Phil Lane announced in a video to staff today that he is retiring from KPRC 2 Houston as Vice President and General Manager effective April 11, 2025.
I have not personally seen the video, but multiple sources confirm the information to mikemcguff.com.
He joined KPRC, succeeding Jerry Martin from Graham Media Group's sister station, KSAT 12 in San Antonio, in 2022, where he held the same position.
KPRC did not respond to my inquiries. If I receive a response, I will add it here.
When I asked Dave Strickland, the first KPRC news director to work under Lane, for a statement on the GM's upcoming retirement, he replied, "No comment."
During his nearly two-year tenure with the station, it created streaming offerings and added then cancelled television newscasts. Last year, KPRC debuted a new studio.
More likely coming top down from the Graham Media Group, if you've been reading this blog or other trade publications, KPRC has recently seen a significant number of longtime employees leave. Just last year, the station had buyouts, along with KSAT, of notable figures such as chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley and news director Bernice Kearney, among many other longtime managers. Staffers say this has affected the morale of those who remained. My readers have also commented on social media that the station has also experienced a high rate of turnover among anchors and reporters.
The TV company also changed the management structure of the newsroom and publicly said that cutting anchors might be a way to trim expenses.
If I were Lane, I would have retired, too!
Joining KSAT in 2011, Lane led the station to market dominance in news ratings and oversaw the number one local media website in San Antonio, according to Graham Media Group. Under his leadership, KSAT launched local programming, including “SA Live,” a daily live lifestyle show, and “Texas Eats,” a food series now distributed statewide.
Lane also spearheaded KSAT’s digital expansion, including the streaming news series “KSAT Explains,” the KSAT Plus content stream, mobile and OTT apps, and the KSAT Big Game Coverage high school sports network. Additionally, he created Graham Media’s first membership program, KSAT Insiders.
Before joining KSAT, the Furman University grad served as Vice President and General Manager of:
WSPA and WYCW in the Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville/Anderson, NC, market (2004-2011)
WJBF in Augusta, GA (2000-2004)
WRBL in Columbus, GA (1997-2000)
