support

CONTACT: Tip | COMMENT: Respond | FOLLOW: | EMAIL: Newsletter

promo

101 KLOL documentary Runaway Radio Houston screening
WATCH: Mike McGuff's "Runaway Radio" 101 KLOL documentary - now streaming!

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Kevin Quinn resigns from KTRK abc13

After 15 years, KTRK abc13 reporter Kevin Quinn resigns from the station he's called home for a long time - but he's not the only one leaving

UPDATE JUNE 2018
Kevin Quinn goodbye part photos plus his new job


Surprising news hits us at the start of the Texas spring break season. Longtime KTRK abc13 reporter Kevin Quinn has announced his resignation from the station.

He has granted me permission to use the following statement he posted on his personal Facebook account:

As a journalist, the story isn’t supposed to be about us. But this one is. So I’ll keep it brief.

After 15 years at KTRK I’ve given my resignation. This is a decision I’ve made following much deliberation. It is a decision which will help me focus more on my family and being present in their lives.

I will be able to publicly discuss my future soon, but not yet. I am excited about what’s to come.

To my colleagues at abc13: You are among the best, most creative journalists in the business. It’s been my honor to work with you.

To all those who trusted me to tell their stories, thank you. I hope you found them to be fair and accurate. I hope I did them justice.

I’ve taken this week to be with my kids on Spring Break, but I’ve got a few more stories to tell. I’ll say a final goodbye at some point soon.

The good news is that you can still watch Quinn for several months on channel 13.

Can't wait to see where he lands next.

Quinn joined channel 13 back in February 2003. While he covered many stories across the city, his beats were mainly Fort Bend County and NASA. That must have meant a lot of long drives in opposite directions from the station everyday.

He came from KTRK sister station KFSN in Fresno, California. While there, he won a regional Edward R. Murrow award.

Starting his career in Texas, Quinn did it all as a photographer, reporter and anchor at KMID Midland-Odessa.

The award winning journalist graduated Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University in 1994.

Now Quinn isn't the only one leaving KTRK as of late.

I've heard there have been a handful of longtime off-air employees exiting from engineering, community affairs and beyond over the last few months.

A few weeks ago, I asked my channel 13 media contact, David Lee, if these were layoffs, retirements or buy-outs.

The thought came into my mind after an October 2017 LA Times article where it was reported the ABC Television Group was going to have layoffs across the group (KTRK is owned by the Disney ABC Television Group). Then the best media blogger around, Robert Feder, reported layoffs at WLS in Chicago (KTRK sister station).

I never heard back from Lee.

Turns out he bolted for a new job too. I guess he was too busy packing to hit reply.

UPDATE JUNE 2018
Kevin Quinn goodbye part photos plus his new job




CONTACT: Leave me a Houston or Texas media news tip | COMMENT: Click to leave your thoughts on this post here