KTSM 9 El Paso is making changes to its morning newscast on December 2, 2025, involving a former radio show.
Mike Martinez and Tricia Martinez, the non-related former morning radio duo of 93.1 KISS FM KSII El Paso, have joined KTSM on TV from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.
"The traditional format isn’t enough anymore – having two, three, four, or even five anchors/reporters repeating the same handful of stories for two, three, or even four hours isn’t fair to the viewer," KTSM News Director Chris Babcock said in an online statement. "And if we’re being honest, we’ve done the same, so we decided it was time to change and make a difference for our viewers. They’ve already seen most of their news on their smart device – phone, tablet, or TV; how do we make it relevant?"
Anchor Ian Roth, who joined the AM newscast in 2023, will continue with the former radio hosts.
“Viewers don’t want to be hit over the head with flashing lights and incessant breaking news alerts right after waking up – or worse – the same news you saw when you went to bed…that’s not a good way to start any day,” Babcock adds. “That’s the mission for this new show and team members. Not just rapid-fire videos, stories, wrecks, and weather, but taking time and talking about what’s going on and really digging into the impact in our viewers’ daily lives.”
The new "KTSM 9 News Today with Ian, Mike, and Tricia" newscast will use the standard news desk and a new multi-use digital studio. Just like a traditional radio show, Viewers will be able to call in, message, or text their thoughts in real-time.
So, where is the other KTSM morning news anchor, Karla Draksler, going?
Draksler is shifting from the news side of the building to the sales side. She is stepping away from news reporting and anchoring to become a dedicated original content creator for the station’s streaming app, KTSM+.
For Draksler, this move is about finding a new outlet for her creativity. She realized that, while she valued her time in news, the traditional path of chasing bigger markets or a main anchor role no longer fueled her.
Her passion has shifted to shooting, editing, and creating stories that make people happy. Her new focus will be on bringing community stories and entertainment stories to life.
Even as she moves to a new department, Draksler’s commitment to quality local journalism remains strong.
"I very much so, love local news, support local news, and believe journalism, especially local journalism, is now more important than ever," she said in an Instagram video.
Draksler also acknowledged how much she will miss the daily routine with co-anchor Roth.
"Ian and I just had the best time ever," Draksler added. "Every morning, even though we had to wake up really early, we still loved doing it for our viewers and providing you something fun and informative at the same time, because we all know we need a little bit of joy in the morning, especially if you're waking up early. So I'm so glad that I got to be a part of that world. And I got to create a little bit of the morning show legacy in El Paso, especially here at KTSM."
