KPRC 2 wins Halloween 2016 vs the other Houston television stations. This morning channel 2 launched a video that might send chills down your spine.
Ghosts and other strange phenomenon keep showing up at their longtime station. To keep the ghouls away from the NBC affiliate's new building, morning anchors Rachel McNeill, Owen Conflenti, Jennifer Reyna and meteorologist Britta Merwin donned Ghostbusters uniforms and gear to fight the phantasms.
It’s Wall to Waldo on Radio Brave! Pop Up Podcast Features MORE Classic Stevens and Pruett Bits
Here's a real Rock 101 KLOL Halloween treat.
Beginning this Monday, October 31st, Radio Brave will begin airing back to back recordings of “Uncle Waldo”, the classic recurring comedy feature employed with resounding success by Houston radio legends Stevens and Pruett on heritage rocker KLOL-FM.
The recordings, dubbed “Wall to Waldo", whose audio quality varies as a result of the variety of sources from which they were retrieved, will air starting at 3:00pm Monday and continue for five consecutive days. Following their rebirth on Radio Brave’s digital platform, the show will be available via iTunes and Google Play Music as a free download for 101 hours, beginning at 7:00am on Saturday, October 29th through Noon on Wednesday, November 2nd.
Radio Brave Operations Director Bobby “Slam” Duncan, whose stint at KLOL had concurrent years with Stevens and Pruett, has peppered these long form vignettes with additional audio content from KLOL’s glory days. These archival treasures include station imaging featuring the voices and production skills of Bart Taylor and the late Bill Moffett, as well as elements of the station’s “Admit it” promotional campaign with messages from Pat Boone, Lyle Lovett, KISS and Elwood Blues and others.
“Since Jim Pruett’s passing a month ago,” says Duncan, "we’ve stepped up our efforts to source these classic bits and any other audio content from that period. We’ve been getting tapes, CD,s and more from fans all over the country. It’s been a labor of love putting this together, but the whole process is just surreal. You start the tape, put on the cans, and suddenly you’re back in the 80’s and 90’s and getting pinged with 30 year old memories from every direction.”
Listeners can hear the "Pop up Podcast/Broadcast" via the web on radiobrave.com and the TuneIn App, or podcast on iTunes or Google Play Music by searching then subscribing to "The Runaway Radio Hour."
Groove Dogs and other fans of the Stevens and Pruett Show who have recordings are asked to contact Bobby Duncan at Slam@RadioBrave.com, or to message RadioBrave on Facebook at facebook.com/RadioBrave/ or on Twitter at @RadioBraveOnAir.
When an icon like Bob Allen passes away, his memorial service is the equivalent of a Houston media and sports hall of fame ceremony.
I've heard names like sports legends Dan Pastorini, Elvin Bethea, Nolan Ryan, Don Sanders, Jose Cruz and Enos Cabell were in attendance. There were also big names in Houston television as you will see below.
David Barron wrote that Tim Melton gave a great tribute and got a laugh when he said, "If you worked with Bob, you knew he was the best-looking one, the most charming one, he was the funny one, but he also was the short one."
You may have heard of his wife, FOX 26 KRIV reporter Rashi Vats, who made the big announcement today on her station. After the on-air announcement, anchor Melissa Wilson and Vats appeared to be shedding tears of joy.
What if there had been a battle between channel 26 and channel 11 to see who could get the scoop first?! I'd like to see that Proof of Performance. In actuality, anchor Jose Grinan apparently almost spilled the beans early on Facebook! See, all journalists want to be first with the breaking news.
The mom to be is looking for advice from viewers and co-workers.
"When I went to get my registry done, I had no clue what I was doing," confessed Vats on Facebook Live (embedded below).
Trust me, I know the feeling.
The TV power couple are having a boy. No name has been chosen.
Mike McGuff appears on Houston Public Media's Houston Matters and talks the state of TV news
Here is my News 88.7 KUHF Houston Matters appearance on the state of Houston TV news and remembering Bob Allen:
Longtime TV sports anchor Bob Allen passed away Wednesday, after a long battle with cancer. Allen worked for nearly four decades in TV sports, most of it as sports director at KTRK Channel 13, before finishing his career at KHOU Channel 11.
Today, we talk with former colleagues about Allen and then discuss the current state of TV news -- both locally and nationally.
We welcome your thoughts for former CNN correspondent Kelli Arena, who's now the executive director of the Global Center for Journalism and Democracy at Sam Houston State University. We also talk with Jerry Vasquez, news director for Telemundo Houston, and Houston media blogger Mike McGuff.
How FOX 26 KRIV's show Isiah Factor: Uncensored came to be
Isiah Carey gets 'Uncensored' about 'bug in mouth' video & more
In August of 2015, I was standing with Houston TV journalist Isiah Carey after a live broadcast of his Isiah Factor: Uncensored show in the parking lot of the Ragin Cajun Restaurant when it happened. A guy drove up, leaned out the window and asked him about his infamous "bug in mouth" YouTube video.
Former KHOU 11 and KTRK abc13 sports director Bob Allen loses cancer battle, passes away at age 70
Bob Allen, 70, lost his battle to cancer after looking like he beat it earlier this year.
Allen will be remembered as one of the greatest sports broadcasters in Houston, if not the United States. He certainly put in his 10,000 hours to earn that recognition. In fact Allen's old KTRK bio said he had the longest tenure of any major market sports anchor in the country.
Native Houstonian Robert Alan Egalnick, a young future Bob Allen, would bike from his West U home and sneak into KTRK channel 13 just to watch the nascent television magic. His family later moved to the new suburbia in southwest Houston where he graduated from Westbury High School.
"The only things that held me back [from playing sports] were size talent and speed," joked Allen in an SFA-TV interview embedded at the end of this post. "Besides that I would have been All-state."
Allen attended Stephen F. Austin State and began his broadcasting career at KRBA Lufkin where he spun gospel records. He later became a DJ at KEEE 1230AM Nacogdoches.
It was a chance meeting with KPRC newsman Ray Miller that eventually led to Allen's hiring at 950AM after graduation in 1971. He started as a news guy, but after the station added in a new sports block, Allen took the role that would define his life.
But Allen's early interest in TV would call him to KTRK channel 13 in 1974 as weekend sports anchor after Dan Lovett jetted off to New York's WABC. As Dave Ward once wrote, it was that year the Oakland A's won the World Series, Rice Stadium hosted the Super Bowl and at Channel 13, a young broadcaster who used to visit the station as a child began his television career.
By 1975, Allen would be named sports director for the station where he would remain for 38 and a half years. And what years those were.
He started off seeing The Summit added as Houston's latest sports venue. It was there that the Houston Rockets would be champions in 1994 and 1995.
And of course he covered the Houston Oilers Luv Ya Blue era with icons like Earl Campbell and coach Bum Phillips. With the team hightailing it to Tennessee, Allen got his second chance to cover an NFL team in Houston with the arrival of the Texans at the the turn of the century in the brand new Reliant Stadium. Allen would report from the sidelines of pre-season games.
Allen was there to cover Nolan Ryan and the Astros run in 2005 to the first World Series played in Texas. He would later call this one of his career highlights.
And in between he interviewed such greats as championship boxer Muhammad Ali and Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt.
But what made Allen standout was his no-nonsense approach. He told us fans how it was. Even as a hometown guy, Allen would be a straight shooter if a team screwed up.
"As a journalist you have a job to do," Allen told SFA-TV. "If you do that job honestly, if you say that somebody made a mistake, or dropped a pass, or didn't run the right play, you're just telling the truth. You're not there to cover up for them. You're not there to shill for them. I cannot and will not ever do that."
There is criticism in the sports TV world too many broadcasters are ESPN clones. That was not Allen, he was his own personality.
"It's sports, it's not life and death," Allen told SFA-TV. "People take sports way too seriously. It's a game."
While he might have appeared to be larger in life on TV screens, Allen was a quiet guy in real life. He told me there were times that people would think he was conceited at a party because it appeared he was aloof. In reality, he told me he was just shy.
He certainly wasn't shy when it came to helping kids. It was well known that Allen was a big supporter of Special Olympics and The Sunshine Kids. His old bio says Allen served on the Board of Directors of both organizations, and was recognized with the highest honor given to a volunteer of Special Olympics, the Spirit of Special Olympics Award. You might remember the countless TV stories and specials he produced about the two programs. I have met parents of children who participated in the programs and they said their kids enjoyed their time with Allen who made them feel special.
"To see a kid with Down syndrome come running across the finish line and have people cheer them on and having he or she feel so good about themselves, they've finally accomplished something, that stays with you forever," Allen told SFA-TV.
Then what Allen did is still talked about in Houston media circles. He pulled off the almost impossible. After three plus decades, Allen wanted to leave KTRK abc13. In early 2012, he even announced his departure a year in advance.
Allen stuck around longer than planned because there was Super Bowl hope for the Houston Texans. That did not happen and Allen left KTRK in January 2013.
"Never in my remotest dreams did I think I would spend most of my life in that building (KTRK)," Bob Allen told mikemcguff.com back then. "Like most people in this business, I was always paranoid I'd be fired the next day, and was always relieved whenever I got a new contract done. It's been an amazing ride that's gone by so quickly."
At the time the future was wide open for Allen.
"I'm going to take a short break (sounds like I'm throwing it to a commercial)," Allen told me. "I am starting Bob Allen Media LLC with a couple of partners, producing longer form, multi-platform content. I would like to do radio again, what form I'm not sure. Radio to me was a lot of fun, the freedom of it."
He also wrote his biography with former Houston Chronicle columnist and current SportsRadio 610 KILT host John Lopez. The book never came out and now I don't know if we will ever get a chance to read it.
Now here is the nearly impossible part. A few months later in April of 2013, Bob Allen landed the sports director gig at KHOU 11. "Crossing the street" as it is called in the media biz just doesn't happen everyday. That shows Houston TV viewers' dedication to Allen.
“The critical thing is that we did not lose in that (second) quarter-hour,” KHOU station president and general manager Susan McEldoon told the Houston Chronicle. “We have typically increased our lead-in (from CBS’ 9 p.m. show) but lose it in the second quarter-hour. That did not happen (in May). We have made some changes in the newscast, and viewers have responded.”
Then Allen and Houston got a shock in June of 2015 when he was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma. The man who had covered many epic sports battles raged a war of his own on his cancer. He would provide us updates over the next months.
By February of 2016, it looked good for Allen as he told us the cancer was gone.
"I am now in the rehab facility at MD Anderson trying to regain the stamina, strength & coordination I lost during the months of the stem cell transplant process," Allen wrote on Facebook. "Everyone including myself is very optimistic. Feel like I'm on the downhill run."
Sadly, I heard that wedding never took place. The cancer returned in the last few months. Allen returned to MD Anderson and then later went home.
I want to end on a personal note. When I started working at KTRK, Bob Allen was a TV star I grew up with. It made me nervous to talk to him at first. When I started writing my blog in 2005, he started reading it to my surprise. I never thought Bob Allen would read my free Blogger account blog. This is the period I got to know Allen a little more and he told me the stories of sneaking into channel 13 as a boy.
He would even contribute sometimes. Here is what he wrote me that made a post in 2009. It's classic Allen:
Mike...I am saddened and disappointed you left out two very seminal moments in cinema. My appearance as Frank the sportscaster in the ABC made for TV movie in 77 called "Murder at the World Series". I even remember my line. "There he is..Bill..Bill Virdon...who will you pitch on Friday?"
Then there's the blockbuster 1989 theatrical juggernaut "Night Game" with Roy Scheider, where I was the Astros play by play announcer, who's miscall of the winning pitcher got someone killed in Galveston.
Art Rascon, who has covered everything from the Iraq war to devastating hurricanes, gets first snakebite in his own yard
It's kind of crazy.
Here KTRK abc13 anchor Art Rascon travels the world, putting himself in danger to tell stories, and then it's in his own driveway where he is bitten by a copperhead snake.
Hospital or not, Rascon is still a journalist. He's been going live on Facebook to interview his doctor and talk about his progress.
In the last hour as I am writing this, Rascon told us on Facebook Live that the snake bit him at the base of his toe and the swelling his progressing up to his ankle.
His Memorial Hermann hospital doctor says anti-venom will be given if the swelling moves up. The doctor adds the anti-venom medication is not immediately given because they first must figure out the severity of the bite. The reason is some patients are allergic to the anti-venom.
Rascon says he is experiencing pain and feels light headed. His doctor says they can't totally take a way snake bite pain, but can lessen it with medicine. The doc doesn't want to totally knock the veteran channel 13 anchor out because he still needs to talk to him about his condition.
The doctor says warm weather months are the times of year the hospital sees snake bites. So if only Rascon would have gone to his car after the next cold front, he'd be on the news today!
UPDATE
Art Rascon is back at home.
Update on the snakebite. The swelling has increased and so has the pain. If swelling passes a line on my leg, the anti-venom will be given. pic.twitter.com/O5cLjF0mlY
She doesn't wear a black cat costume anymore, but Kitirik brought good luck to children for decades
Last week, the childhood icon of many children watching KTRK channel 13 for decades, Kitirik, came to Houston for a visit.
"She came in from her home in New Mexico to join several of us old geezers from channel 13 days when she had her show on the station from 1954 to 1971," former KTRK sports anchor Dan Lovett told mikemcguff.com. "She was kind enough to have pics taken with [Dave] Ward and me."
Lovett says Kitirik, aka Bunny Orsak in real life, who used to don the black cat costume is now in her 80s, "but still the grand gal she always was back in the day."
Speaking of KTRK children show legends, when I worked at the station I got a chance to interview Cadet Don. His real name is Al Eisenmann. He now writes books.
We got the 2016 Lone Star EMMY nominations in August, and this weekend, we have the winners. The 14th Annual Lone Star Emmy Awards Show was held at the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas.
And now the winners list taken from the Lone Star EMMY twitter feed.
The Emmy for Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Larger Markets (1-25) goes to KXAS, NBC 5 Today: North Texas Tornado
The Emmy for Newscast - Morning/Daytime Larger Markets (1-25) goes to KXTX, Dayside Action-Gina Martinez
The Emmy goes to KEYE, Morning News At 6AM for Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Medium Markets (26-60)!
The Emmy for Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Smaller Markets (61+)goes to KRGV, Channel 5 News At Noon
The Emmy goes to KTMD, Noticiero Telemundo Houston - 10pm for Newscast - Evening - Larger Markets (1-25)!
The Emmy goes to WFAA, News 8 at 10 for Newscast - Evening - Larger Markets (1-25)!
The Emmy for Newscast - Evening - Medium Markets (26-60) goes to KVUE, KVUE News Nightbeat
The Emmy for Newscast - Evening - Smaller Markets (61+) goes to KNVO, Noticias 48!
The Emmy for Newscast - Evening - Smaller Markets goes to KLTV,The Investigation Of Judge Joel Baker!
The Emmy goes to KPRC, Uncovering The Gun Law Loophole for Investigative Report - Single Story!
The Emmy goes to KXLN, A La Carta: Robo De Salario for Investigative Report - Single Story!
The Emmy for Historic/Cultural - News Single Story / Feature / News Series goes to KTMD, Hecho En México!
The Emmy for Historic/Cultural-News Single Story/Feature/News Series goes to Eye Opener, Celebrating Lunar New Year!
The Emmy goes to KWEX, Justicia Para Nuestras Hijas for Crime - News Single Story / Series / Feature!
The Emmy goes to KWTX, A Monster In the House for Crime - News Single Story / Series / Feature!
The Emmy for Military - News Single Story / Feature / News Series goes to KTVT, Portraits Of War Heroes
The Emmy goes to KXLN, Cicatrices Del Ejercito for Military - News Single Story / Feature / News Series!
The Emmy goes to KVII, Blood & Steel for Military - News Single Story / Feature / News Series!
The Emmy for Arts/Entertainment - News Single Story/Series/ Feature goes to WFAA CS, WFAA's Kid's Guide To The Arts
The Emmy goes to KXLN, Celebremos a Mama-Dona Catalina for Arts/Entertainment - News Single Story / Series / Feature!
The Emmy goes to KWEX, Arte Especial for Arts/Entertainment - News Single Story / Series / Feature!
The Emmy for Health/Science - News Series goes to KXLN, Rompiendo Barreras/Breaking Barriers
The Emmy for Health/Science - News Series goes to KTRK, Healing Children: A Hospital's Promise
The Emmy for Environment - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KPRC, Downstream Environmental.
The Emmy for Environment - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KUVN, Cambio Climatico.
The Emmy goes to KEYE, The Stuff Of Dreams for Education/Schools - News Single Story / Series / Feature!
The Emmy goes to KWEX, Nadando Por Tu Vida for Education/Schools - News Single Story / Series / Feature!
The Emmy for Business/Consumer - News Single Story/Series/Feature goes to KDFW, You Picked The Wrong Guy.
The Emmy for Business/Consumer - News Single Story /Series /Feature goes to KTMD, Las Apariencias Engañan
The Emmy goes to KXLN Personalize It for Reporter - Features / Human Interest!
The Emmy goes to KHOU Kevin Reece, Features, for Reporter - Features / Human Interest!
The Emmy for Religion-News Single Story/Series/Feature goes to KTMD, " Los Misterios De La Virgen na.
The Emmy for Religion - News Single Story/Series/Feature goes to WFAA, "Never Shot Anybody", Texas.
The Emmy goes to KXAN, Few Children Receive Cancer - Preventing Vaccine for Health/Science - News Single Story / Feature!
The Emmy goes to KXAS, Feeling Whole Again for Health/Science - News Single Story / Feature!
The Emmy goes to KAKW, Dieta De Insectos for Health/Science - News Single Story / Feature!
The Emmy for Human Interest - Program Feature / Segment goes to KXTX, Asi Le Hice.
The Emmy for Human Interest - Program Feature / Segment goes to KLRU, Arts In Context SHORTS: Body Shift.
The Emmy for Human Interest - News Feature goes to KTDO, Volando Sobre Ruedas.
The Emmy goes to KCEN, A Labor Of Love for Human Interest - News Feature!
The Emmy for Human Interest - News Series goes to KIAH, The Inside Story From The Pages Of Houstonia.
The Emmy for Human Interest - News Series goes to KXLN, Ante La Adversidad.
The Emmy for Human Interest - News Single Story goes to KHOU, Three Aggies And A Resonant Idea.
The Emmy for Human Interest - News Single Story goes to KTLM, Mis Primeros Pasos.
The Emmy goes to KXAN, Unpaid Restitution for Politics/Government - News Single Story / Feature!
The Emmy goes to KTMD, Cobertura Debate Republicano for Politics/Government - News Single Story /Feature!
The Emmy for Weather - News Weathercast goes to WFAA, How Is Hail Formed?.
The Emmy for Weather - News Weathercast goes to KUVN, El Tiempo Con Albert Martinez.
The Emmy for Politics/Government - News Series goes to KXTX, Your Vote Is Your Voice!
The Emmy for Politics/Government - News Series goes to KVUE, Inspecting The Inspectors
The Emmy goes to KXAN, First Warning Weather for Anchor - Weather!
The Emmy goes to KXTX, Beyond The Forecast for Anchor - Weather!
The Emmy for Reporter - Specialty Assignment goes to KXLN, Pope Francis: Two Nations One Faith.
The Emmy for Reporter - Specialty Assignment goes to KXAS, Pit Bull In Heels.
The Emmy for Weather - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KTMD, El Tiempo.
The Emmy for Weather - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KRIV, Dr. Jim's Weather Labs.
The Emmy Specialty Assignment Report - Program / Special / Feature / Segment goes to KXTX,
The Emmy Specialty Assignment Report - Program / Special / Feature / Segment goes to WFAA Phoning It In,
The Emmy for Specialty Assignment Report - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KWEX, Caceria Al Volante.
The Emmy Specialty Assignment Report - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to WFA A New Kind Of Courage, Congrats!
The Emmy for Texas Heritage - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KXAS, Texas Connects Us
The Emmy for Texas Heritage - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KXTX, What's A Kolache?!
The Emmy for Texas Heritage - News Single Story / Series / Feature goes to KHOU, Bailey's Light!
The Emmy for Feature News Report - Serious Feature / Series goes to KXAS Texas On The Fast Track,
The Emmy for Feature News Report - Serious Feature / Series goes to KNVO Piel De Plastico,
The Emmy for Feature News Report - Light Feature / Series goes to WFAA, Trolley Time!
The Emmy for Feature News Report - Light Feature / Series goes to KTMD, Chalo!
The Emmy for Sports Analyst / Play-by-Play goes to Fox Sports Southwest,
The Emmy goes to KXTX, Reportando los Deportes, Una Carrera al Exito for Reporter - Sports!
The Emmy goes to KHOU, Gotera's Got It for Reporter - Sports!
The Emmy for Director - Live or Recorded Live/Newscast/Sports goes to KUVN, Miguel Milan Composite!
The Emmy for Director - Live or Recorded Live/Newscast/Sports goes to KUHT,
The Emmy for Sporting Event/Game –Live/Unedited Program/Special/Series goes to Fox Sports Southwest,
The Emmy goes to Fox Sports Southwest with What The Coaches Really Say for Sports - One-Time Special!
The Emmy for Sports - Program Series goes to 12th Man Productions with The Pulse: Texas A&M Football,
The Emmy for Sports - Program Series goes to Longhorn Network with Texas Football: All Access,
The Emmy for Sports - Program Series goes to The Dallas Cowboys Football Club with Somos Cowboys,
The Emmy for Photographer - Sports (Single Camera only)goes to Spurs Sports & Entertainment with The All-New AT&T Center!
The Emmy goes to WFAA with Idaho, Idaho for Editor - Sports!
The Emmy for Sports - Interview/Discussion goes to WFAA with Concussions With Dale Hansen,
The Emmy for Anchor - Sports goes to KEYE with What Ballou Me Away!
The Emmy for Anchor - Sports goes to KXLN with En Busqueda De La Excelencia!
The Emmy goes to Fox Sports Southwest for Sports - Program Feature / Segment!
The Emmy for Sports - News Single Story / Series goes to KNVO,
The Emmy for Sports - News Single Story / Series goes to WOAI,
The Emmy for Sports - Daily or Weekly Program goes to GameDay Productions
The Emmy for Sports - Daily or Weekly Program goes to KTMD
The Emmy for Sports - News Feature goes to KUVN
The Emmy for Sports - News Feature goes to Longhorn Network
The Emmy for Director - Non-Live goes to KXTX,
The Emmy for Director - Non-Live goes to Sculpting With Time Production,
The Emmy for Arts/Entertainment - Program / Special goes to KWEX with Tributo Al Gigante,
The Emmy for Arts/Entertainment-Program / Special goes to KTRK with Cosmos - An HD Odyssey,
The Emmy goes to KXTX for Program Host / Moderator / Reporter!
The Emmy goes to Hogaboom Road, Inc. for Program Host / Moderator / Reporter!
The Emmy for Arts/Entertainment - Program Feature / Segment goes to KXTX with Que Pasa Metroplex!
The Emmy for Arts/Entertainment -Program Feature / Segment goes to KUHT with Body Art: The Moving Canvas!
The Emmy for Commentator / Editorialist / Performer / Narrator goes to KDAF!
The Emmy for Writer - Program (Non-News) goes to Space City Films with Soul Of The Explorer!
The Emmy for Writer - Commentary / Editorial goes to KVUE!
The Emmy goes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Photographer - Program (Non-News)!
The Emmy for Editor - Program (Non-News) goes to WFAA, A New Kind Of Courage!
The Emmy goes to Longhorn Network for Magazine Program - Program / Special!
The Emmy goes to Hermes Music for Magazine Program - Program / Special!
The Emmy goes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Magazine Program - Feature / Segment!
The Emmy goes to KTTZ for Texas Heritage - Program / Special / Feature / Segment!
The Emmy goes to WFAA CS for Magazine Program - Series!
The Emmy goes to KTDO for Documentary - Cultural / Historical!
The Emmy goes to KLRU for Documentary - Topical!
The Emmy goes to Innovative Multimedia Group for Documentary - Topical!
The Emmy goes to KUHT for Interview/Discussion - Program / Special / Feature / Segment / Series!
The Emmy goes to Hermes Music for Interview/Discussion - Program / Special / Feature / Segment / Series!
The Emmy goes to KUVN with Tornados for Weather - Program / Special / Feature / Segment!
The Emmy goes to KHOU for Weather - Program / Special / Feature / Segment!
The 2016 Emmy goes to KXTX with UTA Election Showfor Politics/Government - Program / Special!
The Emmy goes to KXAN with State Of Texas: In-Depth - Preparing For Future Floods for Politics/Government -Program/Special!
The Emmy goes to KWTX for Informational/Instructional - Program / Special / Feature / Segment / Series!
The Emmy goes to KTLM for Informational/Instructional - Program / Special / Feature / Segment / Series!
The Emmy goes to KAKW with Victimas De Las Calles for Public/Current/Community Affairs - Program / Special / Series!
The Emmy goes to Mental Health Channel with Stories of the Mind for Public/Current/Community Affairs-Program/Special/Series
The Emmy goes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for Public/Current/Community Affairs - Feature / Segment! #LoneStarEmmys2016
The Emmy goes to KUVN for Public/Current/Community Affairs - Feature / Segment! #LoneStarEmmys2016
The Emmy goes to KWEX with Los Chavos De La Calle - Mexico City for Children/Youth/Teen-Program Feature/Special/ Feature/Segment! Congrats!
The Emmy goes to WFAA for Children/Youth/Teen-Program Feature/Special/ Feature/Segment!
The Emmy goes to KXTX for Photographer - Short Form! #LoneStarEmmys2016
The Emmy goes to Sculpting With Time Productions for Photographer - Short Form with Magical Winter Lights!
The Emmy goes to Spurs Sports & Entertainment for Graphic Arts - Graphics / Animation!
The Emmy goes to KLRU for Special Event Coverage (other than News or Sports)!
The Emmy for Promotion - News Promo - Campaign / Image goes to KXLN!
The Emmy for Promotion - News Promo - Campaign / Image goes to KTVT!
The Emmy for Promotion - News Promo - Single Spot goes to ZGS Communications!
The Emmy for Promotion - News Promo - Single Spot goes to KHOU!
The Emmy for Editor - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.) goes to KXTX!
The Emmy for Editor - Short Form goes to Spurs Sports & Entertainment! !
The Emmy for Editor - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.) goes to KTMD!
The Emmy for Writer - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.) goes to KUVN!
The Emmy for Writer - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.) goes to Sculpting With Time Productions!
The Emmy for Writer - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.) goes to NASA TV!
The Emmy for Community/Public Service Single Spot/Campaign goes to ATXN!
The Emmy for Community/Public Service Single Spot/Campaign goes to KUVN!
The Emmy for Promotion – Program goes to KHOU
The Emmy goes to KXAS for Promotion – Program!
The Emmy goes to Spurs Sports & Entertainment for Commercial - Single Spot / Campaign!
Congrats to Sculpting With Time Productions for Commercial - Single Spot/Campaign with Magical Winter Lights Ad Campaign!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KXAS for Continuing Coverage!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KXTX for Continuing Coverage!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KTRK for Breaking News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KXTX for Breaking News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to WFAA for Spot News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KTLM for Spot News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KRIV for Writer – News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KXLN for Writer – News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KTMD for Video Journalist !
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KHOU for Video Journalist !
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KTRK for Editor – News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to KWEX for Editor – News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to Alex no with KTMD for Photographer – News!
Congratulations The Emmy goes to Ryan Oliveira with KXAS for Photographer – News!
Congratulations to KXTX for Anchor News with The Texas Duet!!
Congratulations to KXAN for Anchor with News Lights, Camera, Kris!
Congratulations to KXAN for Anchor News Beyond the Desk!
Congratulations to Brian Collister KXAN for Reporter – Investigative!
Congratulations to Rebecca Suarez KXLN for Reporter – Investigative!
Congratulations to KTMD for Reporter – Live !
Congratulations to KXAS for Reporter – Live !
Congratulations to KXLN for Reporter - General Assignment / Spot News!
Congratulations to KVUE for Reporter - General Assignment Spot News!
Congratulations to KXAS for News Special!
The Emmy for Overall Excellence goes to KUVN, Univision DFW: Entertain, Educate And Empower!
The Emmy for Overall Excellence goes to WFAA!
The Emmy for News Excellence goes to KXTX, Telemundo 39!
The Emmy for News Excellence goes to WFAA, WFAA-TV: News 8!
The Emmy for Team Coverage goes to KXAN, UT Murder Suspect Caught
The Emmy for Team Coverage goes to KXLN, Houston Under Water
The Emmy for Community Service goes to Mental Health Channel
The Emmy for Community Service goes to KTLM
The Emmy goes to WFA, Passing The Trash - Series for Investigative Report - Series
The Emmy goes to KTMD, Autopsia De Un Desastre - Series for Investigative Report - Series
KPRC 2 weekend morning anchor Sofia Ojeda is due soon
Here is some Houston TV baby news on the sly.
KPRC 2's Sofia Ojeda is pregnant but you probably can't tell yet on TV as the weekend morning anchor posted:
"Looks may be deceiving behind the desk but it's now 2 months to go!!! Let the countdown begin!!"
In comparison to some other Houston TV folks, she's keeping it pretty quiet on Facebook too, with only a total of two mentions I saw on her Facebook timeline over the past months.
Houston Public Media names Dave Fehling director of news and public affairs
Dave Fehling
HOUSTON – (Oct. 13, 2016) – Houston Public Media has named veteran broadcast journalist Dave Fehling as director of news and public affairs. Fehling most recently served as energy and environment reporter for News 88.7, the organization's public radio station, and as the Houston-based reporter for StateImpact Texas, a reporting project of NPR stations.
In his new role, Fehling will oversee the Houston Public Media newsroom, leading all reporters, news desks and the organization’s award-winning talk show “Houston Matters.” He will also direct digital news engagement strategies and oversee news talent development and recruitment.
“Dave has decades of newsroom experience so I’m confident we’ve selected the right person to lead our remarkable, award-winning news team,” said Josh Adams, executive director of operations. “We sought the best journalistic talent for this position to ensure that we have what it takes to continue to be the most trusted news leader in Houston.”
Fehling is an award-winning reporter with nearly three decades in television that includes serving as a staff correspondent for CBS News. Prior to joining Houston Public Media in 2011, Fehling spent nearly two decades reporting news at Houston’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV and, in his earlier broadcast career, he worked at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio, and WKYT-TV in Lexington, Ky.
“In my five years with Houston Public Media, I’ve seen firsthand how leadership has spearheaded some very important changes that I think go right to what our audience values,” said Fehling. “We’re reporting on issues that truly matter to Houston and Texas in a way that’s getting harder and harder to find in the media landscape. That’s why I took the job -- I wanted to be part of this effort to tell the stories of one of the nation’s fastest growing, most diverse and dynamic metropolitan regions.”
Several Houston TV anchor dancing videos came across my feeds today. Recently I've seen them lip-synch, but don't remember seeing them go full on Footloose on us.
Today FOX 26 KRIV's Rita Garcia and Ruben Dominguez and KPRC 2's Jennifer Reyna and Justin Stapleton brought it on. Did we just get served?
If you see anymore dancing Houston anchors/reporters send the videos my way! This blog could become the Club MTV of Houston TV news! Just as Downtown Julie Brown would say "Wubba Wubba Wubba."
In August of 2018, Erica Rico posted on Facebook that she and Tim Tuttle were not together anymore.
"We are still great friends and getting along better than ever," Rico later told mikemcguff.com. "It's so hard to be so public when stuff like this happens. Hard on our kids too."
Here is Rico's Facebook post embedded below:
Here is the original post about Erica Rico and Tim Tuttle's marriage before they broke up:
In 2016, The New 93Q Morning Zoo's Tim Tuttle and Erica Rico tied the knot, but never talked about it on air
We know The New 93Q KKBQ wins tons of awards, but who knew two of its morning show hosts have been secretly married for years!
The Q Morning Zoo's Tim Tuttle and Erica Rico tied the knot almost three years, but chose to keep that off air...until last week.
"We kept it a secret, because when I got divorced like six years ago, people were sending messages to my kids saying that divorce is an abomination and ugly stuff," Rico revealed on Facebook Live.
Ok, some of the listeners had apparently figured it out, but last Wednesday, the couple went public on their morning show ahead of their big wedding celebration this past weekend. And it was a big affair. Held in Chappell Hill, TX, there were 300 guests of family and friends in attendance.
The 93Q listeners were in attendance thanks to the station's Facebook page live stream of the ceremony. The show's producer Al Farb told me the video has received nearly 60,000 views and around 850,000 impressions as of today (I'm including the video below).
The morning show duo are currently on their honeymoon.
That leaves other show host Kevin Kline to hold down the fort. Kline was one the the officiants of the wedding, along with Rico's oldest son, Ricky.
As for workplace relationships, Rico said on Facebook Live that the chemistry is still good between the show's hosts.
"Clearly it has worked out for us, but if it doesn't Kev is going to kill us both," Rico joked.
Some listeners were surprised because they thought Rico didn't even like Tuttle. While Rico says she does not always like his persona in the studio, he's a caring guy in real life.
"I really want to choke him out on the air," she admitted.
Rico says she likes her radio name and keeping it, but changing her name in real life. Although the three joked they could have changed the show's name to "Two Tuttles and a Kline."
Those two Tuttles have eight kids split between them. Maybe a reality TV show could be on the way...The Tuttle Ten!
Anchor/author Tom Abrahams has book 9 and 10 on the way with 11 in production
We haven't heard from Houston TV anchor/author Tom Abrahams since the beginning of the year, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been churning out pages for his literary career.
HOME, his bestselling book to date, was chosen for Amazon's brand new Prime Reading program. That means any Prime member can choose from a limited selection of rotating books and read them for FREE.
"I'm flattered to be among the launch authors for the new program," Abrahams told mikemcguff.com. "There aren't too many authors who were asked."
HOME takes place in a post-apocalyptic Texas and follows the adventures of a loner forced to rejoin a crippled society.
It will also in translation. Next Spring, publisher Luzifer Verlag will release it in German. It's also available in paperback and audiobook.
But that's not all for Abrahams.
His ninth and tenth novels come out this month and next.
The ninth, commissioned by Amazon, is a novel based on the work of USA Today best selling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith. It's called Red Line and follows the hunt for a missing Marine who was part of a failed chemical experiment.
The tenth is the first part of a new series. It's called SpaceMan and imagines what would happen on board the ISS if it lost power from a geomagnetic storm.
SpaceMan is already available for pre-order.
And if you don't think this is all enough, Abrahams is busy writing book number 11 right now!
Houston’s Country Music Station: The New 93Q wins CMA Major Market Station of the Year 2016
HOUSTON – October 7, 2016 – Cox Media Group Houston’s, KKBQ-FM/The New 93Q has won Major Market Station of the Year for the 2016 Country Music Association Awards. This is the second time in the last three years The New 93Q has received a CMA Award.
"It’s a tremendous honor to receive this distinguished award,” said CMG Houston VP and Market Manager Mark Krieschen. "The CMA award is a true reflection of KKBQ’s dedication to our on-air product, the local communities we serve, our advertisers, employees and the country music industry."
The CMA Broadcast Awards are among the most prestigious awards given out in the field of Country Radio. The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Nielsen Audio. Candidates for Station of the Year are judged on audio sample, ratings history, community involvement, and format leadership. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.
“CMA Major Market Station of the Year. That is just surreal,” said CMG Houston Director of Operations Johnny Chiang. “This award belongs to our listeners, who drive us every day to serve our local community in the best way possible!”
The passion KKBQ has for its listeners, talent, community and advertisers is the direct result of The New 93Q reigning as Houston’s country music leader and the 1.1 million Houstonians who tune in weekly.
The 50 th Annual CMA Awards Show will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcast live on ABC-TV from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 2 nd at 7pm.
ICYMI: Rock 101 KLOL Stevens and Pruett - Jim Pruett Tribute video 10/1/2016
Thanks to the thousands of 101 KLOL fans who watched the Jim Pruett tribute on my Facebook Live feed from The Pub Fountains in Stafford, Texas on October 1st, 2016.
In case you missed it, here is the video that I just posted on YouTube.
We already knew Pruett was a great man. This was only confirmed by the many touching stories former KLOL staffers.
You will hear from the likes of Dayna Steele, Lanny Griffith, Outlaw Dave, Pat Fant, Greg O, Brian Shannon aka The Boner, Martha Martinez and more.
News 88.7 KUHF's “Houston Matters” wins best talks show for second year in a row
Houston Public Media let me know it's daily noon talk show News 88.7 KUHF's “Houston Matters” was named best talk show for a second year in a row by Houston Press. Here is more from the awards page:
The other day we tuned into Houston Matters and were enthralled by discussion of an issue that would probably bore even loyal public-radio listeners to tears: why appraisal districts and corporations often end up in court. Hosted by the poised and sanguine Craig Cohen, Houston Matters does this a lot, breaking down even the most arcane topics into easy-to-grasp layperson's terms. Producers also understand what makes a well-rounded episode, and that same program featured a story outlining responsible Pokémon Go etiquette. To top it all off, Houston Matters can claim the greatest barometer of local news we've seen yet: If a story isn't mentioned in Friday's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" segment, it obviously wasn't that important to begin with.
While we are celebrating the media wins, let's take a look at the other winners.
In first ever rock talk “Sets, Frets & Cigarettes," KLOL icon Dayna Steele interviews John Lennon and David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick
This past weekend in downtown Houston’s time-warping Majestic Metro Theatre, the past and present collided as rock royalty took the stage.
In Dayna Steele’s new music talk series “Sets, Frets & Cigarettes,” the former 101 KLOL icon took the stage with guitarist Earl Slick, best known as the axeman for John Lennon and David Bowie.
What followed was conversation on stage about rock stars, music, success, failure, drugs and a lot more. It was a very casual, no holds barred conversation, because the two have been friends since Steele was 19 years old. They first met when she was was a young jock at 104.1 KRBE.
With acoustic and electric guitars at the ready, Slick played some legendary riffs in the middle of the conversation.
It was in the early 1970's when Slick joined David Bowie's world.
"I used to call him boss, but that wasn’t the case, we worked together," Slick told the audience.
Slick replaced Mick Ronson on the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974. He stayed to play on David Live, Young Americans (1975) and Station to Station (1976).
Years later, when Slick rejoined Bowie on the road in 2000, the guitarist says he got tired of playing "Let's Dance" and got The White Duke to pull the song from the set list. He noticed there were no complaints from Bowie at the time thinking the singer was probably sick of the song too after so many performances.
The hits didn't stop for Slick. Later on, he got a call from acclaimed music producer Jack Douglas. Douglas, famous for working on albums by Aerosmith, told him on the phone it was an artist, not a band, who was looking for a guitarist. That ruled out Steven Tyler and "The Bad Boys from Boston." The artist Douglas was working with was none other than former Beatle John Lennon.
That call led Slick to play lead guitar on Lennon's final studio album Double Fantasy (1980). The record was a collaboration between Lennon and wife, Yoko Ono.
"[Ono] is a wonderful lady," Slick told us.
Lennon had his songs and Ono had her songs on the album. But as harmonious and peace loving as the couple appeared in the media, Slick said when Oko would try to tell Lennon how to write his songs, the entire studio would hear the former Beatle say, "Mother...shut up. It will be your turn later."
Slick told the audience he was in Los Angeles when he heard the news of Lennon's murder. He got a call minutes before the media onslaught. Lennon would have turned 76 on October 9, 2016.
Now what we just covered were the highest of the highs for Slick. It wasn't all bright lights and legendary gigs for the guitarist. There were the bands he started that didn't end up working. Slick says he'd rather be broke than living a lie and learned from the failures.
And even in the high times there were other factors getting him even higher. Slick says in his line of work drugs are accepted. In fact, when Bowie would take a break and talk to the audience for a moment during concerts, Slick says he would walk behind his amps where lines would be cut and ready for him to snort.
Then there was the time he lost his greatest love of all - music.
"I promised myself if I lost the passion I was done," Slick admitted.
Lennon famously had his lost weekend which actually lasted more than a year. Steele joked Slick had his "lost weekend" where Slick left the stage and tried to go corporate. The musician said he needed help fixing up his resume by translating his rock skills to the real world.
"What was I gonna put on there? Former bosses, David Bowie and John Lennon," an amused Slick asked.
But instead of recording and partying like Lennon, Slick's "lost weekend" involved the less glamorous task of selling time shares at Lake Tahoe.
Luckily for Slick, Bowie came calling once again, and the guitarist rejoined with the man behind Ziggy Stardust.
In the Q&A portion of the talk, Slick's advice (in the middle of playing a great acoustic blues jam, which the audience begged for an encore) for young musicians is to play, play, and play. Slick says he plays his guitar seven days a week and revolves his world around music.
"Never had a plan B, still don't," Slick admitted. "Kind of speaks for itself."
Her hope is to take “Sets, Frets & Cigarettes” to professional conferences, college campuses and ultimately around the world.
"Slick would like to take it to the Cavern Club in Liverpool (The Beatles played the original club) which if I do this in the Cavern Club in Liverpool my life is done," Steele told mikemcguff.com. "I don't need to do it anywhere else."
Houston's so-called "First Lady of Rock ‘n Roll" has interviewed everyone from Mick Jagger to David Crosby. In her KLOL days, she loved the music, but interviewing was her favorite part of the job.
"I've spent ten years telling their stories and I want them to come tell their stories with me," Steele told me. "So Slick was brave enough to say, 'yeah I'll do it," and he's always been there for me."
Up next for the rock interview series, Steele is hoping to interview former Sammy Hagar and Boston guitarist Gary Pihl. In fact you can watch a YouTube series with Pihl and Steele below.
Also in her future sights are Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson and Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis.
The production was orchestrated by former KLOL promotions director Doug Harris through Ovation Speakers and Talent, benefiting TexasMusicHistory.org and its efforts to establish the Texas Music Hall of Fame program in Houston.
KTVT has promoted Scott Padgett to chief meteorologist, effective immediately. He joins Doug Dunbar and Kaley O’Kelley weekdays on the CBS 11 News at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
Ashleigh Barry, most recently at KPHO and KTVK in Phoenix, will join the KXAS/Channel 5 news team in early October.
Analía Fiestas and Andrea Aguirre Alvarado have joined Telemundo-owned station KXTX as video journalists.
Laura Elder has been named managing editor of The Galveston County Daily News.
Houston Public Media News 88.7 Health & Science desk reporter Carrie Feibel is leaving Houston to become the health editor at KQED in San Francisco. Carrie’s last day at the station will be Oct. 5. Houston Public Media is committed to continue offering insightful and leading-edge health coverage and will be filling the position.
Steven F. Hotze, M.D., founder and CEO of Hotze Health & Wellness Center, Hotze Vitamins and Hotze Pharmacy, has returned to Houston radio with “Dr. Hotze’s Wellness Revolution,” a new talk show airing weekdays from 1-2 pm CT on KPRC-AM 950 and iHeartRadio online. Dr. Hotze is the best-selling author of "Hormones, Health, and Happiness" (Forrest Publishing, 2005) and "Hypothyroidism, Health & Happiness" (Advantage Media, 2013). He has appeared on hundreds of television and radio shows across the nation, including ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX affiliates, “CBS Morning Show” and the Biography Channel.
KPRC 2 news producer Cody Schultz moves to New York to work at the Fox Business channel.
Brian Holson is the new sales commercial producer at KPRC 2.
Former KPRC 2 reporter Sylvia Perez joins Fox 32 Chicago WFLD as weekend morning anchor.
KENS 5 reporter Dillon Collier jumped to his longtime "dream" job at No. 1 local TV news outlet KSAT.
Former "Survivor" champ Kim Spradlin has waved goodbye to her second TV act -- KENS' 'Great Day SA' -- to focus on mommy duties and interior designing.
AUSTIN
Longtime 90.5 KUT-FM radio host Bob Branson announced his official retirement.
Former UT football player Emmanuel Acho joins Fox 7 morning team.
Univision San Antonio news and operations supervisor Ismael Martínez heads to Univision 62 Austin.
AROUND TEXAS
Kristen Chapman joins WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla. as an MMJ from KETK Tyler.
KLTV Tyler meteorologist Sarah Fletcher joins KWCH Wichita, Kansas.
As good as people think I am at tracking Texas media job moves, my image is better than reality. Don't expect that I see every Twitter or Facebook post about your new job. Don't get mad at me, contact me below to make sure I don't miss your big career move!
