Texas TV news and radio job moves March 2026

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DALLAS - FORT WORTH

This Texas Media Mogul Owns the Local News: Irving-based Nexstar controls more TV stations than any other company. CEO Perry Sook aims to grow it even bigger.

Dallas officials feared WFAA-TV would leave downtown over parking dispute, emails show.

After nearly 13 years, the WFAA newsroom said goodbye to assistant news director Sheena Autin.

KERA breaks ground on headquarters, prepares to launch local news show.

Audacy names Erik Bradley Brand Manager of 98.7 The Spot in Dallas.

Ricky Cody renewed his contract as Chief Meteorologist with Spectrum News and will be staying in Texas for the next three years.

FOX 4 KDFW Chief Photographer Bob Hawman retired in March 2026.

Cumulus Media’s New Country 96.3 and 99.5 The Wolf Raise $360,000 for Cook Children’s Medical Center at 5th Annual Texas Independence Jam at Billy Bob’s Texas.

- Damien Lodes joins CBS News Texas
- Ana Mafud joins Telemundo 39 DFW
- Nelly Carreno joins CBS News Texas
- Nicole Nielsen leaves CBS News Texas
- Steve Pickett celebrates 30 years with CBS 11 KTVT
- Nexstar + Tegna, what about Texas stations, plus the dissent
- Mariel Ruiz caught a meteor over Texas breaking apart while live on air

HOUSTON

iHeartMedia Houston Director of Promotions & Marketing, Rob Skinner, is celebrating his 30th year with the radio company.

The Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was announced, and Bruce Logan, Vice President of Programming for Audacy/Houston, with direct oversight of 100.3 KILT, is an inductee.

After 70+ years of telling the stories that make our neighborhoods feel like home, The Leader will close its doors. 

Nielsen Acknowledges Houston PPM Encoder Misuse From Illegally Operating Translators.

Space City Home Network announces Astros legend Ryan Pressly joining the broadcast

Meet the 96-Year-Old Texas Legend and iconic broadcaster, René Cárdenas, who helped solidify Houston as a baseball town.

After seven years at the Houston Chronicle covering state politics, Taylor Goldenstein joins the Texas Tribune.

Demarcus Ellis joins KPRC 2 as a technical director.

Rowdy Yates continues to expand his national footprint. The SuiteRadio program “Ridin’ with Rowdy” has been added to the nightly lineup on 96.1 KWS-FM in Charleston, West Virginia. Yates is also now heard weeknights on WUUQ-FM in Chattanooga. A special Saturday-only edition of the show has been picked up by KPXZ-FM in Las Cruces, New Mexico, while his afternoon-focused program “The Rowdy Ride Home” has landed in Butte Falls, Oregon on KWWL-FM. With the latest additions, Yates’ weekday reach now climbs to an impressive 70 affiliate stations.  

- Bill Barajas gets married
- Texas 2026 NAB Crystal Radio Award Winners
- Deanna Schultz to lead Houston Times and Dallas Herald Magazines
- KPRC 2 Houston has layoffs
- Haley Hernandez interviewed by Houston Moms
- Maggie McKethan Memorial Scholarship named after FOX 26 producer
- Coppelia Acevedo on trusting God in every season
- Tim Geraghty named KHOU 11 news director
- Pat Cavlin joins WPIX New York City
- Coffee House Houston moves to The Heights
- Jillian “JJ” Simmons joins 89.3 KSBJ Houston and Worship 24/7
- Owen Conflenti after KPRC 2 Houston
- Nicole Nielsen joins KPRC 2 Houston
- Tessa Barrera to leave Houston Life
- Houston Children’s Charity Makes History with Largest-Ever “Chariots for Children” Van Distribution
- Wayne Dolcefino profiled by Houston Chronicle
- Texas CBS News correspondent reportedly laid off
- Re'Chelle Turner is pregnant
- Remember Michelle Merhar from FOX 26 Houston KRIV?

SAN ANTONIO

Sam Pieprzyca rises to 102.7 Jack-FM KJXK Program Director.

WOAI anchor Mandy Noell plans a perfect day in S.A.

Graham Media Group's KSAT 12 has removed the bios of producer Hardy Meredith, Content Gatherer Avery Meurer plus digital journalists Ivan Herrera, Mason Hickok, Andrew Wilson and Ryan Cerna from its website.

Landon Lowe has been promoted to KSAT12's Nightside All-Platform Executive Producer.

- KSAT 12 San Antonio layoffs
- KSAT 12 meteorologist arrested, accused of assault
- Roxy Van Ruiten is engaged

AUSTIN

101X KROX goes local in mornings with the debut of “Morning X” featuring Trevin Smith and Sawyer Stull.

Texas Monthly Contributor Elliott Woods Wins Overseas Press Club Award for Migrant Series.

Sarah Smith joins KVUE as a producer.

- CBS Austin responds to viral video
- Scott Braddock on the new Quorum Report Radio
- Where is KVUE's Rob Evans?
- Sam Stark leaves KXAN for Austin Current
- Jordan Darensbourg leaves KVUE Austin

AROUND TEXAS

After four decades on 710 KURV Rio Grande Valley, Davis Rankin is retiring. He says he'll still fill in from time to time.

Most Stations In Country’s Top 20? Texas Holds ‘Em.

KWTX 10 Waco engineer Mike Jugert is retiring after 26 years.

NewsWest 9 Anchor Victor Lopez opens up about cancer setback.

KXII 12 Sherman added multi-media journalists (MMJs) Taylor Brooks, Maresa Sisk and Mia Medellin in the last year.

TEGNA's KCEN 6 Waco-Temple-Killeen news director Jim Hice leaves the TEGNA station.

KCEN 6 Waco-Temple-Killeen director and "Director's Chair with Shawn Hobbs" host, Shawn Hobbs ' bio has been removed from the station website, with no new movie critic since January 2026.

TEGNA's 12News Now - KBMT Beaumont Nightside Executive Producer Korbyn Lee and Digital Producer Sharinna Byrd are no longer listed on the station's website bio page.

12 News KBMT Beaumont producer Nick Northrup has been announced as leaving the station.

ABC 7 KVIA El Paso reporter Tyaun Marshburn has left.

KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock's Madeleine Hall has been promoted to full-time reporter.

ABC 7 KVIA El Paso adds Katrina Villarreal and Alberto Silva as producers.

Twenty Cumulus & Townsquare Media Stations cease operations, Texas included.

Emily Paulson joined KBTX as a multimedia Journalist in November 2025.

MMJ Adam Beam leaves KRIS 6 Corpus Christi for 7 News WKBW Buffalo.

KTEN 10 Sherman reporter Ryan Thorpe leaves.

Connoisseur Media has sold one of its three stations in the Sherman/Denison market.

Al Caldwell turns 90: Watch this 'PM Magazine' story from 1980 featuring radio legend.

Sarah Howard joins KBTX 3 Bryan-College Station as a Meteorology Fellow.

Emily Schmalz joins KFOX-TV/CBS4 El Paso as a weekday reporter and the weekend meteorologist.

KBTX’s Rusty Surette and Kayleigh Thomas arrested...for a good cause.

- Kellianne Klass joins KIII 3NEWS Corpus Christi
- Cristina Rodda leaves KTSM 9 News El Paso
- Lisely Garza leaves KGNS Laredo
- Priscilla Meza leaves News Channel 6 KAUZ Wichita Falls
- Lauren Margolis joins FOX 35 Orlando
- Recent Texas anchor baby announcements
- Brayel Brown joins WREG Memphis

REMEMBERING

Remembering Gary Stricklin: Former KTXS Sports Director Dies at 71.

89.7 KACC Alvin's Paula Guidry passed away after a battle with Colon Cancer. 

Rene Vasquez, a longtime radio personality on Majic 104.9 FM and known as "The Voice of Robstown" for decades, has died.

KPRC drops 3pm newscast

KPRC 2 viewers are letting me know that the Graham Media Group's 3pm newscast has not been airing this week.  

According to KPRC's own TV listings, the newscast has been replaced by a half-hour of The Drew Barrymore Show and Entertainment Tonight.

The Drew Barrymore Show still airs for a full hour on Channel 2 at 11am.  And Entertainment Tonight is still airing in its multi-decade slot at 6:30pm.

As the chronicler of all Houston media, I remember blogging back in 2023 when the 3pm newscast debuted with co-anchors  Andy Cerota, Lisa Hernandez, and meteorologist Justin Stapleton.  

At the same time, KPRC debuted "KPRC 2 News Today at 10am." Less than a year later, the 10am newscast was replaced by...you guessed it...Drew Barrymore.

The former movie star has become quite the pinch hitter for KPRC's newscast substitutions.

(Thanks, Shad)

 

“Frito & Katy” no longer on 100.3 The Bull KILT Houston

“Frito & Katy” is no longer airing on 100.3 The Bull KILT Houston, as the show has been removed from the Audacy station's website.

Multiple reports in radio industry trades say owner Audacy is currently undergoing nationwide layoffs, and Frito and Katy are included.

Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey joined 100.3 The Bull on January 10, 2025, taking the morning slot previously held by “The Morning Bullpen with George Mo and Erik,” who departed the station in December 2024 after nearly a decade.

The pair came to Houston from Y100 KCYY in San Antonio, where they hosted the morning show since January 2022. 

"It just wasn't something I thought would be in the cards," Frito told mikemcguff.com in February 2025 about working in Houston. "We never focused on getting to any one market. We just wanted to do great radio and build great radio stations. If that had only ever happened in College Station, I would have been more than fine with that. If we had stayed in San Antonio for 20 years, that would have been great, too. We've just been extremely lucky to be presented with some amazing opportunities that were almost impossible to say no to."

Before the Alamo City, they handled the AM drive at Candy 95 KNDE in College Station.

Texas natives, Young and Dempsey have earned numerous industry honors, including the 2024 CMA Award for Major Market Personality, a 2021 Marconi Award, multiple Crystal Awards, and the Bonner McLane Award for Community Service from the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

"At the end of the day, radio is a public service. We can’t lose sight of that," Dempsey told mikemcguff.com in February 2025. "It’s a way to directly connect a community with opportunities to serve it. That’s such a large part of how we program and create content. Given the nature of our business and the flexibility of this medium, I believe we have a duty to go beyond merely entertaining audiences on their commutes. To be effective, we need to help where we can."

Ryan Shoptaugh on KHOU 11 Houston

I have been receiving reader questions about meteorologist Ryan Shoptaugh appearing on KHOU 11 in Houston, and if I have written about it.

The answer is yes and no.

I have not written about Shoptaugh doing some work for KHOU, but recently I covered how Shoptaugh was promoted to a TEGNA Multi-Market Meteorologist position based out of his old station, KENS 5 in San Antonio.

"Remaining based at KENS in San Antonio, I’ll serve as a Multi-Market Meteorologist - helping cover weather across Texas and cities throughout the South," Shoptaugh posted in December 2025 on social.

With the TEGNA-Nexstar merger, not sure what happens to Shoptaugh and other TEGNA Multi-Market Meteorologists.  Will they stay where they are or move into the Nexstar weather fill-in hubs?

Either way, if you are in Texas or nearby, you might see Shoptaugh fill in for a meteorologist in your local TEGNA or Nexstar station's weather department.

- Pat Cavlin leaves KHOU 11 Houston

Noah McKinney leaves KTAB Abilene

Noah McKinney left his KTAB Abilene weekend anchor role at the end of December 2025.

McKinney, Cisco native, started with the station as a production assistant later moving to spot news photographer and eventually senior reporter/weekend anchor.

PJ Heussner joins Dolcefino Media from FOX 44 KWKT

PJ Heussner joined Dolcefino Media as an investigative reporter in October 2025.

The Houston native came from FOX 44 KWKT Waco/Temple/Killeen, where she had been a multimedia journalist (MMJ) and weekend anchor since April 2022.

The Sam Houston State University grad worked for the student-run KSHU Cable Channel 7 news as the main anchor. She received the ‘Best Student Newscast’ award at the Heatwave Film Festival.

Texas meteorologist captures meteor live on air

WFAA 8 Dallas - Fort Worth meteorologist Mariel Ruiz caught a meteor over Texas breaking apart while live on air last week, but didn't realize it until later. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mariel Ruiz | TV Meteorologist (@marielruizwx)

Remember Michelle Merhar from FOX 26 Houston KRIV?

Remember former FOX 26 Houston KRIV morning anchor Michelle Merhar?

Morning co-anchor Melissa Wilson just emceed an event with her.

According to Merhar's Facebook page, she is now a stay-at-home mom with three little ones.

Merhar left FOX 26 in 2016. She previously worked for 740 KTRH.

Re'Chelle Turner is pregnant

Re'Chelle Turner announced she is pregnant.

Here is what the KPRC 2 Houston reporter announced in a social video filmed at the McGovern Centennial Gardens to the soundtrack of Beyoncé's "II HANDS II HEAVEN:"

"We’ve been keeping a little secret…and I can’t hide it anymore! 

Our baby girl is on the way.

Coming September 2026 our biggest blessing yet."

Turner was married to Faison Echols on September 4, 2021, in Birmingham, Alabama.

The couple met at the University of Alabama in a Mass Communications class, and after a seven-year-long-distance relationship while living in five different states, Turner and Echols are now expecting in Houston.

Turner joined KPRC 2 from KARK 4 in Little Rock back in 2020.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Re’Chelle Echols (@rechelleturner_)

(Thanks, Shad!)

Jordan Darensbourg leaves KVUE Austin

Jordan Darensbourg announced he is leaving his KVUE Austin meteorologist position.

Here is a portion of what Darensbourg posted on social:

"My time at KVUE is coming to an end, but I owe a debt of gratitude to a lot of people.

To our GM Byron Wilkinson and our News Director Travis Sattiewhite, THANK YOU. Your wisdom and guidance were very helpful and I continued my career at this great station.

To former GM Kristie Gonzales and former News Director Christina Ginn, THANK YOU for taking a chance in 2022 on a guy who was only in Texas for 16 months prior to KVUE.

To every reporter, producer, anchor and editor I’ve worked with here, THANK YOU. I’m grateful that I had the pleasure of working with some of the most amazing people in our industry.

To my chief meteorologist Hunter Williams, THANK YOU. Your wisdom and advice is second to none of any chief I’ve had in this business."

Darensbourg joined the KVUE Austin Storm Team in April 2022 from TEGNA sister station KCEN 6 in Waco/Temple/Killeen, where he had been part of the weather team since November 2020.

He began his career in December 2018 at WDTV 5 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, serving as a morning meteorologist.

Darensbourg holds a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Jackson State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a broadcast emphasis from Mississippi State University. While at Mississippi State, he worked as a meteorologist and multimedia journalist for the school’s Take 30 News on MSTV.

He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists' Weather & Climate Task Force and the American Meteorological Society.

According to his bio, Darensbourg has Asperger’s, a form of autism, and uses his diagnosis to inspire others to pursue their goals.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jordan Darensbourg (@jdarensbourgwx)