Best News Bloopers 2019 #4

Hannah Mackenzie joins KPRC 2

WEAR Pensacola anchor/reporter Hannah Mackenzie joins KPRC 2 as a freelance reporter

Hannah Mackenzie, a former anchor/reporter for WEAR Pensacola, FL, is joining KPRC as a freelance reporter.

"HOU-ge news! I’m heading back to my hometown where I’ve accepted a freelance reporter position with @KPRC2 - the station I grew up watching. So excited for this next chapter! #Houston here I come," Mackenzie tweeted.

So when I get asked who is replacing the recently departed KPRC 2 reporter Sophia Beausoleil, let's assume its Mackenzie. Or it could be a total coincidence - if you are around TV news long enough, you get this.

Mackenzie grew up in Houston, but is originally from Aberdeen, Scotland. She is not the only Houston TV reporter who immigrated to H-Town from Scotland. So did actor Daniel Craig's (you know James Bond) second cousin, KHOU 11 consumer reporter Tiffany Craig, who moved here from Dingwall, Scotland.

She left WEAR in October 2019 and started with the station in 2016.

Here are other career highlights:

FOX 2 News KFXV
News Anchor/Reporter/Producer
McAllen, Texas
Aug 2013 – Jun 2016

YNN Austin
News Intern
Jan 2013 – May 2013
Austin

Mackenzie is a University of Texas at Austin grad with a Bachelors degree in Journalism.

HOU-ge news! I’m heading back to my hometown where I’ve accepted a freelance reporter position with @KPRC2 - the station I grew up watching. So excited for this next chapter! #Houston here I come! pic.twitter.com/eqrrfEy5NW

— Hannah Mackenzie (@Hannahh_Mackk) January 18, 2020

Matthew Seedorff joins FOX 26 KRIV

News 4 San Antonio WOAI/KABB reporter Matthew Seedorff joins FOX 26 KRIV as a reporter


Matthew Seedorff, a former News 4 San Antonio WOAI/KABB reporter, joins FOX 26 KRIV today.

I thought Fridays where supposed to be easy, but today in Houston TV news, a reporter had a baby, a reporter left KHOU 11 and another reporter left KPRC 2. And now a new reporter! I'm taking next week off! Just kidding.

Here is Seedorff's work history.

2017-2019 Reporter
WOAI/KABB San Antonio, TX

2015-2017 Evening Anchor
KTWO Casper, WY

2014-2015 Anchor/Reporter
KTWO Casper, WY

Seedorff attended Auburn University, before transferring to The George Washington University, where he competed in Division I baseball.

(Thanks Kevin)

Sophia Beausoleil leaves KPRC 2

Sophia Beausoleil leaves KPRC 2

Katy native Sophia Beausoleil is leaving KPRC 2 and heading to Dallas.

"Saying goodbye (for now) to @KPRC2SophiaB who, along with her beautiful baby boy, is headed to Dallas, where her husband is a medical resident. We are going to miss her at @KPRC2. Good luck Sophia," posted KPRC 2 Assistant News Director Aaron Wische to Twitter.

That's not the only life change for the channel 2 reporter. Beausoleil welcomed baby Zayn last September (the same day as KPRC colleague Haley Hernandez).

Beausoleil joined KPRC 2 in 2017 coming from KXAN Austin. She has been there since 2012.

Before that she worked at WCIA Champaign, Illinois and KOMU8 Columbia, Missouri.

She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia.

UPDATE JANUARY 18, 2020
Hannah Mackenzie joins KPRC 2

RELATED - ANOTHER HOUSTON TV DEPARTURE ANNOUNCED ON THE SAME DAY
Larry Seward leaves KHOU

UPDATE

Beausoleil says goodbye on Facebook:

LIFE UPDATE: I have some bittersweet news.

After the 10pm newscast, today is my last day at KPRC2 / Click2Houston. The past three years here have been absolutely amazing! It's been an honor and privilege to report in my hometown and tell stories that are important to the community. One of the the most memorable moments will forever be reporting during Hurricane Harvey. The flooding impacted my family and I know many of you too. I'm grateful to those of you who opened up to me and shared your experiences during that time.

Thank you for trusting me. Trust is the only currency I have in this job, and I take it very seriously, so thank you for sharing your stories and for tuning in everyday.

I'm truly going to miss my hardworking co-workers and management. I'm so grateful to KPRC for allowing me to travel across the state, the country and even internationally to tell stories with ties to Houston.

As you may know, Houston is home for both me and my husband. We grew up in Katy, our parents are still here and so is our extended family.

So where am I going and why?

I am heading north on I-45 and moving to Dallas.

My husband is currently in residency at a hospital in Dallas and we've been long distance since last year. Now since our sweet baby boy is part of the equation, it makes the distance a little harder. While I will greatly miss reporting in H-Town, it's important for our little family to be together.

You may still see me on the airwaves though, I'll be reporting at NBC 5, KXAS.

It's a small world and I can still help pass your story ideas along. Please follow my new page Sophia Beausoleil

So this isn't goodbye, but so long for now.

Thank you all so much!
-Sophia

Saying goodbye (for now) to @KPRC2SophiaB who, along with her beautiful baby boy, is headed to Dallas, where her husband is a medical resident. We are going to miss her at @KPRC2. Good luck Sophia! pic.twitter.com/nRVm8W5hlt

— Aaron Wische (@KPRC2Aaron) January 17, 2020

* This post has been corrected after initially misidentifying Beausoleil's son's name

Larry Seward leaves KHOU

KHOU 11 reporter Larry Seward is leaving Houston for Cincinnati, Ohio which happens to be his hometown.

Our friend and colleague ⁦@LSewardKHOU⁩ is leaving after nearly 10 years ⁦@KHOU⁩. We are sad to see you go and wish you all the very best in Cincy! #Reppin513 all day long Larry! pic.twitter.com/XWIVWJPcdc

— Jeremy Rogalski (@JRogalskiKHOU) January 17, 2020

I contacted Seward via Twitter yesterday to confirm he is heading to WCPO which is the rumor around H-Town. He did not respond.

Seward has been with KHOU since 2011 when he arrived from Kansas City's KSHB NBC Action News where he had worked for more than six years.

Before KC, the Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism grad worked at WPDE Florence/Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

In 1998, he started his career at WOUB Athens, Ohio reporting, producing and anchoring the PBS newscast.

RELATED - ANOTHER HOUSTON TV DEPARTURE ANNOUNCED ON THE SAME DAY
Sophia Beausoleil leaves KPRC 2

Shelley Childers has baby #2

abc13 KTRK reporter Shelley Childers announced the arrival of her new bundle of joy late last night.

"Coming in 9 days late, exactly like his big sister... I’d like to introduce baby Frederick 💙 We are over the moon that he has finally arrived. Thank you all for your well wishes and love throughout my pregnancy," Childers posted on Facebook.

Last August, Childers announced the baby's gender with blue smoke.

At the beginning of 2020, Childers cut 12 inches of her hair off and donated it to group Hair We Share.

Brandi Smith new KHOU Saturday morning anchor

"Surprise!" is one of the first words new KHOU 11 #HTownRush Saturday morning newscast anchor Brandi Smith says in her Facebook video announcing her new gig right before showtime last weekend.

Since Smith already anchors the weekday version of #HTownRush, I guess this means she gets a day off in the middle of the week now. She was on the air Tuesday morning.

Suprises/quiet launches seem to be how a lot of new shows are debuted these days in the Houston media. You know, no promotion and then...poof...changes made with maybe a quick Facebook post ahead of time.

As I wrote the weekend before, KHOU quietly launched its first ever Sunday morning newscast.

Then 97.9 The Box KBXX quietly launched a new morning show replacing the long running Madd Hatta Morning Show.

Now, as for all the people asking me about what's happening to former Saturday morning anchor Ron Trevino...don't worry. He's still doing the weekend evening newscasts. If I were him, I wouldn't mind giving up a Saturday double shift. Yes, you read that right, he anchored the Saturday morning and Saturday/Sunday evening news.

Chauncy Glover adds 6:30pm news duties

Chauncy Glover is a news anchor on the rise. We've watched him start the 3pm newscast and now he is also anchoring the 6:30pm newscast.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS! New Year, New time slot! Kicking of 2020 with my new partner in crime ABC13-Ilona Carson. Catch us Monday-Friday on ABC13 at 6:30. (Yes, I’ll still be on at 3 getting your afternoons started) God is so good! I pray hard, work hard, show up ...and HE does the rest! Love you Houston!"

I told you this was coming way back in 2018 when Glover debuted the channel 13 3pm newscast:

What I can guess is that news director Wendy Granato has high hopes for the Glover and Moreno anchor team. Considering the attention, that especially Glover has been receiving, are we seeing the future main anchors move up through the Eyewitness News ranks? The 3pm today, the 6pm and 10pm news in the future?

OK, I didn't say 6:30pm, but I was close!

So, does this mean that now 6:30pm anchor, Erik Barajas, will move to the 6pm show with Gina Gaston and still continue to anchor the 10pm too?


Barajas has been hanging out in LA with late night ABC host Jimmy Kimmel (Baba Booey) as of late.

Here is my plea to Barajas, no matter how much Kimmel tells him using broadcast tones in his story is a good idea, DON'T DO IT!

If Barajas moves to the 6pm, the Glover domino effect also puts Art Rascon on the 11am and Live at Five only? Right?

Stay tuned my friend.

Tom Abrahams gets storm damage

abc13 KTRK weekend anchor Tom Abrahams receives storm damage

View this post on Instagram

Minor damage at our house. Saw super strong winds snap a tree in our backyard. In the scheme of things...we”re very lucky. #abc13eyewitness

A post shared by Tom Abrahams (@tomabrahamsabc13) on Jan 10, 2020 at 9:58pm PST

abc13 KTRK weekend anchor Tom Abrahams is very lucky.

He received damage from Friday night's storms, but says it could have been much worse.

"Minor damage at our house," he posted on socials. "Saw super strong winds snap a tree in our backyard. In the scheme of things...we are very lucky."

He later posted it was removed by Sunday.

Best TV News Bloopers 2019 #3