What happened to MeTV Toons on KPRC 2.5?

Houston TV viewers are asking me what happened to MeTV Toons on KPRC 2.5.  

Here is what Channel 2 told me:

"Weigel chose not to renew our agreement for MeTV Toons. Since we don't currently have a replacement service that makes sense for the channel, we've temporarily discontinued KPRC 2.5 to improve bandwidth for our remaining channels.

Weigel also owns KYAZ in the Houston market, which carries MeTV, and they have elected to move MeTV Toons to one of their own digital subchannels 51.6.

We’ll continue evaluating programming options for KPRC 2.5."

For those keeping score, KPRC used to air MeTV on 2.2 until Weigel purchased 51 KYAZ in 2021.

Chase Franks joins KVUE Austin

Chase Franks has joined KVUE Austin as the station's weekend morning meteorologist. In addition to forecasting on weekend mornings, he will also deliver weather for the midday and 4 p.m. newscasts Monday through Wednesday.

Franks arrives in Austin from WLBT 3 On Your Side Jackson, Mississippi, where he has served as the morning meteorologist since January 2024.

Before joining WLBT, Franks worked at Gray sister station WTOK 11 Meridian, Mississippi, as the weekend meteorologist from March 2022 through January 2024, launching his broadcast career while still in college.

A Dallas native, Franks developed a passion for weather at an early age and has been storm-chasing across the Great Plains since he was 14. His fascination with severe weather ultimately led him to pursue a career in meteorology.

Franks earned his degree in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University, where he was active with the East Mississippi chapter of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. Before transferring to Mississippi State, he was a kicker on the football team at the University of the Incarnate Word.

- Jordan Darensbourg leaves KVUE Austin
- Grace Thornton joins WUSA9 Washington, D.C.

KVIA ABC-7 El Paso summer 2026 changes

KVIA ABC-7 El Paso has seen several notable talent changes across its newsroom and sports department during the summer of 2026.

Weekend sports anchor and reporter Bea Martinez departed the station in July 2026 after serving in the role since January 2024. During her time in El Paso, she covered local high school athletics, UTEP sports, and regional sporting events while anchoring weekend sportscasts. In addition to her duties at KVIA, Martinez worked as a freelance sideline reporter for ESPN+ during the 2024-25 season. She is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where she earned a master's degree in sports journalism after receiving her bachelor's degree from the Academy of Art University.

To fill the sports department vacancy, KVIA hired Paige Wood as its new sports anchor and multimedia journalist. Wood comes to the Borderland after earning a graduate certificate in leadership from the University of Texas at El Paso. She previously worked as a UTEP Athletics sideline reporter on ESPN+, a sports correspondent for ESPN 600 El Paso, and served as sports editor for Oklahoma City University student media while competing as a collegiate golfer.

In June, longtime reporter and anchor Isabella Martinez signed off after nearly three years with the El Paso station. Martinez, who served as a reporter on Good Morning El Paso, anchored the noon newscast and most recently hosted the station's Seven in the City social media feature, announced she was returning home to Miami to spend time with family while considering the next chapter of her career.

Meanwhile, KVIA also added to its weather team with Mikey Tongko, who joined the station as a weather forecaster and reporter. Originally from Arkansas and now living in nearby Las Cruces, New Mexico, Tongko is pursuing a degree in journalism and media studies at New Mexico State University.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bea Martinez (@beamartinezabc7)

 

Texas TV anchors try Australian snacks

KFDX 3 Wichita Falls anchors Carney Porter, Aaron Gonders, and Tobin McDuff (switch that D to a G!) try Australian snacks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carney Porter (@carneylayne)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carney Porter (@carneylayne)

 

Melanie Camp to leave KPRC's 'Houston Life'

Melanie Camp is leaving KPRC 2's lifestyle program, Houston Life and Space City, this Friday, mikemcguff.com has learned.

Camp joined Houston Life in 2022 as a reporter after arriving from WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York, where she co-hosted the station's lifestyle program, AM Buffalo.

A native of Australia, Camp has built a career that spans television, radio, acting, and journalism. 

According to her KPRC biography, she appeared in school plays alongside the late Heath Ledger before pursuing a career in entertainment. She also earned acting credits, including a role on the HBO series True Blood.

Camp began her media career as a DJ at a small radio station in the Australian outback before transitioning to television. She later spent several seasons as a correspondent on a lifestyle program in her hometown of Perth, Western Australia.

After moving to Los Angeles, Camp worked as a reporter for the Venice Beach community newspaper Yo! Venice, where she covered breaking news by following the LAPD helicopter to crime scenes in the early morning hours, hoping to get the story first.

Throughout her career, Camp has also earned industry recognition, including five Telly Awards for her work.

Former Houston Life co-host Tessa Barrera left in March 2026.

Trevor Birchett Joins KHOU 11 Houston

Trevor Birchett joins KHOU 11 Houston as a meteorologist.

Here is a portion of what Birchett posted to social:

"Southeast Texas has some of the most active and impactful weather in the country, and I’m honored to be joining a team that’s so passionate about keeping viewers informed and safe.

I’ve already had the chance to explore the city, meet some wonderful people, and try some great food. I can’t wait to officially call Houston home!"

Birchett arrives from KHOU's TEGNA sister station, ABC24 WATN and CW30 in Memphis, Tennessee, where he most recently served as Chief Meteorologist. He joined the station in May 2021 as Weekend Meteorologist before being promoted to Morning Meteorologist in 2022. In April 2025, he was named Chief Meteorologist.

During his time in Memphis, Birchett led coverage of numerous severe and winter weather events, provided expert radar analysis during active weather, and helped transition the station's weather coverage to a digital-first, streaming-first approach. As chief meteorologist, he also oversaw weather department operations, coordinated staffing, and worked to maintain consistent weather branding across all platforms.

Before joining ABC24, Birchett worked at WCBI 4 in Columbus, Mississippi, where he served as Weekend Meteorologist while attending college. 

A graduate of Mississippi State University, Birchett earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology in 2021. While at Mississippi State, he was active in the East Mississippi Chapter of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.

- Pat Cavlin joins WPIX New York City

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Trevor Birchett (@weathertrevor)

2026 Lone Star Regional Sports EMMY Nominees

The Lone Star Sports EMMY Awards celebrate excellence in Sports Broadcasting from across the State of Texas throughout the broadcast year. Congrats to the 2026 nominees.

SEE THE NOMINEES

The Lone Star Sports Awards Show

Monday, August 24th

Echo Hall, Dallas 

Gage Goulding Joins CNN as Seoul-Based International Correspondent

Gage Goulding is leaving KPRC 2 Houston and local TV behind for a role with CNN on the global stage.

CNN announced this morning that Goulding has joined the network as an international correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea. In the new role, he will report on major stories from South Korea and across the Asia-Pacific region for CNN's television and digital platforms.

"We are pleased to welcome Gage to our CNN Asia Pacific team," said Ellana Lee, CNN's Group Senior Vice President, General Manager of Asia Pacific and Global Head of Productions for CNN International. "Gage's passion for fast-paced, high-impact storytelling will be an asset when reporting on the important developments from this hugely dynamic and influential part of the world."

"I’m thrilled to share that I’m joining CNN as an International Correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea,"  Goulding posted. "Journalism has given me the privilege of meeting incredible people, witnessing history unfold and telling stories that truly matter.  I'm excited to continue sharing impactful, genuine storytelling from across the Asia-Pacific region, bringing context, humanity and curiosity to the stories shaping our world."

Goulding announced in June 2026 that he was leaving KPRC 2.

His local TV work earned widespread recognition, including being named Best News Reporter by the Texas Association of Broadcasters in 2025. Goulding also received multiple regional Emmy Awards, including two 2024 Lone Star Emmy Awards for Weather/News ("Driving Through a Tornado") and Breaking Spot News-Team ("Lakewood Church Shooting"), as well as a 2024 Suncoast Emmy Award for Best Reporter for "Live, Local and Breaking – Gage Goulding Reports." He was also part of Edward R. Murrow Award-winning teams recognized for Overall News Excellence.

Before arriving in Houston in December 2023, Goulding spent three years as a reporter at NBC2 WBBH in Fort Myers, Florida, beginning in December 2020. Earlier in his career, he worked as an anchor and reporter at WTOV News 9 in Steubenville, Ohio, and as a digital content producer at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh.

A native of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, Goulding graduated from Robert Morris University with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Even before launching his professional career, he earned multiple journalism honors, including a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award while still a student.

Susan Starnes, fmr. KHOU 11 and KPRC 2 reporter, dies at 73

Susan Starnes, a longtime Houston television journalist whose reporting helped viewers understand everything from the Space Shuttle program to medical breakthroughs, has died. She passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026, at the age of 73, according to her obituary.

Starnes spent more than two decades in broadcast journalism, building a respected career as a reporter, anchor, and broadcaster before later transitioning into real estate.

Houston viewers first came to know Starnes during her seven years at KPRC 2, where she served as the station's science reporter from 1981 to 1988. During that time, she covered 22 of the first 24 Space Shuttle missions, reporting extensively on NASA's achievements as well as the tragedy of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, when seven astronauts lost their lives.

In 1988, Starnes joined KHOU 11, where she became the station's medical reporter. For the next decade, she delivered regular health and medical reports on the station's 5 p.m. newscast, highlighting advances in healthcare and the groundbreaking work underway at the Texas Medical Center.

Her reporting earned numerous awards for coverage of the space program, hurricanes, health and medicine, and more.

After leaving television in the late 1990s, Starnes began a second career in Houston real estate.  She also briefly returned to broadcasting, working as a weekend anchor, editor, and reporter for News92 KROI in Houston from 2013 to 2014.

Former 101 KLOL, FOX 26 KRIV, and News 92 reporter Lanny Griffith met Starnes during her Channel 11 days and worked with her at News 92.

"Excellent writer, compassionate storyteller who embraced her subjects entirely," Griffith told mikemcguff.com.  "She treasured the written word and had a dark, wicked, and healthy sense of humor.  She was a story's best friend.  Terribly hate losing her."

Outside of her professional life, the University of Texas at Austin graduate was known for her commitment to serving others through volunteer work and her active involvement in her church choir, where she shared her passion for music and faith.

(Thanks, Bob.)

Texas TV anchoring is a family affair!

Texas TV anchoring has always been a family affair, and that continues with two recent hires and their Houston TV relatives!

As your lowly Houston media blogger since 2005, I've been blogging about the Barajas and Rascon media dynasties in Houston for years. In Austin, remember when Neal Spelce anchored with his daughter Cile on KEYE 42 in the early 2000s?

Well, recent University of Texas at Austin graduate Emily Treviño will start at CBS19 KYTX in Tyler as a multi-skilled journalist (MSJ) in August.  Trevino was raised in the Texas TV industry by her father, John Treviño, who, in 2025, left his role as president and general manager at 12News Now KBMT-KJAC Beaumont for WKYC 3 in Cleveland.

And anyone in Houston will recognize the last name from Emily's uncle and KHOU 11 anchor legend Ron Treviño!

Meanwhile, down in Corpus Christi, KRIS 6 News just welcomed multimedia journalist (MMJ) Raegan Garvin. 

Her dad is KPRC 2 evening anchor Keith Garvin, who is known in Dallas-Fort Worth from his time at CBS 11 KTVT and nationally as an ABC News correspondent.

A graduate of the University of Oklahoma and OU Nightly, Raegan was raised in Katy and is the youngest of the four Garvin daughters.

“I absolutely love being a father,” proud dad Keith told Katy Magazine News. “After ‘husband,’ the best title in the world is ‘dad.’”

"I wouldn’t love journalism the way I do without you," Raegan wrote about her father.  "Thank you for planting the seed early on and showing me every day just how meaningful and impactful this field can be."

So now we can add the Treviños and Garvins to the Texas media dynasty list.

Now who will step up to challenge the Ogles in Oklahoma City?

UPDATE: FOX 26 KRIV morning anchor Melissa Wilson tells me her oldest son is about to graduate from UT Austin, and he will be entering the TV news world!