiceless: Brad Woodard Reports, 2010
KHOU
Brad Woodard, Reporter

Top Houston area home builders

 

Here's a story everyone is interested in every time I do it. JD Powers and Associates recently put out its list of top home builders based on overall customer satisfaction and new home quality.

So which house builders topped the Houston area lists? If you weren't watching me on KIAH 39 News Friday night to find out then READ: Top Houston home builders

TV anchor drinking on set, broadcast dating, reputation and more

TV anchor drinks beer on set; gets fired

Why incompetent people keep their jobs in TV
You can't work in this business without running into a few people whose continued employment boggles the mind.

How broadcast journalism has made me a better dater
TV reporter writes how broadcast journalism has taught her lessons that can help her get through any date.

Reputation can easily trump talent in television news
Remember you you back stab, they might not help you later.

(Auto)Tuning In to Local News
Some merry pranksters known as the Gregory Brothers take news clips, set the audio to AutoTune.

8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards winners
It was a big night in Texas TV news Saturday as the 8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards were handed out.

Houston stations and their formats
Here is a count of the over-the-air channels in Houston by language and format.

TV reporter checklist
Veterans have this system on auto-pilot, but if you're new, it always helps to double-check the things you need before heading back to the station. Some of this stuff is obvious, some not.

Sirius XM's newest satellite heads into space
A rocket carrying the bird took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and placed the XM-5 satellite in space.

Amarillo TV translator trio going on the block
The opportunity to operate in the television band on Channels 16, 49 and 51 is at hand in Amarillo, TX.

Man shot looking through his own door window

 

I covered a very sad story for KIAH 39 News Sunday. A man in Conroe received a knock on his door right after midnight. When he went to look through the door's window to see who it was, he was shot and killed. Turns out just the night before, another resident across the street was shot at, but not hit. READ THE FULL STORY

8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards winners

It was a big night in Texas TV news Saturday as the 8th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards were handed out. Congrats to the winners and nominees. SEE THE 2010 WINNER'S LIST

I was excited to see that my current station, KIAH 39, did very well:

CONTINUING COVERAGE - WITHIN 24 HOURS

First Eyes On The Black Tide
KIAH
Leticia Juarez, Reporter
Matt Robbins, Photographer

SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT REPORT - PROGRAM/SPECIAL/FEATURE/SEGMENT

Simon Says
KIAH
Steve Simon, Reporter
Shannon Runyon, Photographer

SPECIAL EVENT COVERAGE (OTHER THAN NEWS OR SPORTS)

Mia's Style Files: Simon Fashion Now Runway Show
KIAH
Mia Gradney, Anchor/Reporter

The last station I consulted for was KPRC 2 and they got wins too:

SPOT NEWS

Decades on the Run and Done
KPRC
Joel Eisenbaum, Reporter
Brandon Martin, Photographer
Tracy Hatfield, Producer

NEWS SPECIAL

Jennifer's Story
KPRC
Joel Eisenbaum, Reporter
Tracy Hatfield, Writer/Producer
Brandon Martin, Photographer
Dominique Sachse, News Anchor

ON-CAMERA TALENT - ANCHOR - SPORTS

McIlvoy Montage
KPRC
Randy McIlvoy, Sports Director

ON-CAMERA TALENT - REPORTER - SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT / CONSUMER / MEDICAL

Dispatches from the Badlands
KPRC
Robert Arnold, Reporter

And where I worked 8 years before that - KTRK 13:

HISTORIC/CULTURAL - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE

Fall of the Wall - 20th Anniversary
KTRK
Christine Dobbyn, Reporter
John Mubarak, Special Projects Editor
Linh Nguyen, News Photographer

SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT REPORT - PROGRAM/SPECIAL/FEATURE/SEGMENT

Berlin Reborn
KTRK
Christine Dobbyn, Reporter
John Mubarak, Special Projects Editor
Linh Nguyen, News Photographer


RELATED
KLRU, KTBC, KVUE and KXAN win Lone Star Emmys

Westbury Square: The memories and future destruction

 

I was very excited for the chance to do a story for KIAH 39 News on a place I spent time at as a kid...Westbury Square. Sure the place is not what it used to be, but it was cool to go back and remember the Houston landmark when it was all there. If I really went back into my archives, my friends and I shot a movie there in the 1990s when it was pretty much empty. It was like having a Hollywood lot to ourselves.

It just so happened that a group of postcard sized photos of the place in its heyday came into my possession a few years ago. We used a lot of that in this story. READ: Westbury Square faces sale and demolition

In case you don't know, Westbury Square is up for sale and will most likely be demolished.

Houston casting call, KEYE reporter leaves, 94.5 The Buzz and more

AandE’s “Flip This House" producers looking to cast in Houston
PR Fairy got a call from a New York casting director today who is working on a new real estate TV show with the Emmy Award-winning producers of AandE’s “Flip This House.” They are interested in the Houston market — Houston is HOT — and are in search of successful and talented individuals to feature on the show.

Outspoken McManus goes out quietly
For 13 years, Adam McManus, right-wing talk host on Christian station KSLR-AM, waged protests against TV shows, arts funding, advertising — any manifestation or support of what he considered immoral.

Gripes of a TV station lifer
The top 10 signs you've worked in your television market too long.

The Buzz is getting the ratings buzz
CLEAR CHANNEL Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) was clearly dominating its universe, blasting to #1t P6+ in SEPTEMBER and improving on already dominant numbers in almost every key demo.

KEYE TV’s Gregg Watson Gone
Greff Watson will turn 45 next month. He was KEYE 42’s most experienced and seasoned reporter. Watson moved on about a week ago.

PBS to premiere film about Galveston
A new documentary film on Galveston, its history and response to Hurricane Ike will premiere on Houston’s PBS station KUHT 8 next week.

CNN Personalities In Houston to Premiere New Show
CNN selected Houston as one of the cities to premiere the documentary “Almighty Debt," which examines how families and churches are grappling with the impact of unemployment, foreclosures and debt on the African-American community.

CNN plunges to worst ratings in more than 10 years
The network on Monday dipped to its worst nightly prime-time average in more than 10 years.

Waco Police Department withholds arrest record from The Lariat at Baylor University
The student newspaper at Baylor University fired off a respectable diatribe in support of open records after it was denied records by the Waco Police Department.

Tribune ‘On Path' Toward Bankruptcy Exit
Tribune Company has voiced its support for an agreement reached by its unsecured creditors regarding a reorganization plan that would enable it to emerge from bankruptcy.

KAVU-TV, Victoria, TX looking for news director
DON BRADLEY is retiring so this Saga Communications owned ABC affiliate is looking for a new ND.

KFOX bans campaign commercials in some newscasts
Local businesses that rely on TV commercials to draw customers into their showrooms and stores are begrudgingly cutting back on advertising as political spots clutter the airwaves.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- 91.7 KTRU Rice Radio step closer to becoming UH's KUHC
- KPRC 2 hires Jennifer Bauer as new reporter
- Mark Stevens of Rock 101 KLOL's Stevens and Pruett has passed away
- KUBE channel 57 ID

VIDEO: KUBE channel 57 ID

People can't get enough of KUBE Channel 57 posts around here so here is a glimpse into the new Houston station's on air look.

RELATED
- KUBE-TV channel 57 Houston
- KUBE-TV channel 57 Houston programming schedule

91.7 KTRU Rice Radio step closer to becoming UH's KUHC

Hot off the Rice University press release website.  This means 91.7 KTRU is one step closer to becoming the University of Houston's KUHC classical station.  At least this is being announced to the public:

Rice University and the University of Houston have signed the agreement for UH to purchase the KTRU radio tower, frequency and license from Rice.

"The matter now goes to the Federal Communications Commission for approval, which may take several months," Rice President David Leebron told students, faculty, staff and alumni via e-mail Oct. 13.

The tower will be used by public radio station KUHF as a second station serving the Greater Houston community, with one broadcasting 24-hour news and information and the second station, with call letters KUHC, broadcasting 24-hour classical music and entertainment.

"We will consult with KTRU’s student managers about the timing for turning the tower over to KUHF, but we expect that to occur by the end of the semester or calendar year," Leebron said. "In the meantime, KTRU will continue to deliver its programming on 91.7 and online through www.ktru.org.

"In my conversations with the student managers, although we have disagreed about the sale of the tower and broadcasting rights, I have been encouraged by their commitment to explore ways to make KTRU of even greater value to the Rice community. We are also working with KTRU leadership to explore some alternatives in addition to the online station. We will dedicate some proceeds from the sale to KTRU for improvements now and ongoing support in the future. KTRU has played an important role at Rice, and we expect it will continue to play an important role in campus life in the future."

Leebron noted that Rice is also working with leaders of the Student Association and Graduate Student Association to formulate a process for gaining student input on how to best use proceeds from the sale. Some of the proceeds will go toward the new east servery and to KTRU, but Leebron said no other decisions will be made until the administration has heard from students about their priorities. Funds from the sale will be available when FCC approval is obtained.

"I know the decision to sell the tower was controversial, as was the need to conduct those negotiations confidentially," Leebron said. "This was clearly an exception to our usual process for undertaking major decisions at Rice, and we have emphasized that this was a result of unique aspects of this sale and not a precedent for future decisions. As a whole, members of our community expressed their opinions with great civility and thoughtfulness, and the KTRU leadership and staff were appropriately strong advocates for their viewpoint. We look forward to working with them and others in putting the sale proceeds to work for the benefit of our students and university."

RELATED
- KPFT steps up to help displaced 91.7 KTRU staff
- KTRU Rice Radio to become 91.7 KUHC Classical

Houston teens admire Jobs over Zuckerberg

We don't concentrate enough on this blog on what Houston area teens think. According to a new survey by Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, Houston teenagers admire Steve Jobs over Mark Zuckerberg:

Nearly a third of respondents (31 percent) named Steve Jobs as the most admired entrepreneur, up from eighteen percent in the 2009 survey. Mark Zuckerberg only received thirteen percent of votes for most admired entrepreneur, up from three percent in the 2009 survey.

The top five most admired entrepreneurs by Houston teens include: Steve Jobs at 31 percent, rapper Jay-Z at 30 percent, media mogul Oprah Winfrey at 19 percent, music industry executive Russell Simmons at 17 percent and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk at 14 percent.

The local survey of 375 teens also found that six-in-ten respondents (60 percent) would like to start their own businesses someday with eighteen percent most interested in an entertainment business and ten percent in a technology-based business.

So what qualities do these Houston teens admire most in these entrepreneurs? Riches or fame? Those responses only earned 14 percent and 10 percent of teens' votes respectively. Top for teens is being successful in multiple fields and making a difference. Twenty-six percent of teens cited success in multiple fields as what makes an entrepreneur stand out and nineteen percent admire entrepreneurs who make a difference in people's lives.

What's the deciding factor for teens becoming entrepreneurs in the future? Key responses point to their environment and having strong role models.

KPRC 2 hires Jennifer Bauer as new reporter

UPDATE JUNE 20, 2017
Jennifer Bauer leaves KPRC2

According to the David Crane Agency, KPRC 2 is bringing a new reporter to Houston.

The TV agency reports Jennifer Bauer is coming in from Jacksonville, Florida. Bauer will be staying in the Post Newsweek family since she already works for KPRC's parent company at station WJXT 4.

According to her WJXT bio, Jennifer has a journalism degree from Michigan State University. Her career began at WJXT's sister station in Detroit.

It goes on to say Jennifer enjoys running, going to the beach and playing golf. She also likes spending time with her calico cat, Emmy. What a perfect name for someone in TV to name their cat.

Wikipedia says KPRC 2 morning anchor Lauren Freeman also worked at WJXT before coming to Houston.

Also in the DCA world, Jackie Smith gets her first on air TV job at KMID in Midland, Texas.

UPDATE JUNE 20, 2017
Jennifer Bauer leaves KPRC2

(Thanks Taylor)

Mark Stevens of Rock 101 KLOL's Stevens and Pruett has passed away

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 02, 2016
Jim Pruett of Rock 101 KLOL's Stevens and Pruett has died

Sad news to report from the Houston and Texas radio world. Mark Stevens, half of the legendary Stevens and Pruett Rock 101 KLOL morning show, has died.

I am told by close friends Stevens died in his sleep this morning at 6am.

His long time radio partner, Jim Pruett, is obviously in shock right now.

"I miss him," Pruett told the mikemcguff.com blog. "It's sad, it's a great loss."

Brian Shannon, who was known as Steven and Pruett's sidekick Eddie "The Boner" Sanchez, said Stevens was incredibly talented.

"He had one of the biggest hearts and kindest hearts," Shannon told me. "He helped launch many careers, more than he was given credit for."

Lanny Griffith, the show's traffic reporter, said he never knew anyone so serious about a joke.

"He carefully crafted each line of the set-up, and massaged the approach to the punch line like a pilot coming in for a landing with only one wheel down," Griffith told the mikemcguff.com blog. "His comedy timing was masterfull. No one could work a line like Mark Steves. I loved him and worshipped him. He was the stuff of radio legends. The whole KLOL family has been on the phone crying unabashedly. We have missed him for too long now."

"Mark Stevens was an extremely influential and innovative radio personality," former Rock 101 KLOL general manager Pat Fant said. "He was literally the driving force behind the inimitable Stevens and Pruett brand. There have been many who've tried to copy their style, but no one really ever came close and Mark was one of principle reasons why. He will be missed and radio has died yet another death as a result of this loss."

Laurie Kendrick was the Stevens and Pruett news anchor and says he will be greatly missed.

"Mark Stevens was my mentor, my radio father figure, my friend and one of the most influential people I've ever known," Kendrick said. "I owe a great deal to Mark. He was generous and selfless about giving unknowns a chance and so many of us who were on the Stevens and Pruett Show. I owe a great deal to Mark Stevens as does every former member of the show. We've lost a giant in the industry."

As I have blogged before, I am in the middle of producing a documentary on Rock 101 KLOL. Channel 13 is now reporting that Stevens was battling Alzheimer's. I found this out in the course of shooting interviews for the documentary over the last few months, but did not obviously talk about this on the blog or publicly.

No cause of death is available at this time. Funeral arrangements are pending.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 02, 2016
Jim Pruett of Rock 101 KLOL's Stevens and Pruett has died



RELATED
- Laurie Kendrick remembers Mark Stevens
- Stevens and Pruett remembered by a Rock 101 KLOL insider
- VIDEO: Rock 101 commercial from 1986
- Houston radio's Laurie Kendrick talks to Mike McGuff

Richmond Strip in Houston not dead yet

 

My Friday story for KIAH 39 News was about Houston's Richmond Strip. Yes it isn't as popular as it used to be, but don't call it dead just yet I found. The story gave me a chance to sneak into the Houston Press building in downtown Houston and meet staff writer John Nova Lomax. Yeah, the Press is glossy too. SEE FULL STORY

Interesting item I heard while shooting the story. Remember the giant saxophone sculpture in front of the old Billy Blues club? That place is now The Horn and one of the new owners told me the city of Austin wanted to buy that saxophone for almost $2 million. Turns out the artist who built it was from Austin and recently passed away. Austin wanted to take the sculpture back and make it a tribute piece.

RELATED
My Saturday night story was on October travel deals.

Farmers Market opening at Houston City Hall

Farmers markets in Houston are popular. There is one in Midtown at the T'Afia Restaurant in Midtown, Rice University...etc. Now the farmers and their markets are going all the way to city hall... literally. Urban Harvest is opening a new one at the city of Houston's City Hall this week:

City Hall is the center of Houston's government and will soon be home to the city's newest farmers market, debuting on October 13, 2010. City Hall Farmers Market, the newest in Urban Harvest's family of farmers markets, will be held every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The market is being started in partnership with the City of Houston and will be officially opened on Wednesday, October 13 at 10 a.m., with a celebration at noon with Mayor Annise Parker, City of Houston Sustainability Director Laura Spanjian, Mark Bowen of Urban Harvest, Monica Pope from t'afia Restaurant, Chris Shepherd from Catalan Food and Wine and Randy Evans from Haven Restaurant.

The City Hall Farmers Market will have 40 vendors located along both sides of City Hall's lovely reflection pool, offering local produce and foodstuffs such as salad mixes, fresh fruit, cheese, yogurt, locally roasted coffee, and a variety of prepared and hot foods so downtown office workers and residents can enjoy lunch at City Hall around the Reflection Pool, at the adjacent Tranquility Park or at their desk.

The Market will also feature a Chef's Corner, sponsored by My Table magazine, where chefs will do live cooking demos using local products. For the first market, the Chef’s Corner will be kicked off in style with Monica Pope of t'afia, Chris Shepherd of Catalan Food and Wine and Randy Evans of Haven. Samples of their work will be on-hand. READ THE REST

KENS Forgany gets noticed, Houston Zoo goes national, 1560 The Game and mroe

Newswoman getting noticed at KENS
Sarah Forgany, 28, has been in the news business for close to nine years and has reported for S.A.'s CBS affiliate the past six months. It's only recently, however, that viewers have clamored for more info about the striking brunette.
- KENS 5 Sarah Forgany

Houston Zoo ready for TV close-up on Nat Geo WILD
A newborn Asian elephant, a Malaysian tiger and a rare Komodo dragon will all have their time in the spotlight, but the real star of “Zoo Confidential” on the Nat Geo WILD channel may well be the Houston Zoo itself.

Project Upstairs Runway: Secrets of Houston’s Extreme Makeover House, Revealed
Last Sunday's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition filmed in Houston didn't tell the full story.

New Billboards Promote Conservative Talk Radio Host
Conservative radio talk-show host Michael Berry has some new promotional billboards around town, including one right next to KPRC Channel 2.

Houston Press Goes All Glossy
As you pick up your print edition of the Houston Press from now on, you'll notice something different about the cover.

Belo: 'Oprah' Exit Means More Local Shows
Belo, the station group in multiple major markets, prefers to replace the "Oprah Winfrey Show" with less expensive local programming.

Astros looking at the bigger picture
The plans for Minute Maid Park renovations, centered around a nearly 7,000-square-foot high-definition video board, will enhance what is already among the most visually and especially aurally stimulating displays in baseball.

Comcast links up with KGOW
Comcast Sports Southwest will air a live broadcast of the 6 to 7am hour of KGOW’s (1560 AM The Game) morning show featuring John Granato and Lance Zierlein.

Greg Frey joins the corporate programming team for Cumulus Media
Former APD/MD for CBS Radio’s country KILT-FM (100.3) in Houston gets new gig.

Media and investigative reporter Howard Kurtz joins The Daily Beast
Howie Kurtz, who has won renown for his media and investigative reporting for The Washington Post and as host of CNN’s Reliable Sources, is joining The Daily Beast.

NBC Local Sites See Audience Gains
NBC Local Media says its city Web sites are delivering double-digit audience growth versus one year ago.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Sibilia Vargas named KCBS morning news anchor
- VIDEO: News 8 Fall Image
- KTRK 13 gets new state of the art newsroom

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo brings the ka-ching

We all know that The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is bullish for the Houston economy. Sorry, it just came to me. So the HLSR just released an economic impact study prepped by Barton Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Emeritus, University of Houston to make sure we know the rodeo is now clowning around.

Here is what happened when all of the numbers were corralled:

* Annual aggregate gross sales are increased by $475,403,000.
* Annual gross regional product is increased by $320,221,000.
* Annual personal incomes are raised by $290,710,000.
* 7,265 full-time equivalent jobs are created.
* The local population is increased by 16,316 people.
* Residential capital is changed by $361,877,000.
* Non-residential capital is changed by $420,125,000.
* The annual fiscal dividend (tax revenues) to local government is increased by $27,344,000.

Expanded over the life of the Show's current 30-year lease at Reliant Park, the increase in government revenue is estimated by the Show staff to exceed $820,000,000.

Now where are the numbers broken down in terms of western wear purchased and alcohol sales? Maybe Pinto Ranch and Budweiser will release economic study results next week.

Top Ten Stolen Vehicles in Houston for September 2010

The following is a rundown of the “Top 10” makes of vehicles reported stolen to the Houston Police Department during the month of September 2010.


1. Chevrolet Trucks 136
2. Ford Trucks 131
3. Honda Cars 116
4. Dodge Trucks 88
5. Chevrolet Cars 38
6. GMC Trucks 36
7. Ford Cars 31
8. Dodge Cars 28
9. Toyota Cars 26
10. Nissan Cars 23

School system challenged in 'Waiting for Superman' documentary

Thursday night on 39 News, I reported on the new documentary, which is shining a bright light on what some call a broken educational system, and how it is getting a lot of buzz. Waiting for Superman tackles the problems the filmmakers see in schools and spotlights the programs they say are working. I visited Houston's YES Prep School which follows the same type of formula as the schools featured in the film. The flick is directed by David Guggenheim who was behind An Inconvenient Truth. I talked with the head of a Houston teacher's union (Houston Federation of Teachers President Gayle Fallon) who was not happy after seeing the film. READ FULL STORY

http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/

Sneak peek at new Houston Museum of Natural Science beta website

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is working on a new website and here is your chance to see it before everyone else.

It's a cool site. I like it. For those geeky enough to care, the HMNS is getting some Joomla CMS action.

Make sure to give the museum some feedback on what you think.

http://new.hmns.org/

Here is the current site for comparison purposes.

KTRK 13 gets new state of the art newsroom (video)

The new KTRK 13 newsroom is here. It was being planned all the way back while I still worked there in 2009. Here is a mostly audio free video (this must have been a video someone narrated over during the big party the station held) showing the newsroom through the years, the construction period and the brand new space.

I'm sure the staff is very happy since they were working in the old news studio space for the last few months.

RELATED
- KTRK 13 gets a PR!MO editor in Fox 26 KRIV's Alex Luster
- KTRK 13 steals Alex Radow from KIAH 39
- KTRK 13 gets Samica Knight as new reporter

KVUE 24 says goodbye, Fox 4 KDFW's new look and more

Remembering KVUE's Thea Williams
KVUE is saying goodbye to a dear friend and colleague. The station's Daybreak and Midday executive producer Thea Williams passed away after a lengthy illness.

Rapping weatherman story takes an odd turn
In one of the strangest career moves of all time, Beaumont TV meteorologist Nick Kosir — the Rapping Weatherman - signed a two-year contract last month with a station in San Francisco. That's movin' on up, Jeffersons-style, from TV market No. 141 to No. 6. Then he disappeared like a cloud after a rainstorm.

Fox4 KDFW'S new 9pm look
Newscast isn't quite a slam dunk, but does include a dunking meteorologist.

KBXX (97.9 The Box)/Houston adds night jock
Kiotti comes with mixer DJ Eque.

Let's expand low-power FM
Everyone is familiar with FM radio; it is ubiquitous. Most of us, however, know next to nothing of LPFM, low-power FM, a noncommercial radio service restricted by the Federal Communications Commission to no more than 100 watts of broadcast power as compared to the usual tens of thousands of watts. (Houston's Pacifica Radio, KPFT-FM 90.1, for example, broadcasts at 100,000 watts of power.)

Turn Your Anchor Tosses into Anchor Teases
Because these are usually unscripted, these can be some of the most dynamic moments of the show.

Kathleen Parker and Eliot Spitzer, CNN's duo of civil dispute
They are, somewhat self-consciously, an odd couple, the Northern pol and the Southern belle, the prosecutor and the journalist, the man trying to recover from disgrace and the woman graciously forgiving his sins.

IB Pairs with CoreMedia on Stations' Management System
Internet Broadcasting (IB) has linked with the web firm CoreMedia to offer CoreMedia's content management system (CMS) to IB clients.

Sirius XM expects peak subscriber total by year’s end
Audio satellite service Sirius XM says it expects a net pick-up of 1.3M subscribers for 2010 as a whole, arriving at a new estimated total of 20.1M.

No more talkin' 'bout ABC's My Generation
Made-in-Texas series now are a done-and-gone two for two after just two weeks of the new fall season.

Peek at OWN - Oprah's next chapter
CEO Christina Norman previews the Oprah Winfrey Network, set to launch January 1, 2011.
- KHOU 11's Gene Norman has powerful TV biz connections

In the end, Opie & Anthony renew with Sirius XM
They grumbled about their lack of negotiating leverage on Friday’s show, but both Opie (Gregg Hughes) and Anthony Cumia did eventually sign.


Google TV Announces Its Programming Partners, but the Top Networks Are Absent
Google announced on Monday its first Internet and media partners for Google TV, its effort to bring Web entertainment to television sets.

KFTX Corpus Christi’s 'Dr. Bruce' Plans To Retire
Dr. Bruce Nelson Stratton, a 52-year broadcasting veteran and member of three different halls of fame, has announced plans to retire at the end of the year from his job as GM and morning host at Quality Broadcasting’s country KFTX (97.5) Corpus Christi, Texas.

MYTX to Broadcast MyNetworkTV Programming
MYTX is part of the London Broadcasting Southeast Texas group that includes KBMT ABC, K-JAC Your NBC and Azteca.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- KTRK 13 gets a PR!MO editor in Fox 26 KRIV's Alex Luster
- KPRC 2 gets Golf Channel's Iain Page as new anchor
- Shakeups all over the national news network world