Lauren Freeman is pregnant with 5th baby

Now the number 1 question I have been asked about latley has been answered! Yes, Lauren Freeman is expecting

I'm back from jolly old London after spring break with news that many, many, many channel 2 viewers have been asking me about in the last months.

KPRC 2 anchor Lauren Freeman announced on Facecbook she is pregnant with her fifth child:

"We have exciting news to announce...our family is expanding again! 🍼👶 Baby boy number 5 will be here this summer. (No we weren’t trying for a girl!). My kids are excited and can’t wait to meet him!!!"

Click here to see more about Lauren Freeman's other kids!

Now Freeman is not the only other pregnant Houston TV talent. We have some channel 13 anchors and a FOX 26 anchor expecting too!

Christine Dobbyn ‏to leave abc13 KTRK

Yeah, yesterday I said I was on spring break, but it's not everyday that Christine Dobbyn says she's leaving abc13 KTRK

abc13 KTRK reporter Christine Dobbyn broke the Houston internet this morning when she announced she is leaving channel 13:

HANGIN’ UP THE CLEATS: It’s time to hang up my “reporting cleats” to pursue a new chapter in life. Thank you #HTown It’s been one #AMAZING ride @abc13houston #ABC13 #StayTuned #NewBeginnings #ChangeIsHard #ChangeisGood

HANGIN’ UP THE CLEATS: It’s time to hang up my “reporting cleats” to pursue a new chapter in life. Thank you #HTown It’s been one #AMAZING ride @abc13houston #ABC13 #StayTuned #NewBeginnings #ChangeIsHard #ChangeisGood pic.twitter.com/5ysioUZAu3

— ABC13ChristineDobbyn (@ABC13Christine) March 11, 2019

I hear the "new chapter in life" will not include television. According to Dobbyn's LinkedIn profile, she is in the middle of getting a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business.

Dobbyn has been with 13 since 2005.

Before Houston, she served as reporter and back-up anchor at WBNS Columbus, Ohio.

Dobbyn got her start in television news at WEHT Evansville, Indiana where worked as reporter and back-up anchor.

I worked with Dobbyn and didn't know, according to her bio, she made it to to the finals of Miss Indiana. She also held titles like Indianapolis 500 Princess, Miss Indianapolis and Miss Heart of Indiana.

A graduate of Ball State University, Dobbyn was named "Graduate of the Last Decade" in 1999. She is also a graduate of the Poynter Institute and spent two weeks in Europe after being selected for the RTDNA-RIAS German Journalist Exchange Program.

Lots of reporters say they like to run in their bios, but Dobbyn took it to the next level. She finished five half-marathons (including two Indy 500 Festival Mini-Marathons and two Houston Aramco Half-Marathons).

Then in 2015, Dobbyn rode in her first BP MS 150 charity ride from Houston to Austin while reporting live and raising money for the cause. She also reported on the disease by interviewing those living with it like Eyewitness News anchor Melanie Lawson and country music singer Clay Walker.

Running through my blog search on Dobbyn, I see that lots of has been written here about her many awards. She has taken honors from the Houston Press Club, the Emmy awards, the Society of Professional Journalists, the RIAS Berlin International Commission, the Texas, Ohio and Indiana Associated Press, the Gracie Awards, Clarion Awards and RTDNA.

Hopefully Dobbyn will update us on exactly what is next.  There are no details yet on when she is leaving abc13.

OK...kids enough screen time. Dad is officially on spring break again.

Going on spring break

See you on the other side of spring break.

By the way, I just wrapped up a KLOL documentary re-shoot with the one and only Dayna Steele! Things are moving forward quickly with the doc!

FOX 26 anchors perform 'Bootloose' for rodeo

FOX 26 KRIV's Stephen Morgan and Chrisdyann Uribe get in Rodeo Houston spirit

Bootloose w/ @ChrisdyannUribe cuz #Rodeo 🤠 pic.twitter.com/67yr20Q0Pe

— Stephen Morgan (@StephenOnFOX) March 7, 2019

FOX 26 KRIV reporter/meteorologist Stephen Morgan and traffic anchor Chrisdyann Uribe did a performance of "Bootloose" in honor of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Butch Alsandor working Houston Astros and Rockets coverage

Butch Alsandor and Rockets legend Calvin Murphy

Butch Alsandor is one busy sportscaster!

In the last few years, Alsandor has been busy calling play-by-play duties for Texas Southern University football and basketball on AT&T SportsNet.

And he's adding some more duties for the sports cable network.

He'll be doing some fill-in hosting duties for pre and post game shows for both the Houston Rockets and Astros. You might have already spotted his work recently on the Astros vs Braves coverage and Rockets vs the Hawks and Hornets.

According to his bio, Alsandor also calls Southland Conference games on ESPN3.

Alsandor spent 20 years behind the KHOU sports desk. He started his broadcasting career at KPLC Lake Charles and and later WBAL Baltimore.

Christine Noel tells her story on Houston Life

New KPRC 2 anchor Christine Noel visited Houston Life to tell Derrick Shore and Courtney Zavala all about her TV news journey.

Best TV News bloopers February 2019

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Texas TV news and radio job moves February 2019

Hottest Houston social media stars February 2019

In February, we have enough data to start seeing the new team on CW39 KIAH's Morning Dose.

Share Rocket gives us data on how each Houston TV station and the corresponding air staff members performed on Facebook and Twitter.

Share Rocket is, "a social media ratings and audience solution providing media companies an easy way to quantify their social media equity, benchmark against peers and turn social market intelligence into insights that drive social success."

The numbers are pulled from station usage on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using Share Rocket's "Share" measurement.

First we are looking at every Houston media company in the Share Rocket database and top personalities. Then I am looking at the top 5 on air staff members at each station in order of channel number.

RELATED
- Texas TV news and radio job moves February 2019

Houston Media

1. abc13 KTRK
2. KHOU 11
3. FOX 26 KRIV
4. KPRC 2
5. Telemundo 47
6. Houston Chronicle
7. Univision 45
8. Houston Press
9. Houston's 39
10. CultureMap Houston

Top 5 individuals

1. Eduardo Rodríguez (Yusnaby Pérez) - 47 Telemundo
2. Dominique Sachse - KPRC 2
3. Samica Knight - abc13 KTRK
4. Mark Berman - FOX 26 KRIV
5. Jonathan Feigen - Houston Chronicle

KPRC 2

1. Dominique Sachse
2. Jennifer Reyna
3. Adam Wexler
4. Britta Merwin
5. Cathy Hernandez

KHOU 11

1. Brandi Smith
2. Lauren Talarico
3. Chita Craft
4. Melissa Correa
5. Tiffany Craig

abc 13 KTRK

1. Samica Knight
2. Erica Simon
3. Steve Campion
4. Marla Carter
5. Katherine Whaley

FOX 26 KRIV

1. Mark Berman
2. Kaitlin Monte
3. Isiah Carey
4. Melissa Wilson
5. Ivory Hecker

CW39

1. Sharron Melton
2. Maggie Flecknoe
3. Shannon LaNier
4. Maria Sotolongo
5. Hannah Trippett

Univision 45 KXLN

1. Karina Yapor
2. Laura Sierra
3. Deysy Rios
4. Marcela Perez Barros
5. Marlene Guzman

Telemundo 47 KTMD

1. Eduardo Rodríguez (Yusnaby Pérez)
2. Ubaldo Martínez
3. Carlos A. Robles
4. Antonio Hernández
5. Ruby Guzmán

Houston Chronicle

1. Jonathan Feigen
2. Joseph Duarte
3. Dylan Baddour
4. John McClain
5. Matt Schwartz

DISCLAIMER: No Houston radio stations are listed in the Share Rocket database.

Great Day Houston debuts new studio

Since Hurricane Harvey destroyed the old KHOU 11 studios, Great Day Houston has been taping shows from around the city.

Yesterday, the weekday talk show returned to a permanent home with its trademark studio audience at the new KHOU building on 5718 Westheimer. It will also once again be a live television show as its Twitter account noted:

In the past 18 months we’ve taped 350 shows, equaling 2450 segments. We’ve set up & taken down our studio equipment, lights, cameras, sets & furniture 156 times from over 10 locations across the city. It was all worth it as we went LIVE from our new studios this morning!

In the above video, we get a chance to see all of the places the show broadcasted from since 2017 such the Houston Food Bank, Hotel Icon, Emancipation Park, Big Brothers Big Sisters and others.

Almost a year ago, I blogged that the show was live temporarily during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Catch Great Day Houston with host Deborah Duncan every weekday at 9am on channel 11.

RELATED
KHOU Avenida Studio in downtown Houston debuts

In the past 18 months we’ve taped 350 shows, equaling 2450 segments . We’ve set up & taken down our studio equipment, lights, cameras, sets & furniture 156 times from over 10 locations across the city. It was all worth it as we went LIVE from our new studios this morning! pic.twitter.com/8f0HXq7Vxq

— Great Day Houston (@GreatDayHouston) March 4, 2019

Houston Sports Show to debut on KPRC Sunday night

Houston Chronicle lead columnist Jerome Solomon and sports personality Lauren Leal to host Houston Sports Show on channel 2


Sunday night you will see familiar faces on a new television show that is creating a buzz throughout the City of Houston. It's called, HOUSTON SPORTS SHOW, hosted by longtime Houston Chronicle lead columnist Jerome Solomon and sports personality Lauren Leal.

Through HOUSTON SPORTS SHOW, sports and lifestyle come together in a way that is being heralded as very Hot! The show will air Sundays on KPRC-Channel 2 at 11:30 PM starting this Sunday, March 3rd.

The University of Houston Athletic Department is becoming one of the top programs in the country. It is only fitting that HOUSTON SPORTS SHOW calls UH's Valenti School of Communications, it's home. This new partnership brings much deserved attention for the Cougars and Houston athletes. Jerome and Lauren will welcome their first guest, the person responsible for many major changes at the University of Houston, none other than Houston Rockets owner and billionaire businessman, Tillman Fertitta.

Fertitta will kick the show off, and viewers can expect more huge sports names from baseball, basketball, football, soccer, track and field and even gymnastics to sit down with Jerome and Lauren every Sunday. For the past two years Jerome hosted the number one Houston Chronicle sports show on KPRC-Channel 2, where he interviewed Hall of Famers like A-Rod and Calvin Murphy.

"It has been an honor to interview so many amazing athletes from around the world throughout my career. But to showcase some of the world class athletes from the City of Houston is even sweeter," Jerome Solomon said.

Jerome also serves as Executive Producer of HOUSTON SPORTS SHOW.

Lauren first made her presence known to the Houston sports scene as a Houston Texans cheerleader where her love for sports found her hosting broadcasts for the Astros, Rockets, Dynamo and even returning to her alma-mater, the University of Houston.

"This is such a blessing, and I couldn't be prouder of my city. So to continue to build my career on a stage like this is something I never imagined. I am even more excited to be working alongside an award-winning journalist who truly understands sports, but also understands everything beyond it," Lauren Leal said.

Jerome and Lauren will be on the sidelines covering all the action and giving viewers a different take on how athletes not only prep for their game, but how they relax.

For more information on the HOUSTON SPORTS SHOW visit thehoustonsportsshow.com and follow them on Twitter @houstonshow.

(this post taken from a release)