Phil Anaya leaves KENS 5 San Antonio

Phil Anaya announced he is leaving KENS 5 San Antonio after 14 years, where he is a weekend anchor:

"For 14 years, I’ve had the joy and privilege of delivering your local news each weekend. We’ve seen a lot together- from a brutal winter storm that crippled our state, to more positive memories like our beloved Spurs winning their 5th title! 

You’ve also shared personal moments with me, including watching me become a husband and father, and celebrating my family along the way.  However, as our family’s needs change, I’ve decided now is the time for me to step down from TV news.  This is bittersweet for me, because I truly love journalism and KENS 5! 

So what’s next? Aside from spending more time with my family on the weekends, I’ve also reignited a passion of mine in soccer. In addition to coaching my kids, many young players have quickly come to know me as 'Coach Phil' as I help them develop their skills.

It’s been an amazing experience serving as KENS 5’s weekend news anchor.  Thank you to my incredible colleagues and friends who I will miss tremendously, and thank you to the KENS 5 management team for supporting my decision and family!  

Most of all, thank you to the people of San Antonio for the opportunity to serve you all these years!"

Anaya joined KENS 5 as a reporter in June 2011.

While covering a fire, he met his future wife, now KENS evening anchor Isis Romero, while she was still a KSAT 12 reporter.

"There is something immensely special about having a spouse as a colleague," Romero posted in response to her husband's career announcement.  "KENS 5 has been so good to our family! I’m excited for my husband and grateful he spent the bulk of his career in such an amazing newsroom. Thank you San Antonio for supporting him all these years!"

On April 28, 2012, Anaya was promoted to weekend co-anchor with Karen Grace, alongside meteorologist Jared Silverman and sportscaster Vinnie Vinzetta.

Before San Antonio, Anaya began his journalism career as a bureau reporter for KFOX 14 El Paso.

Originally from Las Cruces, New Mexico, Anaya grew up playing soccer and left the state to attend Valparaiso University.  After two years, he transferred to New Mexico State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in Marketing.

While still in college, Anaya gained valuable experience working as a multimedia journalist for KMSB FOX 11 Tucson, Arizona.

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Ron Treviño's time on KHOU 11 Morning News celebrated

After filling in on KHOU 11 Morning News, the team gave anchor Ron Treviño a sendoff as he returns to anchor KHOU 11 News at 4 p.m.

BTW, did you know Ron's brother is also in the TV biz?

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Rekha Muddaraj leaves KHOU 11 Houston

Rekha Muddaraj announced that she is leaving KHOU 11 Houston, where she serves as a 4 p.m. anchor, effective Thursday, April 10, 2025.

"I’m not leaving Houston," Muddaraj posted. "It’s home. But I’m excited to take a breather and catch up with my supportive husband, sweet girls, my incredible parents and sister, and family and friends who have graciously excused my absence at various events as I chased my dreams."

The same day Muddaraj said she was leaving channel 11, Jacob Rascon debuted on the morning newscast. And the changes will continue to come for the Houston TEGNA station.  

Sources tell mikemcguff.com that KHOU is hiring another new morning co-anchor.  In fact, I am aware of one notable Houston TV anchor that has tried out. Stay tuned.  This could get very interesting.  I've been telling people in the TV industry that when new KHOU GM David Loving was hired in May 2024, given that he had already run the top-rated station in Houston a few years ago, he was going to hit the ground running and shake up the ratings. Stay tuned.

Muddaraj joined the KHOU 11 News team in January 2012 as a weekend evening anchor and reporter, alongside Vicente Arenas. She took over for Shern-Min Chow, who had just moved to the KHOU 4pm news, the newscast that Muddaraj now anchors.

She came to Houston from CBS News 8 KFMB in 2007, where she worked as an Emmy Award-winning reporter.

Before that, Muddaraj reported for KOAM 7 in Pittsburg, Kansas, covering news across four states: Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

She is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

Muddaraj and her husband Dr. Neil Badlani have three daughters.

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A post shared by REKHA MUDDARAJ | News Anchor, Reporter (@rekhatv)

 

KPRC 2 gets new graphics 2025

KPRC 2 Houston changed its graphics package on Monday. 

Channel 2 ditched the NBC Peacock from its logo and added "NEWS" to its bug and opens. 

Gone are the time and temp bug, too. The time and temp bug are only on the morning show, not the evening show.

According to the video above, the changes are part of owner Graham Media Group's overall graphic redesign.  Apparently, it's the last station to make the GFX jump.  The new music is "WCPM Icon News."  Former Houston radio DJ Beau Weaver remains the voice-over artist.

(Thanks Jim)

KPRC 2 Houston smack-talks TV station over UH championship game

Bill Barajas is a KPRC 2 Houston weekend anchor and a University of Houston grad, so he took it extra personally when challenged by Graham Media Group sister station News4Jax WJXT Jacksonville, Florida sports anchor Jamal St. Cyr ahead of tonight's UH-Florida national championship!

Also, in another live shot, look who was in the crowd during Barajas's report!  His brother and Graham Media Group sister station reporter John Paul Barajas.

Texas anchor hospitalized by red light runner

Noemy Sanchez has been missing from the KTRE 9 Lufkin newscasts after being off-air and hospitalized from a serious car accident.

Here is what the East Texas TV anchor posted on social:

"As many of you may have noticed, I haven’t been on KTRE for the past couple of weeks. 

In early March, I suffered a car accident. I was hit by a driver that ran a red light on my way back home.

Although it has been a slow recovery process, I am thankful every day for the progress I have made. I want to thank all our viewers who have messaged me or called the station to check up on me. 

If my recovery process goes well, I should be back at the anchor desk by mid-April. Thank you all for allowing me to come into your homes every evening. See you soon."

Sanchez joined Gray Television duopoly stations KTRE and KLTV East Texas as an anchor/reporter in 2023.

A University of North Texas graduate, she interned at Dallas-Fort Worth's Telemundo KXTX-39 and CBS 11 KTVT.

While still in school, Sanchez worked as an associate producer for CBS News in Texas and was awarded a Gray Television News Fellowship, gaining experience at the company's Washington, D.C., bureau.

Upon graduation, she left UNT with two Lone Star EMMYs for anchoring and producing two Spanish-language newscasts.

Jacob Rascon interviewed by Ron Treviño

Jacob Rascon makes his KHOU 11 Houston morning debut Monday, April 7, and ahead of his new station AM debut, Rascon was interviewed by fellow anchor Ron Treviño.

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Jillian Hartmann joins FOX 26 Houston

Jillian Hartmann is joining FOX 26 Houston KRIV as a reporter from WPXI 11 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she held the same position.

Hartmann previously worked as a morning news reporter for Fox 4 News WFTX in Fort Myers, Florida.

Before that, she began her career as a reporter for WJAC 6 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

A graduate of the broadcast journalism degree at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, Hartmann interned at WPXI. She knew she wanted to be a TV journalist after shadowing WPXI news anchors Peggy Finnegan and David Johnson.

Another Houston TV reporter to soon hit our airwaves at a FOX 26 competitor is Brianna Willis.

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