How Kristen Welker prepares to interview world leaders

Rebecca Thomas leaves FOX 7 Austin

Rebecca Thomas is no longer with FOX 7 Austin KTBC as an evening anchor, a station representative confirms to mikemcguff.com.

Morning anchor Casey Claiborne has also recently left FOX 7's "Good Day Austin."

Thomas served as the weekday evening news anchor and health reporter at KTBC FOX 7 in Austin, Texas, from 2015 to 2025. There, she anchored the station’s flagship newscasts at 5, 6, 9, and 10 p.m., and produced medical segments.

Before her time in Austin, Thomas worked for Arizona’s Family 3TV KTVK and CBS 5 News KPHO Phoenix, where she contributed to CBS 5’s nightly broadcasts and served as a fill-in anchor. 

Before that, she spent nearly six years with ABC15 Arizona, where she anchored morning shows, hosted interactive news and talk programs, and reported.

Earlier in her career, Thomas anchored morning and midday newscasts in Palm Springs at both NBC Palm Springs KMIR and KESQ 3. 

She launched her broadcasting journey at KYMA 11 Yuma, Arizona, as a weekend anchor and reporter.

According to her bio, journalism runs in the family of the San Diego State University graduate.  Her grandfather was an editor at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, and her uncle served as a photographer and photo editor for the Los Angeles Times.

Casey Claiborne leaves FOX 7 Austin

Casey Claiborne is no longer with FOX 7 Austin KTBC as a "Good Day Austin" morning anchor, a station representative confirms to mikemcguff.com.

Evening anchor Rebecca Thomas has also recently left FOX 7 Austin.

In January 2022, Claiborne transitioned from anchoring weekend mornings to weekday mornings on "Good Day Austin," succeeding Dave Froehlich, who left for KHOU 11 Houston in 2021. Froehlich returned to his former job as an anchor on FOX 7 KTBC's "Good Day Austin" in October 2023.

Since joining the station in 2013, Claiborne has covered a broad range of stories, from breaking news, city hall, and political developments.

Before arriving in Austin, Claiborne worked at KETK 56, Tyler, where he served as both a reporter and weekend morning anchor from 2010 to 2012. 

The University of North Texas grad's broadcast journey began even earlier—at just 16 years old—when he hosted the Saturday morning radio show "Let's Talk" on 1400 AM KEBE in Jacksonville, Texas.

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Natasha Williams named NewsWest 9 news director

Natasha Williams was named the NewsWest 9 KWES Midland-Odessa News Director in March 2025.

Most recently, Williams served as Assistant News Director and Anchor at Allen Media Broadcasting's WSIL News 3 in Carterville, Illinois, from January to October 2024.

Before that, Williams was a Multimedia Journalist and Fill-in Host for WOSU at The Ohio State University from 2021 to 2022. She also reported for WLKY Channel 32, Louisville, Kentucky, during a brief stint in late 2021.

Williams’ national experience includes anchoring for iHeartMedia and the Black Information Network from 2020 through early 2025, delivering news content to listeners across the country.

From 2019 to 2020, Williams anchored and reported for the award-winning newsmagazine Louisiana: The State We’re In on Louisiana Public Broadcasting. 

She previously anchored evening newscasts for KTVE 10 Monroe, Louisiana, from 2017 to 2019.

Earlier in her career, Williams worked in Dayton, Ohio, where she anchored for WHIO 7 for two decades beginning in 1992. She also worked as a breaking news anchor/reporter for WKEF/WRGT-TV 22/45 in Dayton and WCPO 9 News in Cincinnati.

Williams holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Johnson C. Smith University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Rudy Mireles joins ValleyCentral+ as digital anchor

Rudy Mireles joined the NBC23 KVEO and CBS 4 ValleyCentral+ team as a digital anchor in May 2025.

He suddenly announced his departure from his evening anchor position at crosstown rival Channel 5 News, KRGV, in the Rio Grande Valley, in October 2024.

Mireles became KRGV’s evening anchor in May 2022 following the retirement of Oscar Adame. He originally joined the station as a reporter in March 2020.

Before his time at KRGV, Mireles served as the morning news anchor for News Radio 1370 WSPD in Toledo, Ohio.

Before his journalism career, Mireles spent eight years in the U.S. Air Force and two years in the Air National Guard. His military service included deployments to the Middle East, Germany, and NSF Diego Garcia. He also supported the combat readiness of F-16 fighter jets with the 113th Wing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Orlando Peña Aurquia joins Telemundo 48 San Jose

Orlando Peña Aurquia joins Telemundo 48 San Jose as a meteorologist and weather reporter from Univision 62 Austin KAKW, and Univision 41 San Antonio KWEX.

Peña Aurquia worked for the Univision Texas stations since 2023.

Before Texas, he worked for N+ (formerly Noticieros Televisa) in Mexico City.

Originally from Cuba, Peña Aurquia earned a bachelor's degree in meteorology from the Higher Institute of Applied Technologies and Sciences (InSTEC) at the University of Havana. He later earned a master's degree in Earth Sciences from UNAM, with support from Mexico's National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT).

Light fixture falls during FOX 4 KDFW newscast

If you weren't awake... you are now😅 pic.twitter.com/uGjju7gGHt

— Paige Ellenberger (@PaigEllenberger) June 11, 2025

If FOX 4 KDFW Dallas - Fort Worth "Good Day" morning anchor Paige Ellenberger wasn't totally awake Wednesday at 4:38am, she definitely was after the studio light fixture fell live on-air!

"All good over here, just had the cover of a studio light fall behind us," Ellenberger later posted.  "It made a loud noise from hitting part of the set on the way down."

On Facebook, host Steve Noviello praised Ellenberger's cautious word choice after that loud noise while she was on camera.  

If I worked that early, I don't think a loud noise would even phase me. I'd still be out of it!

CBS Los Angeles launches 'groundbreaking' AR/VR technology studio

JUNE 11, 2025 – LOS ANGELES – CBS Los Angeles is proud to announce the launch of its groundbreaking AR/VR technology studio, the seventh and most advanced of its kind within the CBS Stations Group. Officially debuting today, June 11, during the 9:00 AM newscast with meteorologist Paul Deanno, the technology-driven studio marks a transformative leap in how weather and sports are reported in Southern California.

Located in a newly built state-of-the-art KCAL News studio, the new studio is the largest technology-driven facility in the CBS Stations Group, spanning 68 feet by 50 feet, totaling 3,400 square feet. It is the first and only fully AR/VR-enabled news studio in Southern California, placing CBS Los Angeles at the forefront of immersive broadcast journalism. The nearest comparable facility is at CBS Bay Area/KPIX, underscoring CBS Los Angeles’ leadership in innovation across the region.

“CBS Los Angeles is proud to be the first in Southern California to bring this level of immersive storytelling to our viewers,” said Tim Wieland, regional president and general manager of CBS Los Angeles. “This new AR/VR studio redefines how we deliver weather and sports – making complex information more accessible, engaging and visually compelling. It’s a game-changer for our market and a testament to our commitment to innovation.”

CBS-owned stations across the country have embraced next-generation technology to elevate the viewer’s experience, particularly in weather reporting. CBS Bay Area was the first to pioneer the state-of-the-art AR/VR weather set, delivering unmatched clarity and insight in forecasting, later leading the way for the other stations to follow. Stations in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami and Colorado are similarly leveraging AR/VR to enhance weather coverage, providing audiences with a more engaging and informative understanding of the conditions impacting their communities.

Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS Stations, who has overseen the rollout of AR/VR studios across the Network, shared: “We began this journey two years ago with KPIX in the Bay Area, driven by a vision to invest in local journalism and deliver the news in ways that resonate with today’s audiences. Bringing this technology to the nation’s second-largest media market was a natural next step. This is about standing apart through innovation, and continuing to lead with purpose, creativity and cutting-edge storytelling.”

Throughout the day on June 11, viewers can expect to see the new studio in action across CBS Los Angeles’ programming, showcasing how AR/VR technology brings weather patterns, sports analysis and storytelling to life like never before.

This launch represents a bold step forward in local broadcasting, offering a first-of-its-kind experience that no other station in the region can match. 

With this investment, CBS Los Angeles continues to lead the way in delivering cutting-edge journalism that informs, inspires and connects communities.

(Taken from a release)

KTXS 12 Abilene hiring spree

KTXS 12 Abilene has gone on a multi-media journalist (MMJ) hiring spree as of 2025.

Tori Garcia joins KTXS after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, where she reported for The Daily Texan and interned at Spectrum News in Austin.

Caitlin Leggett is a North Carolina Wesleyan University grad with a master's in journalism from Full Sail University. She comes from NBC4 Washington, WRC (hello Ted Oberg), where she was a production assistant/weekend assignment editor.

Jackson Burlison joins the Sinclair station after graduating from Full Sail University in Orlando.

Pete Delkus surprised by former WFAA anchor on his 20th anniversary

For his 20th anniversary with WFAA 8 Dallas-Fort Worth, chief meteorologist Pete Delkus was surprised by former channel 8 anchor Shelly Slater and her husband, Clay Huffstutter.

Slater left WFAA in 2016. 

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