Daniella Guzman suspended from KPRC 2 during 'ticket' investigation

Daniella Guzman, a KPRC 2 Houston morning anchor, has been suspended, the station announced this morning, after a conservative news website published that she and Houston-area politicians received free World Cup tickets:

"We want to disclose a matter this morning involving a staff member at KPRC.

The Station is aware of reports alleging that news anchor Daniella Guzman received complimentary tickets to a concert and FIFA World Cup match from the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. 

We take matters regarding potential conflicts of interest very seriously. Ms. Guzman has been suspended pending the result of a company investigation.

You have our assurances that this issue will be investigated thoroughly and fairly."

Since this is a media blog, I will be focusing on the TV connection for this post. Read the full story for mentions of the politicians.

The Texas Voice, a website that bills itself as "an alternative to the liberal mainstream media," posted an article about the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation (HCSCC) allegedly giving free World Cup tickets to politicians, a television news anchor, and others.

The article states that the website put in a public records request to the HCSCC, a component of Harris County, to see who received tickets to events at its NRG Stadium (now returning to the Reliant Stadium name).

More from The Texas Voice:

"Daniella Guzman, a news anchor for KPRC-TV, was given three tickets to the June 17 World Cup match between Portugal and four tickets to a Bruno Mars concert held at NRG Stadium on April 22. On her social media accounts, Guzman posted video of her sitting in a luxury suite at the World Cup match, accompanied by her parents. 

By accepting these tickets, Guzman potentially violated the station’s policies concerning conflicts of interest. KPRC-TV General Manager Sean McLaughlin told The Texas Voice that the station has opened an internal investigation into the matter, adding, 'Our station takes journalistic ethics very seriously along with anything that could potentially create even the appearance of a conflict of interest.   Due to this being a personnel matter, we won’t have any other comments.'"

READ THE REST

As you might imagine, since the Texas Voice publisher Mark McCaig posted an X teaser about this story and Guzman's involvement Monday, this has been the talk of the Houston media community (since this is a media blog, I am just concentrating on that part of it).

KPRC-TV has begun an internal investigation into news anchor Daniella Guzman concerning her acceptance of free tickets to a Bruno Mars concert and a World Cup match from the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation. Other recipients of freebies include politicians and a…

— Mark McCaig (@MarkMcCaig) July 27, 2026

In terms of the broadcasting angle, some in the comments are saying this is a non-story, since members of the media over the years have received many free tickets to events. 

So why did KPRC conduct an investigation and suspend Guzman?  This seems to be unclear to many readers of the initial reporting.

After talking to several current and former TV news management types, they tell me KPRC is addressing this due to the high dollar amount behind the cost of World Cup/Bruno Mars concert tickets.  

In fact, it sounds like a general ballpark number of an acceptable media "gift" in the form of tickets, for example, would be around $75 based on what I am told by different broadcast company employees.

The next question: did Guzman notify the station of the free tickets?

Back in the day, stations were apparently more lenient on this stuff than in today's environment.

But even decades ago, as today, new hires at broadcasting stations are required to sign something like an ethics agreement, conflict-of-interest policies, and code-of-conduct contracts that explicitly prohibit payola, plugola, and undeclared gifts.

Ultimately, news departments don't want to be seen as accepting gifts from a governmental agency in this case and then doing positive stories or less comprehensive stories on them in the future. This is not saying Guzman would have done this, but stations certainly do not want it to appear this is happening.

2026 NAB Marconi Radio Award Texas Finalists

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced the finalists for the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards, and here are the Texas stations.

NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

El Free Guey Show, TelevisaUnivision, Houston, TX 

Ryan Fox, Westwood One, Dallas, TX 

MAJOR MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  

Riggs, Katelyn & Erica, KKBQ-FM, Houston, TX 

SMALL MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR  

KMMX-FM, Lubbock, TX 

KNDE-FM, College Station, TX 

CHR STATION OF THE YEAR  

KNDE-FM, College Station, TX 

CLASSIC HITS STATION OF THE YEAR  

KONO-FM, San Antonio, TX 

COUNTRY STATION OF THE YEAR 

KKBQ-FM, Houston, TX 

SPANISH LANGUAGE STATION OF THE YEAR  

KOVE-FM, Houston, TX 

SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR  

KTCK-FM, Dallas, TX 

SEE FULL LIST OF FINALISTS

The winners of the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards will be announced during a special dinner program brought to you by Xperi on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City,

Established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards recognize overall excellence in radio by honoring outstanding stations, on-air personalities, podcasts and industry leaders. 

Vida Unida expands weekday live programming, announces new on-air lineup

HOUSTON, TX — July 28, 2026 — Vida Unida, Hope Media Group’s Spanish-language Christian media network, launched a new weekday lineup on July 7, marking the first time in the network’s history that Vida Unida will be live from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT each weekday.

The expanded live schedule represents more than a programming change. It marks a significant step in Vida Unida’s growth as the network increases its live weekday presence to serve Spanish-speaking listeners with encouragement, prayer, and hope-filled music throughout the day. 

“More live programming means more opportunities to build relationships, encourage listeners, pray with them, share hope, and point people to Jesus,” said Tony Luna. “This is an exciting new chapter for Vida Unida, and we believe the best is yet to come.”

The new weekday lineup will feature:

• Mornings: Rocío Madrid will move from middays to mornings, joining Carlos Manuelle on Vida en la Mañana.

• Middays: Coppelia will host middays, bringing a heart for ministry, encouragement, and audience connection to Vida Unida listeners.

• Afternoons: Sadiel Castro will move into afternoons, helping listeners navigate their day with encouragement, faith, and hope.

• Evenings: Cristina Sáenz joins Vida Unida with more than 10 years of television, radio, and digital media experience, bringing faith-centered storytelling to evenings.

With the expanded schedule, Vida Unida will be present in more moments of listeners’ lives. Whether someone is beginning the morning, driving home from work, or winding down at night, Vida Unida will be there with hope-filled music, encouragement, and prayer in real time.

Ajay Patel joins KPRC 2 Houston

Ajay Patel is joining the KPRC 2 Houston news team as a reporter.

"All smiles over here, I am excited to announce that I am joining the @kprc2 team in Houston as their newest reporter," Patel posted.  "Grateful for everyone’s support to get me here. Everything’s bigger in Texas!"

Patel arrives in Houston after spending the past two years at WLEX Lex 18 News in Lexington, Kentucky, where he worked as a multimedia journalist beginning in July 2024. 

A 2024 graduate of Temple University, Patel earned a bachelor's degree in Communication and Media Studies. 

At Temple, Patel was heavily involved with student media. He served as an anchor, reporter, and production assistant for OwlSports Update Productions.  He also co-hosted a weekly sports talk show on WHIP Radio, reporting on Philadelphia sports and providing game-day coverage of Temple football and basketball.

His broadcast experience also includes serving as a camera operator and shader for Temple University Athletics broadcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN+, directing and technical directing Temple Athletics shows on TUTV, and anchoring the "Sports Desk" segment for Temple Update.

Patel interned with NBC10 Philadelphia WCAU and a morning news internship at PHL17 WPHL, also in Philadelphia.

- Gage Goulding leaves KPRC 2 Houston for CNN
- Kelly Wiley joins KPRC 2 Houston
- Zach Lashway shares about life after KPRC 2 and TV

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Esmeralda Zamora leaves KXAN Austin

Esmeralda Zamora announced she has left KXAN Austin as of July 2026.

Zamora joined the KXAN team in July 2024 as the KXAN+ Digital Anchor and Digital Reporter.

After college, she took on her first role as a Telemundo Bilingual Multimedia Journalist in Corpus Christi, Texas. At that station, she wore many hats, serving as a Producer, Photographer, Anchor, Weather Anchor, and filling in as a Reporter for KRIS 6 News.

She was born and raised in McAllen, Texas, and graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, with a degree in Electronic Media Journalism and a minor in Spanish.

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Isabella Garriga named First Alert 7 KOSA evening anchor

Isabella Garriga was promoted to evening anchor at First Alert 7 KOSA in Midland-Odessa, a role she assumed in January 2026.

Garriga now co-anchors the station's 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts alongside Jay Hendricks.

The promotion marks a full-circle moment for the West Texas native. Garriga first joined KOSA in the summer of 2022 as an intern before returning to Texas Christian University to complete her studies.

After earning her degree in May 2023, she returned to her hometown region and accepted a full-time position as a multimedia journalist and reporter with First Alert 7. Since then, she has worked her way through the newsroom before moving into the evening anchor chair.

Born and raised in Odessa, Garriga attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where she earned a degree in Communication Studies with a minor in General Business.

Kelly Wiley joins KPRC 2 Houston

Kelly Wiley joined the KPRC 2 Houston investigative team in July 2026 after five years at KXAN Austin.

She most likely replaces Robert Arnold, who left KPRC in June. 

Wiley spent the past five years as an investigative reporter with KXAN, joining the station in July 2021. During her time in Austin, she covered accountability stories and in-depth investigations before announcing her departure in July 2026.

Before KXAN, Wiley was an investigative reporter at KPRC's Graham Media Group sister station WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida, from 2019 to 2021. While there, she earned an Emmy Award for an investigation into a local Catholic diocese's decision to hire a priest who had previously been cited in a Pennsylvania grand jury report for failing to report allegations of sexual abuse within the church.

Her reporting in Jacksonville also prompted a state investigation into the diocese's handling of a sexual abuse allegation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wiley's reporting revealed that vaccine distribution efforts had overlooked low-income senior housing communities, leading to a grassroots effort to bring vaccines to residents living in Jacksonville Housing Authority properties.

Wiley began her television news career at WRDW-TV in Augusta, Georgia, where she worked from 2015 to 2019 as an investigative reporter and evening anchor. Her investigations uncovered a school district hiring bus drivers with poor driving records despite its own policies and identified polling places that lacked proper accessibility for voters with disabilities. She also produced the investigative series Invisible Barriers, which highlighted deteriorating and missing sidewalks throughout downtown Augusta that created obstacles for people with disabilities. Her work earned two Georgia Associated Press Awards for specialized reporting and series reporting.

A Columbia, South Carolina, native, Wiley comes from a family of educators and is the daughter and sister of teachers. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in political science.

Before beginning her professional career, Wiley interned with WIS-TV in Columbia and WSOC-TV in Charlotte.

- Gage Goulding leaves KPRC 2 Houston
- Brittany Begley no longer with KPRC 2 Houston
- Rachel Briers joins KPRC 2 Houston
- Ajay Patel joins KPRC 2 Houston
- Zach Lashway shares about life after KPRC 2 and TV

(Thanks, Taylor!)

Zach Lashway shares about life after KPRC 2 and TV

After leaving KPRC 2 Houston, former anchor/reporter Zach Lashway is opening up about his decision to step away from television news and what life looks like in his new career.

Lashway shared that he has spent the past six months working in corporate communications for Comcast, supporting the company's Texas Region from Houston alongside former KPRC 2 reporter and colleague Taisha Walker.

"I had spent my entire professional life moving around the country for the job," Lashway told mikemcguff.com.  "When the cities were unfamiliar, the work was familiar. I knew if I was going to make a major career change, I needed one constant. For me, this was Houston. After five years, it had become home, and keeping that foundation gave me the confidence to take a leap into something entirely new."

Leaving the news business was an incredibly personal decision for Lashway, and he told me that he had decided more than a year before his contract expired that it was time for a change, carefully weighing the pros and cons before making the move.

Lashway signed off from KPRC 2 on January 16, 2026, ending more than four years at the Houston NBC affiliate.

He joined KPRC 2 in October 2021 as a reporter after working at sister station WJXT News4Jax in Jacksonville, Florida, where he served as weekend morning anchor.

In March 2023, Lashway became the anchor of KPRC 2's new streaming morning newscast on KPRC2+, airing weekdays from 8 to 9 a.m. The digital lineup expanded in August 2023 with the launch of KPRC2+ Now at 9 a.m., co-anchored by Lashway and Haley Hernandez.

Throughout his tenure at KPRC 2, Lashway covered major stories across the country and around the world. He was the first—and only—Texas television reporter to travel to Poland in consecutive years to report on the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. His assignments also included coverage of the 2022 World Series in Philadelphia and Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. Closer to home, he reported from aboard U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft over the Gulf and went behind the scenes with the Transportation Security Administration during flight attendant self-defense training.

Lashway also hosted the KPRC original digital series Solvable, which examined cold cases involving marginalized communities.

Before arriving in Houston, the two-time Edward R. Murrow Award winner and Emmy-nominated journalist worked as an anchor and reporter at KARE 11 in Minneapolis. His career also includes stops at WPHL-TV in Philadelphia and KRTV/KXLH in Great Falls, Montana.

A graduate of the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, Lashway began his journalism career with an internship at CBS News.

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Shelby Rose joins Houston Public Media

Shelby Rose has joined Houston Public Media's News 88.7 KUHF as an anchor.

"You’re looking at @houstonpubmedia new midday news anchor," Rose posted.  "Stoked to be broadcasting both local and statewide newscasts across all Texas NPR stations. Let’s doooo it!!"

Rose departed her FOX 26 Houston KRIV reporter position in July 2025.

So dedicated to the city, she got a Houston Astros tattoo live on air!

Rose joined FOX 26 in June 2022 from KATV ABC 7 Little Rock, Arkansas.  

She previously served as a multimedia journalist (MMJ) for KX News KXMB Bismarck, North Dakota.

The University of Texas at San Antonio grad interned at KRIV.

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Olivia Dague joins KSAT 12 San Antonio

Olivia Dague joined KSAT 12 San Antonio as a multimedia journalist (MMJ) in July 2026.

Dague arrives in South Texas from WBIR 10 in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she spent three years as a reporter covering East Tennessee news.

The move marks a return to Texas for Dague, who grew up in Arlington and has family throughout the San Antonio area.

Dague graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in political science and international studies.

While at Oklahoma, she gained extensive hands-on experience with the university's student-run newscast, OU Nightly, serving as a reporter, producer, and news anchor. She also completed internships with KSL 5 in Salt Lake City and NBCUniversal's Community Impact program in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

- Leah Rodriguez joins KSAT 12 San Antonio
- Hunter King joins KSAT 12 San Antonio