Happy New Year! Here are the top Houston media stories of 2014 by page views on mikemcguff.com (although in years past, a Dallas story has been tops). So that means you decided this list by reading these posts the most throughout the year. And the number one story this year is even bigger than just 2014!
10. Courtney Zavala to leave KPRC 2 and TV
In November, popular weekend morning KPRC 2 anchor Courtney Zavala told me she was giving up TV to spend time with her family after juggling a crazy broadcast schedule.
9. Britta Merwin joins KPRC 2 as meteorologist
Last May, Britta Merwin came out of TV retirement to join KPRC 2. She had last worked at KCRA Sacramento. Merwin replaced Idolina Peralez. This week we found out Merwin is replacing the KNBC Los Angeles bound morning meteorologist Anthony Yanez.
8. KPRC 2 hires fmr. beauty queen, Sharron Melton vs Lily Jang and more
This old post from 2012 popped up because of one of the names in the title. Can you guess who? If not, scroll down to the top post for the details.
7. Casey Curry is pregnant
Once again, not a post from 2014, but when abc 13 KTRK morning meteorologist Casey Curry is mentioned, this number one 2013 entry still pops up at number 7 for this year. Curry's baby girl was born in January 2014.
6. Adela Uchida gone from abc13 KTRK with expanded weekend news on the way?
As KTRK abc13 added a half hour to its 10pm weekend newscast in January, anchor Adela Uchida left the station. She quickly joined News 92 KROI. When that station flipped to Boom 92.1 classic hip hop, Uchida announced she will join KEYE Austin.
5. KHOU 11 anchor Ron Trevino arrested; charged with DWI
In March, KHOU 11 reported, its own morning anchor, Ron Trevino, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. In June, Trevino's DWI case was dismissed.
4. Corey Foley leaves The Bull 100.3 KILT; plus other changes
Angry The New Bull @ 100.3 KILT listeners started emailing me in April about the fact Corey Foley left the CBS country morning show. Partner Greg Thunder remained and Cowboy Dave moved to nights. By November, Greg Thunder had left the station too. Will the morning duo reunite somewhere?
3. Katherine Whaley leaving KHOU 11
In June, KHOU announced it was re-hiring Darby Douglas for morning traffic. That meant his replacement, Katherine Whaley, was going to report. The call of the commute was clearly too much, so Whaley bolted for the comfort of KTRK abc13's chroma key traffic wall. She debuted on the Disney/ABC Television Group doing evening traffic, but many of my readers suspect she will eventually replace longtime morning man Don Nelson. One of many changes that could be possible in 2015 for channel 13.
2. 93.7 The Beat Houston replaces 93.7 The Arrow KKRW
Exactly a year ago, I was attached to my computer for hours (much to my wife's New Year's Eve chagrin) blogging about the death of classic rocker 93.7 The Arrow KKRW. The station that emerged from its low rated ashes was urban formatted 93.7 The Beat KQBT. Houston radio ratings were never the same afterwards.
1. Why is Sharron Melton a KTRK abc13 'field anchor' now?
Sharron Melton |
I got flack from readers for asking what a field anchor is in my original post. Yes, I get it is something from years ago where an anchor was in the field, you know, anchoring the news. This is not what Melton is doing. She is doing the job as a morning reporter. Sounds like a contractual thing.
And she is getting rave reviews as a reporter too.
But not only is this late August post my number one item for the year, it is also the number one post of all time on my blog. And I have been publishing since 2005! So in a matter of months, Melton's post has shot up to my most read post...EVER. I have NEVER received so much angry email about a Houston media figure (Please don't blame me, I had nothing to do with her move!). I can just imagine what the station must be getting from her very devoted fans. So far, Melton's presumed morning anchor replacement is weekender Samica Knight.
Here is to a great 2015 for the Houston TV, radio, newspaper and digital crowd! It makes a decade for this little free media blog plugging along on blogger.com. This year it hit a high of 130,000 monthly unique readers in July! (more than a million readers overall for the year) Thank you.
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