Bill Bishop retires from KHOU 11 Houston after 42 years, colleagues reflect on his impact

Ron Treviño, Kim Castro, Bill Bishop (credit: Courtney Zubowski Haas)

Bill Bishop may not be a name Houston television viewers immediately recognize, but they sure know the longtime KHOU managing editor in the industry.

IN OTHER HOUSTON TV RETIREMENT NEWS
Jeff Ehling signs off ABC13 Houston

Known in the Houston journalism world as "The Bishop" on his well-followed X account, he announced last week that he is retiring after 42 years with the station:

 

"After 47 years in Houston news, 42 of those at my home away from home, KHOU, I'm retiring tomorrow.  News is in my blood. I'll still be active on social media, but it's time for carefree highway.  Here's to the sunny slopes of long ago and to the future."

His four decades of impact were celebrated Friday at a KHOU luncheon in his honor, attended by former KHOU 11 anchor Jerome Gray.

"Old school journalists from the 80s and 90s talked about Bill’s impact, as did current KHOU reporters who weren’t even born when we former KHOU reporters walked into the newsroom and benefited from Bill’s expertise," Gray told mikemcguff.com.   "I think of Bill Bishop as a sports team manager/coach who was able to put all the pieces in place for a news team win. Viewers may appreciate the work of the on-air talent, but they should know Bill and others behind the scenes make the magic happen. I am having a hard time imagining the KHOU newsroom without Bill, given his contact lists and newsgathering expertise. Fortunately, there are plenty of newsroom staffers who have learned a lot from Bill." 

"When it comes to his knowledge? Truly a walking encyclopedia of Houston history," KHOU 11 anchor Ron Treviño told mikemcguff.com.  "And not just news. Sports! Oh, and movies! Godfather quotes endlessly. To my amusement and the bemusement of the younger staff members. We just shook our heads and laughed."

Hopefully, in Bishop's case, the TV industry won't pull him back in just when he thought he was out.

"Bill was the glue of KHOU's newsroom," former KHOU 11 anchor Brandi Smith told mikemcguff.com.  "Not only did Bill grow up in Houston, he went to college at the University of Houston and he spent his entire professional career here. I find it hard to believe anyone knows Houston the way Bill knows Houston. He always had a finger on the pulse of the city. He worked under so many different news directors and so many different news 'philosophies,' but as long as I've known him (which is almost 10 years now), his goal was always the same: to serve the city he loves so much. This is a guy who has had Texans season tickets forever -- just because his team was down and out, he never gave up. And that philosophy carried into the newsroom too. And it wasn't just the newsroom employees who trusted Bill. Sources all over the city trusted him because he'd earned their respect over decades. It's tough to build up that kind of credibility in a community -- especially behind the scenes -- but Bill did that. With the turnover at stations today, I'm not sure anyone in this market will be able to replicate what he built." 

It is no surprise Bishop knows Houston as well as his colleagues say he does. The UH grad started his professional journalism career with 740 KTRH Houston. 

"I've known him since I used to have hair," former ABC13 KTRK investigative reporter Wayne Dolcefino told me.   "He is a solid guy, and knows the town. The actual number of journalists who actually know this town is getting pretty small." 

Bishop and Dolcefino formed a tight group at KTRH in the early 80s with other longtime Houston TV journalists, including former KHOU 11 reporter Doug Miller and former ABC13 KTRK managing editor Chris Hanson.

Around 1984, Bishop moved from radio to television with KHOU.  It was a reset for both Bishop and Channel 11 as the station was transitioning from Corinthian Broadcasting to its new owner, the A.H. Belo Corporation.

Turns out Bishop outlasted Belo, as the station is now owned by TEGNA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexstar Media Group.

Saturday night at the Kirby Ice House, former KHOU 11 reporter Courtney Zubowski Haas helped organize a party for Bishop, packed with KHOU employees past and present.  The man of honor appeared to an adoring crowd with his wife, Denise Bishop, who also worked at 740 KTRH and eventually became a FOX 26 Houston KRIV news director. 

"He was the nucleus of the newsroom, connecting people and information and keeping the whole operation moving," Hass told me.  "When you needed to know something, you went to Bill. He didn’t just work in the newsroom; in many ways, he was the newsroom." 

"He's the context we all needed. The Astros record — Bill knew it," former KHOU 11 reporter Melissa Correa told mikemcguff.com.  "The history of Sunnyside, Bill had a story for you. Why don't you drive parts of the Westpark toll during heavy rain, Bill explained why." 

Correa called Bishop her compass, which gave her the context she needed to succeed. 

"He often pointed me in the right direction of whom to call so that I could beat the deadline on a breaking story," Correa added.  "Bill knows everyone and every organization across the greater Houston region. That guidance was needed as an MMJ logging miles and miles on Houston's roads solo. I always appreciated his willingness to pick up the phone and help schedule a shoot or an interview, so that I could get it all done as a team of one."

"In short, Bill was the newsroom," KHOU 11 meteorologist Kim Castro told me.  "It's one thing to research a story or weather event, it's another to speak to the man who lived through it. To have Bill was to have live archive access. And not the boring AI kind. Bill's humor, his movie quotes, his whole demeanor of hard news man with a soft heart was the pulse of this newsroom."

While it may sound like Bishop was the brain of the newsroom, his heart also touched his colleagues over the years.

"Professionally, Bill is unmatched. The man knows everything...news, weather, traffic...most times before the news, weather, traffic people know themselves," added Castro.  "You can't help but have the deepest admiration and respect for that alone. But it's his heart that has made Bill such an important and staple part of our lives. Gone on assignment? You'll get a text from Bill. 'Is everything going ok, do you need anything?' How about just gone on vacation? You'll also get a text from Bill just checking in. Somehow, he always had time for it all."

"Bill Bishop was the heart and soul of the newsroom," added Treviño.  "You could talk forever about his cool head under pressure, his leadership skills, journalistic integrity and judgment. But the man himself is what I will miss. My best friend, and possibly the best person I know in terms of decency. And that is the true measure of a man."

"He was my dear friend," Correa added.  "The early months of the pandemic were really hard. He'd often call just to make sure I was doing okay. Bill was always one to ask about my family, send me a photo of his cat, Colby, or make a reference to one of his favorite Seinfeld episodes. That's rare—to have a managing editor who is focused on running a 24/7 news operation and who also slows down enough to make sure you're okay. I left television news in August 2022. I was burned out. But I still love journalism so much. I'll never forget talking to Bill on my last day at the station and apologizing for not being able to be more resilient or stronger or tougher — to be able to stick it out through that really difficult time. He said, 'Do not apologize. You did good, kid.'" 

"I hope Bill takes pride in all the help he has provided to hundreds of reporters and other colleagues over the years [and] takes pride in all his contributions to awards for KHOU and its peeps," Gray added.  "And he really needs to take pride in all his work to inform this community."

"Assume nothing," Bishop told KHOU Digital Director Randy Klein concerning advice for today's and future journalists. "Just because a politician or an official says that’s the way it is, doesn’t mean they’re right. Ask for everything. You may not get it all, but you may get something. The worst they can say is no. Consider all the angles, all the possibilities of what may have happened on a story. Having contacts and sources is important. You must develop them. Get right out the door every day. The story isn’t in the newsroom. Saying please and thank you goes a long way."

Some personal news.
After 47 years in Houston news, 42 of those at my home away from home, KHOU, I'm retiring tomorrow. News is in my blood. I'll still be active on social media, but it's time for carefree highway. Here's to the sunny slopes of long ago and to the future. pic.twitter.com/oTdwT3RpL5

— The Bishop (@BillBishopKHOU) September 17, 2026

 

KPRC 2 was No. 1 at 10 p.m. Why did it have 'Enough' with a traditional newscast?

Back in early January 2026, I first heard that KPRC 2 Houston was doing something different with its 10pm newscast, and to tell you how big the news was, I heard it from staffers at two other TV stations within an hour of each other.

WATCH: ENOUGH first episode on KPRC 2 Houston 9-13-26
- Anthony Yanez is sticking around at KPRC 2 Houston

Since then, it's been the talk of the town.

Over the last few months, I've received inquiries from viewers, other TV stations, advertisers, and even Channel 2's own employees.

Now the 10pm transformation, as we now know it, "ENOUGH," debuts Sunday, September 13, 2026.  KPRC tells me the five-night-a-week 10pm show will air Sunday through Thursday while NBC airs Sunday Night Football, then will likely move to Monday through Friday after that.

KPRC 2 invited mikemcguff.com to its studios to see an early episode of ENOUGH.  More on my thoughts below.

First, let me address the many questions I have received.  ENOUGH, which KPRC calls a digital-first investigative accountability journalism series, obviously won't be your traditional newscast, as you may have gathered from the station's promotional content.  Think of it like a Houston version of 60 Minutes to a degree.

In fact, the 30-minute show will be many things.  The station tells me one night the ENOUGH team will tackle a big subject like school vouchers, the next night it might be a series of topics, and the following day it could feature a roundtable discussion.

There will not be a news and weather segment.  At least not during ENOUGH.  However, what news director Ana Lastra described to me as a 10:30 cut-in will have some quick news headlines and a weather update right before "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

And in case you didn't know, last Thursday, the Graham Media Group station debuted a 9pm streaming newscast on KPRC2+ that will now serve as the traditional late-night news.

But what about major breaking news?  Will ENOUGH be sidelined for something big going on at the moment?  That is a question the team tells me they are still grappling with.  Something very urgent would have to be going on to interrupt the show with breaking news.  I asked whether a hurricane or refinery fire would be the demarcation for breaking news, and they said yes.  Essentially, they said something current and public safety-related would certainly rise to the occasion for a switch to traditional news programming.

It's a big swing for a newscast that, as KPRC 2 Vice President and General Manager Sean McLaughlin noted on LinkedIn, finished No. 1 at 10 in May.

I sat down with McLaughlin, News Director Ana Lastra, and ENOUGH anchor Stephania Jimenez to find out what this project actually is and why they feel they must be experimental right now.

"For a long time you'd go into a community, turn on the news at 10, and there'd be five or six stations that all made the exact same decisions all day. It was almost mystifying — how did everybody in different parts of town arrive at the same exact decision?" he asked. "I think we're starting to see divergence. I think we're starting to see different philosophies around how we're going to operate as local media operations, how we're going to fund it and what's important. Some people are afraid of that. I'm really excited by it."

McLaughlin, who has been in the Houston GM chair a little over a year, said the decision didn't start with a ratings book.

"The short answer is it's not really a ratings play," he told me. "One of the first questions we spent time on is, what is it we do as a local TV station in 2026, 2027? We've operated a certain way for so long, but our industry has a lot of challenges. The audience is aging."

He argues the disconnect with younger viewers isn't about apathy.

"It's not because they don't care what's happening in their community. It's not because they're not interested in journalism. It's just we haven't done as good a job as we could appealing to them," McLaughlin said. "We still appeal to their parents and grandparents."

Having spent the last decade-plus in roles where, by his own description, he's "been exposed to more audience research than just about anybody in the industry," McLaughlin said the same themes kept surfacing.

"People are just really frustrated with a lot of things that are happening. They don't feel like they're getting answers. They feel like a lot of societal institutions are letting them down, including, to some degree, the local journalism institutions," he said. "So this was an opportunity to just completely reset that."

He also pushed back on the idea that local news can survive as a nightly crime rundown.

"Local news can't exist going forward, in my opinion, as just a collection of all the bad things that happen in a community in a given day," McLaughlin said. "If you want to do that in a community like Houston, you can fill hour after hour with just every little crime that happened. But people do want more. People are overrun with that."

McLaughlin actually told me the quiet part out loud.  Shrinking television news audiences and a majority of only older viewers is something the TV world often talks about amongst themselves.  McLaughlin is addressing this head-on, telling me the industry's financial challenges are real, but so is the opportunity to figure out its future: "through differentiated products and the kinds of content that only we're doing, I believe there's a sustainable path there going forward."

He added, "One of the mistakes a lot of times that gets made around innovation projects is it's done from a position of weakness. I feel strongly the best ideas and innovations can come from a position of strength."

The dream job

Anchor Stephania Jimenez, who came to KPRC 2 from KSAT12 in San Antonio in January, doesn't hide how she feels about the assignment.

"This is really my dream job," she said, tracing it back to a Brooklyn childhood where she didn't learn English until she started school and watched the news with her grandmother. "There was just something about asking questions that I wasn't really allowed to do when I was little. That just really piqued my interest."

She says she's never built something from the ground up like this.

"You can't really describe this as investigative journalism. There is a tinge of that, but there's more to it," Jimenez said. "When people watch this, I really want this to feel like — and I think they will walk away feeling like — this is a conversation that is happening between us and the audience, because the audience is a big part of the show."

About that viral flood moment

I asked Jimenez whether her widely shared on-air demand for answers during the July 2025 Hill Country flooding coverage planted a seed for a show like this.

"I kind of hated that, because it made the story about me and it wasn't about me," she told me. "I have been to Kerrville where these unfortunate floods happened. I knew people who passed away. So at that moment, I'm a journalist, I'm a reporter, but I also want answers for a lot of these people."

She said the reaction reflected something she thinks the industry gets wrong about itself.

"Sometimes people think that journalists are in one category, and then there's kind of everybody else, right? The public. And that's not true, especially when it comes to local news. We're one of you. We live in these communities," Jimenez said. "I just hope that people know that all of it comes from the heart."

What the show actually looks like

News Director Ana Lastra tells me not to expect a rigid format.

"There's going to be days that we'll have a whole show that's just built around one topic. There's going to be days where it might be other things. We might have roundtable discussions, one-on-one conversations, holding people accountable," Lastra said. "It's really going to be the content and the stories that dictate what the format is going to be for the show."

The audience, she said, sets the agenda, pointing to data centers, electricity resiliency and storm recovery as issues already driving coverage.

And it starts on digital, not at 10 p.m.

"When people wake up in the mornings, they're not looking at their phones saying, KPRC is going to publish all these stories right now," Lastra said. "So really, it's about how do we jump in on the conversation? How do we talk to our audience? How do we communicate with them on all these different platforms in different ways? Because not every platform is going to be the same way."

That's already happening. Lastra said reporters have been posting pieces of the first stories to Instagram before the elements are finished. "He's showing you the process, letting people in on the back end of it before all the story's elements are done, because that's just kind of how people expect information to come in now."

For Lastra, who came to KPRC 2 as an investigator, running this is personal.

"This is truly an investigative reporter, investigative journalist dream. Whether you're on camera, behind the scenes, the amount of passion that's going into it," she said. "I wish that ten years ago I could have been a part of this project from the ground. I would have killed to be a part of the project as a reporter back in the day."

So where did the daily news, weather, and sports go?

This is the question I suspect most viewers will have, and KPRC 2 has an answer: a new 9 p.m. stream on KPRC 2+.

"What you get on 10 right now is what you'll get on the 9, plus more, most likely, as we develop it out," Lastra said. "You'll get your sports, your news headlines, what to prepare for weather, all of those things."

Sports moves to that streaming half-hour or hour, which Lastra points out actually gives the sports team more room to work. And ENOUGH won't leave broadcast viewers empty-handed — she says the end of the 10 p.m. show will include a cut-in-style block of top headlines and weather.

Money on the screen

After watching the promo and the first episode of ENOUGH, it's obvious there's a budget here. Crews are traveling around Texas and to another state, at least in what I saw.

"We're going one way while a lot of the business is going the other. I recognize that," McLaughlin said. "Good journalism, good storytelling and good reporting aren't cheap. There are cheaper ways to do this. But I believe in quality local reporting. I believe in investigative journalism, and I believe there needs to be more of it, not less of it."

KPRC tells me they have around 20 or more staffers dedicated to ENOUGH, with anchor Jimenez plus reporters Amy Davis, Joel Eisenbaum, Rilwan Balogun, and newly hired Kelly Wiley as the on-air talents.

- Derick Garcia joins KPRC 2 Houston for Enough

McGuff's thoughts

After directing an award-winning documentary film, I don't want to review someone else's work anymore.  After what I personally went through to get "Runaway Radio" made, I have much more empathy for people putting themselves out there.

However, KPRC did bring me in to watch the first episode, so here are my thoughts.  

ENOUGH certainly does not look like a normal newscast.  It has a striking production design.  The footage looked cinematic.  I am told they are shooting with cinema cameras and color-grading the video in post-production.

The episode I saw featured a school voucher report by Balogun. He traveled to Austin and then Phoenix. Jimenez then interviewed KPRC's GMG sister station WKMG Orlando anchor Lisa Bell about how the Florida school vouchers have been working.

Lastra told me they could work with their own company journalists for stories, plus those from independent media, in the future. 

What's on the docket

Per KPRC 2, the early ENOUGH slate includes:

School vouchers. Texas Education Freedom Accounts, with a trip to Arizona to see how a longer-running voucher program has played out.

High-speed rail. Houston to Dallas by train — where the project stands and what's blocking it.

Growth and who pays for it. Data center expansion and land subsidence across the region.

Public safety technology, Houston's new administrative fee tied to garbage pickup, historic property protections and CenterPoint accountability.

The station says it will keep circling back on stories rather than moving on, framing it this way: getting an answer isn't the same as getting a solution.

Jimenez, for her part, wants Houston talking back.

"Share episodes, watch them. If there was something that you liked or that you didn't like, let us know," Jimenez tells mikemcguff.com readers. "If you have any suggestions or something that you would like to see on the show, I want you to tell us about that as well, because Houston, this show is for you."

Jeff Ehling to retire from ABC13 KTRK Houston after 26 years

After 26 years at ABC13 KTRK Houston and four decades in television news, Jeff Ehling is announcing on mikemcguff.com that he will retire on September 18, 2026.

"My wife and I have been planning for this a long time," Ehling told mikemcguff.com.   "We set a goal that would allow me to retire after 20 years, but 2020 was at the beginning of the pandemic, and it did not seem like a good idea to leave a job during all that uncertainty.  I signed a three-year contract that year, and not long after, I was given the chance to become a streaming news anchor, and I really enjoyed it. So when that contract ended three years later, I felt like staying for another contract.  Now we are six years past our goal, and it just feels like the right time to begin a new phase of our lives.  I’m glad I stayed on for these last six years because I thoroughly enjoyed streaming news and being the anchor for the 11 AM."  

So what will Ehling do with his upcoming "normal person" schedule?

"I love watching football, but unfortunately I have to miss all of the Sunday Night, Monday Night and Thursday Night games due to working the early morning schedule," Ehling said.  "I typically go to bed around 7 p.m.  Now I can take in all the NFL and College football action without worrying about getting up early.  So the thing I am looking forward to the most is getting to set my own schedule, and that includes plenty of football."

Ehling has been a familiar face to Houston viewers since joining KTRK in January 2000 as the station’s morning reporter. Over the years, in addition to reporting, he also became well known for anchoring, consumer coverage, and, later, digital streaming.

When his wife accepted a job in Houston in late 1999, he relocated to Texas, and shortly afterward, Ehling landed his role at KTRK.

"When I moved here, my wife and I were engaged but not married yet.  She is from New York, and we always entertained the idea of moving to New York City, but after we bought our house we realized we likely would never be able to afford a similar home in Manhattan," Ehling told me.   "Once we had kids, we realized Houston offered the best cost of living for a major U.S. city, and the longer we stayed, the more we realized how much Houston has to offer and what makes it a great place to raise a family.  We love it.  

"On a personal level, Houston’s Med Center, specifically Women’s Hospital of Texas, played a major role in the lives of our kids.  Both my boys were born prematurely, and the doctors and nurses at Women’s are the reason why those boys survived and are now thriving adults.  You can’t overstate the importance of having world-class health care professionals in your backyard.  I will always be in their debt.   Professionally, the city and the station have been fantastic.  I started here as a reporter and knew I would eventually want to move to the anchor desk.  ABC 13 made that happen, and the reception from the viewers here allowed me to keep working for 26 years."

During his tenure at ABC13, Ehling covered some of the biggest stories of his career, including hurricanes, reporting from Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and covering Texas troops stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Over the years, ABC NewsOne, the network affiliate news service, recognized Ehling's live-shot skills and used him for nationwide reports.

"Of all the international stories I have covered, the second Gulf War left a lasting impact on me personally," Ehling admitted.  "The station set up a rotation for reporters and photographers that would have us leaving Kuwait after two weeks, but the airspace was closed after we arrived, so we were stuck at the center of the attack from Scud missiles for an entire month.  Almost every Scud fired from Iraq at Kuwait was aimed at Kuwait City.  The Patriot Missile defenses shot down most of those Scuds, but some made it through.   One landed in the middle of the night less than a mile from our hotel. 

"While we were the only crew in Kuwait City, we had to report on TV here in Houston at 5 am, 6 am, 11 am, 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm, and 10 pm.  We then had to reset and do it all over again each day.  We got about four hours of sleep a day, but not all at once.  Air raid sirens warning of missile attacks sounded throughout the day and night.   The sirens and not sleeping or eating properly made things extremely difficult, both mentally and physically, as the days went on.  One time we were at a military checkpoint when US forces started putting on their chemical warfare gear.  They weren’t messing around, and it was clear something either hit nearby or was in the air.  We carried similar gear and also rushed to get the protective masks on.  Then we interviewed soldiers about what was happening.  Other reporters from around the world were nearby, but they did not have any protective gear.  One of the reporters from Japan took our picture while we were interviewing military members.  That picture made it into newspapers around the world.  I’ve got so many stories from that time, but to this day loud sirens kind of make me nervous."

In 2004, Ehling took over the consumer reporting role after Nydia Han left for 6abc Action News WPVI Philadelphia. 

His consumer reporting helped ABC13 viewers save money through his financial tips, scam warnings, and holding businesses accountable.

In 2005, Ehling broke the news of truck fires happening while the vehicle was turned off, leading to a nationwide recall.

"When KTRK asked me to become a Consumer Reporter, I did not hesitate because it is the kind of reporting that impacts people’s lives," Ehling said.  "We heard about the truck fires from a viewer, and at first I was kind of skeptical, but after digging into it we found so many people in our area who had the same issue.  We went to a wrecker yard during our investigation to see if they had trucks that had caught fire, and the manager told me, 'If you want to take a picture of every truck on the lot that caught fire, you are going to be here all day.'   That’s when I knew we had a very big story on our hands, and eventually it got national attention and led to a massive recall."

During this time, he also hosted the Emmy-nominated "Jeff on the Job" half-hour specials that continued his consumer investigations after the Eyewitness Newscasts signed off for the night.

Known for his fantastic live reporting and off-the-cuff style, Ehling later found his way to the weekend morning anchor desk.

In 2017, his live reports covering rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey were seen across the nation. Ehling later won the President's Volunteer Service Award for his work in response to Hurricane Harvey.

Ehling stepped away from the weekend morning anchor desk alongside Charly Edsitty in January 2024 and transitioned to weekday mornings and streaming coverage on the ABC13 24/7 stream, where he anchors expanded morning programming and returned to consumer-focused reporting. He was then assigned duties as an 11am newscast anchor on television as well.

"Streaming is great!  I love it," he said.   "My approach is to try to have a little fun where appropriate.  For instance, we hit traffic at the top of every break, and let’s face it, showing drive times from Katy isn’t really super exciting as an anchor or for most viewers.  So I really lean into the pronunciation, it’s more like DRIIIIIIVE TIIIMES!!!!  I know it’s at least a little funny as my colleagues in the newsroom usually get a laugh out of it.   Also, being able to stay on a breaking news story is great.  One time there was a foam release at the airport, it’s the kind of foam used to suppress fires.  This stuff was everywhere.  We got Skyeye over it and then Miya Shay on the ground, and while they were talking, I called up a friend who works in disaster preparedness to have him go over the air via Zoom.  It was great TV.  Streaming really lets us stretch out our abilities, and that’s why I love the format.  I would not have had an opportunity to do this had the station not had the foresight to add additional newscasts that do not appear on regular TV.  KTRK was among the first stations in the country to add streaming news and one of the first to offer so many hours of streaming news."

When he started his career, TV stations would have thought "streaming" was something happening down by the river.

Ehling's broadcasting career began in 1986 near his hometown of Statenville, Georgia. The Valdosta State University graduate started at ABC affiliate WVGA in Valdosta before moving to NBC affiliate WMGT in Macon. In 1990, he joined CBS affiliate WCTV in Tallahassee, Florida, where he served as bureau chief in Valdosta and was promoted to weekend anchor.

He continued his career in 1996 at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, working as a general assignment reporter. South Florida also became personally significant; it was there he met his wife.

"When I started back in 1986, my first station was using ¾ inch tapes to record interviews, and now it’s all on video cards," Ehling remembered.  "We had no computers, no internet, no live trucks, no news apps.  I have seen incredible change in the industry, but one thing has stayed the same.  The people who are responsible for bringing the news to your TV are still dedicated, talented, and willing to go to places where residents are being told to evacuate.   This business has given me a lifetime of incredible experiences.  I got to cover multiple World Series games, Little League World Series games, NFL and NBA playoffs, hurricanes that dumped 56 inches of rain on our community, and so much more.  The people I’ve met along the way, both in the business and in the community, have been wonderful.  I am so thankful I got to spend the last 26 years of my career here in Houston and at KTRK. 

"I will be forever grateful to the station, my coworkers, and the viewers who welcomed me into their homes each day."

Scott Braddock on the new Quorum Report Radio

 

Scott Braddock, the editor of the go-to source for Texas political insiders, Harvey Kronberg's The Quorum Report, has launched a new podcast called “Quorum Report Radio” (now available on all platforms).

For the past decade, Braddock hosted the state’s top-ranked politics podcast, the "Texas Take."  As an avid listener of that show, I feel Braddock really taught me about what is happening in Austin and how the Texas Capitol works. Information that I ended up using personally.

And I am happy to say that, with “Quorum Report Radio,” Braddock is back with the insider information that really gets behind the day's Texas political news.

A native of Wharton County, Braddock grew up on a farm before launching his radio career at age 16 in Brenham, where he spun records and read school lunch menus on the air. By 19, he was covering news in Bryan–College Station, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Braddock previously served as chief political reporter for 740 KTRH in Houston and NewsRadio 1080 KRLD in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Throughout his career, Braddock has earned prestigious honors, including Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press awards for investigative journalism. He has also been recognized by the Texas congressional delegation for excellence and fairness in political reporting and is a frequent guest on national and statewide media outlets, including Fox News Channel, CNN, CBS News, ABC News, and conservative talk radio programs across Texas.

Braddock was kind enough to answer my questions about the new “Quorum Report Radio” podcast and much more. 

Mike McGuff:  You’ve promised to give listeners the "inside scoop" on the halls of power. Will the Quorum Report Radio Podcast allow you to be more candid or opinionated than you were under the Houston Chronicle banner?

Scott Braddock: Yes, sir.

There's no question the new show gives listeners a more unvarnished version of Quorum Report’s storytelling, analysis, and news coverage. My Publisher and mentor, Harvey Kronberg, and I have been deliberate in pulling no punches in covering Texas politics because fairness is born of accuracy, not the “bothsidesism” false equivalence you get from most traditional media. 

The new show skips right past that and instead prioritizes what political professionals want to hear about. It’s really an audio version of the kind of reporting we’ve been doing in the pages of Quorum Report for decades.

One of our listeners said, “It just feels more authentic” than the old show. That probably speaks to how it’s more tailored to what the Texas Capitol crowd wants to hear, which just happens to be the stuff I really care about. For example, this past week’s show features an in-depth discussion with Harvey about how this year’s elections could complicate Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows’ chances for reelection as speaker. 

We’re already thinking about that because our audience demands that kind of info. Another recent episode starts with the story under the story of what’s happening in the GOP primary for Texas Comptroller in which one candidate purchased Jeffrey Epstein’s ranch in New Mexico. And I traveled across Deep East Texas to cover a state Senate race that may not be the sexiest thing going on – like the US Senate race – but it’s critical for players at the Capitol in Austin. Of course, we’re covering the US Senate race because of increased focus on the top of the ticket this year. But we’re also connecting the dots on how that race may impact the structure of Texas government come 2027.

On Quorum Report Radio, we can really spread out and talk at length about those topics thanks to how we source our information and the way we primarily serve an audience of political professionals. But one thing I’ve already noticed in just the first few months of doing this new program is that there’s also a broader audience interested in what the insiders are talking about. So, it’s pretty accessible to any political junkie.

All that said, the partnership with the Houston Chronicle over the last decade has been nothing but positive. I wouldn’t have gotten into podcasting without them, after all. Until they asked me to create a Texas politics podcast out of thin air, it had never even entered my mind to do something like that. In a lot of ways, I thought my days behind the microphone were behind me after I was fired from a radio station in spectacular fashion in Houston nearly 15 years ago. 

But what's the old line? "Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in." 

Podcasting is great because, in so many ways, it is just like radio was in its infancy: You can do anything you want with it. A comedy show? Cool. A show about your favorite music? Sure. A show about Texas politics? You bet. A Texas politics show that starts each episode with an original track from a rap artist in Houston? Yes, we do that now.

MM: Take us back to 2015: When the Houston Chronicle first approached you about launching a Texas politics podcast, did you have any sense it would become such a long-term, defining project?

SB: Absolutely not.

When the Chronicle’s then-Austin Bureau Chief Mike Ward first approached me about it, I thought I would just help them get it started, and after a few weeks, they’d figure out how to do it on their own, and I’d move on. But a few months into the project, it became clear they had no idea how to keep this thing going. Only then did I negotiate an agreement to be compensated by the Chronicle for it and made the commitment to do the show each week.

In the background, what had happened was the Chronicle's owners at Hearst Newspapers told them to do more with multimedia, including podcasts. So, the newspaper approached me because of my decades in broadcasting and asked me to collaborate on what I now just call the old show. My last co-host, Jeremy Wallace, is a great newspaper reporter. Over the years, I had several co-hosts, and they all did a solid job. But I had to teach them to do a version of a radio show. Through multiple co-hosts and producers, I was the only constant presence because of my dedication to the audience we were cultivating.

Last year, though, I made the decision to put a laser focus on the products we're creating at Quorum Report to always serve our audience first through our writing, podcasting, radio, and TV appearances as well as speeches around Texas. Some other changes are coming, too. I’ll unveil some of that later this year.

But there’s no animosity between Quorum Report and the Chronicle. I have many friends who work at Hearst newspapers across Texas. Just a couple weeks ago, in fact, the Chronicle’s Opinion Editor Evan Mintz was on the new show with me to talk about the paper’s endorsement of James Talarico in the Democratic primary for US Senate.

But you’re right: The old show became one of the primary things I’m known for in Texas generally and at the Texas Capitol specifically. I like the fact that political professionals would really listen to the show each week and not just say things like “hey, great show!” Instead, they’d sometimes want to argue about what had been said or – as is often the case with a sophisticated audience – they’d offer some perspective on an issue that I hadn’t yet known about or considered. The day I stop learning from my audience is the day I’ll stop doing all this for a living.

MM:  Texas Take became the number one politics podcast in Texas. What do you think listeners connected with most: tone, access, trust, or something else?

SB:  That’s a great question. I’m not a hundred percent sure, but it’s probably because people feel like they really know me. That’s based on listener feedback. When listeners approach me at various events around the state, they’ll very often say something like “hey, I feel like I just talked to you.” What they mean is they listened to the show.

And the thing is, they do know me because I’m a pretty open book.

Radio industry folks will readily tell you that radio – and now podcasting as well – is the most intimate medium. When I was a 16-year-old disc jockey, the owner of the station where I worked in Brenham, Texas, gave me some of the best advice any young broadcaster can get: When you talk into the microphone, imagine you’re talking to one person driving in their car, doing chores around the house, or whatever. Don’t treat your presentation like you’re talking to a big crowd. People don’t listen that way. They listen solo, generally. Although I know some people do listen with their kids in the car. So, I still give a warning if there’s going to be rough language or something difficult to listen to, like the audio of the screaming of the children at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde when their classmates were murdered.

The fact that people usually listen solo is even more pronounced now that most of them use earbuds. The experience is just them and who they’re listening to. One listener said something about how “It feels like a conversation where there’s no pressure on me to say anything.” I think that’s a cool way to think about it.

MM:  The phrase “the story under the story” comes up often in how you describe your work. How does audio allow you to tell that story differently from print?

SB: That phrase was really drilled into me by Mr. Kronberg, who’s been looking for that “story under the story” of Texas politics and government for about 40 years now. It’s always changing. 

There’s a lot we do at Quorum Report that’s unique in Texas. Chief among those things is that in our publication and now on the podcast, we don’t necessarily do a lot of on-the-record interviews because our audience is hoping to learn the things they can’t get from an on-the-record conversation. Candidates, officeholders, advocates, and others always have their focus-grouped talking points ready to go, and that’s fine. But when a source says, “Can I tell you something off the record?” that means we’re about to get to the heart of what’s really going on.

That’s the good stuff.

What’s the real motivation and the real end game? These things are always moving targets. So, covering those stories in real time across print, the podcast, and on social media is key to figuring out what’s happening in fluid situations. I’m always down to get dinner, have drinks, or smoke cigars with political combatants and have those off-the-record conversations because that’s when they really open up and give more of the full story. When their name doesn’t have to be attached to the information, you get a fuller understanding of the situation. What’s the standard for reporting information without attribution? Well, that’s more art than science. 

On the show, we can play the audio of what officeholders or others said on the record. But then I can get real with the audience and give some genuine context to what was said. For most of the other politics shows, it seems like the only way hosts know how to do it is to have guests on to fill time. I don’t do that. Could I have Beto O’Rourke or Ted Cruz on the show for an hour to say whatever they want? Sure. We have fun on the show but I’m always going to respect the listener’s time by avoiding even a minute of spin from a guest and instead get right to the heart of what’s going on. That doesn’t mean we’ll never have guests. But I maintain a high bar for what’s going to be interesting to hear from a guest.

A lot of listeners tell me their ritual has been to pour a drink or smoke “something” on Friday nights and turn on the podcast. That was true with the old show and now with the new one.

I’m often asked by journalism students and others, “What are you most proud of in your career?” I used to have a hard time answering that. Not anymore. It’s the audience. I’m most proud of the fact that I have a smart audience and sources who trust me on both ends of an information exchange that both find beneficial.

MM: You’ve covered generations of Texas political power players. How do today’s lawmakers and operatives differ in how they engage with media compared to earlier eras?

SB: Previous generations in Texas’ top leadership were much more open with the press. Mr. Kronberg often talks, though, about how Democratic Gov. Ann Richards and GOP Gov. Rick Perry were both hostile to Quorum Report at different times for different reasons. The late Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, used to say something like “in order to abuse power, you have to have it in the first place.” He was a prosecutor, of course, and prosecuted more Democrats than Republicans because Democrats were in charge longer.

As journalists, a key responsibility is to keep folks honest when they hold the keys of power. 

Does Quorum Report do it a little differently from the way newspapers or TV reporters do? Sure.

Top Republican leadership in Texas has become more hostile to the press than I’ve ever seen in covering politics for a quarter-century. And it’s not just that they’ll lie to you or not answer questions at all. That’s always been part of the mix.

But in previous generations, politicians would tell a lie and hope they didn’t get caught at it. Now they’ll know that you know that what they’re saying isn’t true, and they still do it anyway. It seems like in politics and across our culture, everyone feels less personal responsibility to each other. That’s unfortunate. But we’d be lazy in our jobs as journalists if we just accept that as being okay.

MM: No doubt you have a lot of interesting stories over your years of covering Texas politics. What is one of your favorites that you enjoy telling at the cigar bar?

SB:  You’ll hate this answer but I’m probably not going to be able to think of one. It might be a little like asking a Swiftie to pick a favorite song by Taylor. For one, there are too many hits and the ones I’d call my favorites are always changing. 

It might surprise you but when I’m at a cigar bar – or anywhere really – I’m mainly listening instead of talking because I’m constantly gathering information and taking the time to hear what everyone has to say. When I was in my 20s, I’d spend so much time trying to be right when making my arguments about all this. Now that I’ll be pushing 50 soon, I’ve figured out there’s a lot of delight in finding out I was completely wrong about something.

Brandi Smith joins Houston Moms, talks leaving TV

When Brandi Smith left KHOU 11 Houston at the end of 2023, she thought she had made a "terrible mistake."  It turns out she was just moving on to the next exciting chapter of her life.

After being hired at Channel 11 in 2017, Smith was immediately thrust into a viral storm after Hurricane Harvey's destruction of the KHOU studios, followed by a promotion to weekend morning anchor and then to the pioneering position of digital anchor.

Now working at Rice University for the last few years, Smith tells us about embarking on another career phase as she becomes co-owner of Houston Moms still putting those TV news skills to good use.

- Deborah Duncan talks TV and motherhood
- Danielle Grossman, from KPRC 2 to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
- Rashi Vats talks TV and parenting
- Lauren Freeman on raising 5 boys

Mike McGuff:  Have you missed local TV news since leaving KHOU?

Brandi Smith: The first three or so months after I left KHOU 11, I worried I had made a terrible mistake by leaving and joining Rice News, the news arm of Rice University. I missed the adrenaline that comes with breaking news and chasing down stories for a "win." But then it sort of hit me that every story I get to do at Rice is a win. I get to share stories about students and faculty who are making a huge impact in Houston and beyond. They're professors like Benjamin Kamins who worked on developing a more affordable bassoon so more kids can access classical music. And students like Maya Harpavat who blended her English and health sciences majors and created writing workshops to teach cancer patients and their caretakers how to journal as an outlet. I've also recently taken on responsibilities with Rice Global, which has meant more travel to Rice's campus in Paris (the Rice Global Paris Center), India (Rice has established an office in Bangalore) and Venice, where Rice has joined the esteemed consortium Venice International University. 

What I found I missed was the direct connection I had with viewers. That still exists on social media, but it just felt like I didn't have as much to share or discuss when I wasn't posting the news of the day. Last fall, my friend Meagan Clanahan approached me about producing some videos for Houston Moms and I was excited to tap into that side of things again. Those conversations just kind of evolved and we started talking about me joining HM as an owner, which was a really exciting prospect for me. 

How are you using your TV career skills with Houston Moms?

Brandi: I think the simplest answer here is my video production skills. Houston Moms already has a team of extremely talented writers and some of them are also strong on social media. But let's be real, with apps like TikTok, Instagram and even Facebook now pushing videos more than static posts, one of the things I've been tasked with is creating videos that get the word out about the incredible content our contributors are creating. 

As a mother yourself, what experiences do you hope to bring to your readers?

Brandi: I'm further along in my mom journey than a lot of our other contributors since my youngest is about to start her freshman year in college. I shared about that in one of my first articles for HM. But I still remember the challenges and celebrations, the tough talks, the ongoing battles. I can tap into all of that when the time is right. I mean, shoot, I just updated our list of family-friendly breweries, which anyone who follows me will know is right up my alley! 

What is your advice for those still in TV news who are looking to use their skills and transition out of the media biz?

Brandi: We need journalists. I want to be clear about that. I don't want to discourage anyone from staying in an industry they love and have a passion for. But that industry has flaws: journalists are undervalued, underpaid and overworked --- so burnout can come on fast. So my advice for someone who is considering transitioning out of a traditional newsroom would be to consider all the incredible skills they've developed that are valuable anywhere: clear, concise communication; research and fact-checking; time management; working under pressure; interviewing and listening; adaptability; critical thinking and analysis; video and audio production; digital and social media fluency; problem-solving --- and that's just off the top of my head! In the past few years, organizations of all sizes have really started to understand and appreciate what someone with a newsroom background can bring into almost any environment. 

- Yes, Justin Stapleton and Brandi are a couple

Is there anything else you'd like to mention?

Brandi: I truly never thought I would leave a traditional newsroom. I started in one at 19 as a multimedia journalist at my hometown TV station and I would have stayed in my role at KHOU 11 if management there had treated its people better. When Rice offered me the job, I was so conflicted because we're talking about Rice (!!), one of the best universities in the entire country! But I loved what I did at KHOU 11. I had so many discussions with my family about it and I was confused about why it was so clear to them that Rice was the right choice. But they'd watched me through 22 years of this journalism career --- moving every couple of years, scraping to get by, working long hours --- and, though they knew how passionate I was about it, they wanted me to have a position where I would be fulfilled but also appreciated. Almost two years later, I can say they were completely right.

Fmr. DFW TV reporter Bryan Glazer recalls 1985 Delta 191 crash

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the tragic crash of Delta Air Lines Flight 191 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport — one of the deadliest aviation disasters in U.S. history.

After 6 p.m. on Friday, August 2, 1985, the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar was en route from Fort Lauderdale International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport with a scheduled stop at DFW.

It crashed during its final approach in stormy weather conditions. A total of 137 passengers and crew members died. Of those, many were residents of South Florida's tri-county area.

Remembering a Tragedy

Among the first journalists on the scene was Bryan Glazer, then a reporter for KDFW 4, the CBS affiliate in Dallas at the time. He had just been hired two weeks before the crash, previously reporting for WRAL Raleigh.

Glazer recalls being on a dinner break at a downtown Dallas restaurant when he first heard emergency chatter on his handheld police and fire scanner.

“Because KDFW had just ended a bitter labor unionization process, photographers were not permitted to take their news cars and equipment home,” Glazer told mikemcguff.com. “This crippled the station’s ability to respond and cover the unfolding events, effectively.”

Glazer says he grabbed his two-way radio and contacted the control room.

He says he told the executive producer, "There's a crash at DFW."

Glazer says the producer told him to "Stand by while I have someone check it out.”

Rather than follow the producer’s instructions, Glazer hopped in his car and drove to the airport. A live truck was then sent to him.

“Knowing that the most-compelling interviews would be from people waiting for arriving passengers, I headed for the terminal,” says Glazer.

Glazer says Delta had sheltered most of the people waiting for the flight in a conference room. However, some people were sitting in public spaces, according to Glazer.

“One of them was Christine Greene, who told me she had recently moved to Dallas and bought her brother a plane ticket to come see, as she said, 'Texas for the first time. I hope he can still do that,'" Glazer recalled.

Moments after interviewing Greene, Greene was advised that her brother, Gil, was alive – being treated at Parkland Memorial Hospital, according to Glazer.

“I also interviewed Reverend Richard Brown of Holy Trinity Church of Irving,” recalls Glazer. “I spotted him walking in the terminal wearing clerical clothing. He said he had just left the crash site, where he discovered a live baby amongst the rubble - overlooked by rescue crews. 

"On camera, he said, 'As I was blessing the body of a family member, I guess, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that he was still breathing, and so I watched real close and sure enough he was still breathing. You could see his stomach going up and down.'"

He continued, “So, me and a survivor, rushed him to an ambulance and I baptized him and they took him to Parkland (hospital).”

During the days following the crash, Glazer says he was assigned to the impact site, covering the NTSB investigation rather than following up on the victim-survivor elements.

“I wonder did the baby survive," Glazer asked. "He would be at least 40 years old today?"

The crash — ultimately blamed on windshear caused by a microburst — helped usher in the development and deployment of Doppler weather radar systems, now standard at airports nationwide.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation, the aircraft encountered severe wind shear just one mile from the runway as it passed through a fast-moving thunderstorm. The sudden downdraft caused the jetliner to lose altitude rapidly. The landing gear struck a car on the Grapevine Expressway, and the aircraft slammed into two large water tanks at the airport perimeter, erupting into flames.

Remarkably, all 27 survivors were seated in the plane’s rear section.

More tragedy to cover

Glazer left KDFW to report in New York City.  He eventually became a CNN correspondent in Los Angeles and New York.

Sadly, this would not be the only tragic crash Glazer would cover.

"I covered the crash of TWA flight #800 in 1991 and the crash of American Airlines flight 587 in November of 2021," he told me.  "I also reported live for CNN on the attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001."

Today, Glazer is the President and Executive Producer of World Satellite Television News, a broadcast news boutique that provides reportage and production services to global news channels. The firm also creates broadcast news media relations campaigns for some of the world’s best-known brands, CEO, and celebrities.

From the Q Morning Zoo, Mix 96.5 and the Texans, Joe Pogge has been involved

Phil Collins with Ron Parker, John Lander, and Pogge during 93Q Q Morning Zoo days. (Courtesy Joe Pogge)

Joe Pogge has been behind the microphone of the "Smokin' Joe's Driving Range" radio show for over two decades, but his Houston radio and later PR career extends far beyond that.

Name some legendary Houston radio station or on-air talent. Chances Pogge was behind the scenes helping make the magic happen. That goes for Houston sports, too, as he helped launch the Houston Aeros and later the Texans.

In honor of Smokin' Joe’s Driving Range's milestone, which can be heard every Saturday morning at 8 am on HoustonRadioplatinum.com or on the app, I spoke with the 2022 Texas Radio Hall of Famer about his show and his impressive broadcasting and sports marketing career.  

Mike McGuff:  Tell me about the twenty-plus years of hosting Smokin Joe’s Driving Range?  How did the idea of the show come about?  

Joe Pogge:  Pat Fant launched FM News Channel 97.5 KFNC and called my ad agency to see about a furniture trade with our client for their green room. I asked what programming will be featured on Saturday mornings – he said they were open to ideas, and I sent him concept for golf show.  He liked it!  I started researching individuals to host the show and got two statements – how much money is there, and I think the show should go this direction.   Frustrated, my wife told me, "You did Smokin' Joe on 93Q. Why don’t you do it?"  I did and have tweaked and fine-tuned it over the years on ESPN, Sports Radio 610, Sports Radio 650, and now Houston Radio Platinum.  The show is basically the 19th hole of a golf course – where you sit around with music playing and talk about golf, sports, and what’s happening in the world.  

MM: Early in your radio career, you worked with Stevens and Pruett at 790 KULF.  What were they like in those years before they joined 101 KLOL? 

JP:  Stevens and Pruett were two of the most creative individuals I have had the opportunity to work with.  Every morning – no matter the weather, news, challenges – they made the day better with humor.  But one of the most amazing talents was their ability to turn on a dime and deliver a human touch that made a difference.  Outside the control room, they were two of the nicest individuals you could call friends.  I saw them leave the Houston market as leaders and have a run in Dallas.  When they returned, they turned up the talent even more and were a dominant force in morning radio in Houston. 

MM:  Many Houstonians will hold a special place for the Q-Morning Zoo on 93Q KKBQ with John Lander and the crew.  What was it like marketing a station that made an impact in the wild 1980s?  

JP:  Unbelievable!  I still cannot believe I called that a job.  It wasn’t just a job but launched my career.  I’ve been blessed in my life and had many unbelievable career moves but never have I had the opportunity to work with the genius of John Lander.  He made work fun.  Every day you wanted to get up and be in the office when he went on the air.  Working with John allowed us to let the creative juices just flow freely.  There is no way today’s radio could have been as spontaneous as we were.  I’ll never forget when we announced that we would give every fan at the Summit for the Lakers vs. Rockets game Jack Nicholson sunglasses, a motivation to beat the Lakers.  Turned the promotion in 3 days and in 1986 it went viral – front page both Chronicle and Post, ABC 13 did live from the Summit the day of the game from 5 till 7 pm wearing sunglasses, Southwest Airlines was giving out sunglasses to arriving passengers, a bank put up a billboard with a basketball wearing sunglasses!  It was huge – and we did it with no approval on a budget or concept.  

John once told me – In radio creativity is the key – if you tell the story correctly listeners will get up in July and look out the window to see if it was snowing because we reported it.  He is one of a kind and I’m truly lucky to have worked with him and call him a friend. 

MM:  Former Houston Post and Chronicle columnist Ken Hoffman, who recently passed away, was a feature on the 93Q KKBQ Q Morning Zoo show.  Do you have any memorable stories from working with him in those days? 

JP:  Ken was a major parrothead and we all knew it.  So, Jimmy Buffet was playing Southern Star Amphitheater in the mid-80s, and 93Q was the host radio station.  So, I pulled Ken aside and asked if he would like to emcee the concert and introduce Jimmy Buffet to the audience.  He was over the top excited.  Day of the show, we had a typical Houston monsoon, and everyone is soaked.  Ken goes out to deliver the opening and up comes Jimmy Buffet next to me.  I told him Ken was his biggest fan – have some fun and go out and ask him who the hell he was and why was he on your stage.  Jimmy did it and I thought Ken was going to die right there in front of 18,000 parrotheads.  

Earl Campbell and Joe Pogge during BBQ team partnership with Mix 96.5 to introduce Earl’s Sausage during Rodeo BBQ in 1991. (Courtesy Joe Pogge)

MM:  MIX 96.5 KHMX was a revolutionary station when it debuted in Houston at the beginning of the 1990s and went on to fuel a format now heard on stations across the US.  What was it like launching what, at the time, was surely seen as a far-out format? 

JP:  I remember sitting in a conference room with 8 or 9 individuals debating what the radio hole was in Houston.  Was it rock, alternative rock, hip hop, new country – what?  After going on and on for seems like days – Ellen Cavanaugh (station general sales manager) got up and said – I have enough of this.  I’m going to go and put together a sales team.  I don’t care what you play, but if you give me every female 24 to 44 years old in this market, we will print money.   Clancy Woods turned to Guy Zapolean and asked, "Can you research women in Houston, aged 24 to 44 years old, and find out what they want to hear?"  Guy said absolutely, and we found the right mix – they wanted more music, more variety, and a better mix.  Which became the Mix 96.5 tagline.  So, the music and secret was to find out the specific demo in the respective market and play their music.  Several stations tried to copy our playlist – but a Chicago female has different tastes than a Houston female.  You need to be market-specific.   We launched in July of 1990 and were in the top 3 stations by the end of the year.  Amazing launch.   

What we learned was females did not want all the BS.  They wanted their music, they wanted their radio station to do things in the community and they wanted to be entertained.  Our marketing plan was aligned with the music – less promotions, key charity events and concerts.  One of the best combination was April Fools Day 1991.  We had celebrity deejays from 7 am till 8 pm, and each one got to play the music of their choice, talk to the listeners, and received $1000 to the charity of their choice.  Our celebrities included Buddy Ryan, Dave Ward, Lyle Lovett (brought his guitar and played an hour acoustic, and so many others.  TV media ate it up and the listeners loved it.  Great radio magic. 

ABC 13 live broadcast before Houston Rockets vs Lakers game featuring the Jack Nicholson sunglasses promotion – right to left – Shara Fryer, Bob Bodreaux, Pogge, and Steve Patterson. (Courtesy Joe Pogge)

MM: One very famous name that launched her career at KHMX, is Dominique Sachse.  Back then, did you predict she would be a legendary name in Houston broadcasting and now YouTube? 

JP:   Dominique was and is a rock star!  She had a glow and a talent.  Started doing traffic and overnights on the Mix and earned her way into the lineup up then reached for the stars with KPRC Channel 2.  We could tell from her ambition, hunger, and people skills, and she was like a sponge – she soaked up everything she could.  In addition to all the talent, Dominique is one of the best friends in the world.  She could talk to anybody anytime, anywhere, and make them feel special.  What you saw on Channel 2 was Dominique and she loved Houston.  

MM: You went on to promote 94.5 The Buzz in its early years, too.  What was it like to help bring attention to the new Houston alternative format?  

JP:   I came late to the game and The Buzz foundation had been set.  My challenge was not to screw it up.  Once again, I found myself in the middle of a Super Bowl championship locker room with unbelievable talent.  Cruz and Steve Robinson had a sniper viewpoint of the target demo and the music they wanted.  My job was to provide additional insights and contacts and stay out of the way.  

MM: When you weren't involved with a radio station, you managed the marketing plan that launched the IHL Houston Aeros Hockey Club in 1994.  Was it challenging to reintroduce a sport like hockey to Houston?  Could it ever make a comeback as an NHL team? 

JP:  Another talented team of individuals led by Steve Patterson (former Houston Rockets GM that put together the championship team that summer).  The hole for hockey was indeed huge in 1994 as the Houston Oilers had announced they were leaving, and baseball went on strike in August.  So, our introduction played perfectly into the market.  The other advantages we had were the history of the Aeros with Gordie Howie and influx of residents that had moved from the east and north and the NHL Dallas Stars' success.   Once each of us had our introduction to the game, we knew if we got the fans to the Summit, the game would sell itself.  

Our inaugural year we pulled out all the stops and planned promotions for every Friday and Saturday night game with sell-out as our goal.  Disco night, Tuxes and Pucks with the Houston Symphony, Aerostock, Brady TV Show night, MASH night – you name it we threw everything out there to get fans to the games.  It worked –in our inaugural season, we averaged 15,000 per game.  

Houston is definitely ready for the NHL.  The fans are hungry for it.  The questions are several – is the NHL expanding? Is there an NHL team for sale that we could move? Can you get a fair arena deal because you have to capitalize on every revenue stream available? Do you have Houstonians who could afford it? Lots of questions to be answered but the bottom line the fans will come.

Pre-game of the Houston Texans' inaugural season with honorary uniform models Dusty Hill and Frank Beard of ZZ Top. (Courtesy Joe Pogge)

MM: You also helped launch the Houston Texans marketing plan as they brought the NFL back to H-Town. Was it hard to launch a new team in the shadow of what happened with the departure of the Oilers? 

JP:   I was very blessed.  Houston and Texas is football capital of the world.  The Oilers' departure only created a hunger in the fans we had never seen or experienced.  When we didn’t get the NHL, Steve Patterson, our hockey president, went to work for Bob McNair on the quest to secure an NFL team.  In July of 1999, I opened Pogge Marketing Group (later to become Strike Marketing), and Patterson was convinced they had done everything to secure the NFL team hired us Labor Day Weekend 1999.  On October 6, 1999, Bob McNair was named the 32nd NFL owner.  We immediately went to work on the marketing plan.  Phase one was selling team seat licenses and phase two was creating the brand.  Our vision was to use the NFL calendar and events to market the team. 

The timeline was the following:

- Name the team with a media-driven name for the team contest – millions of suggestions were narrowed down for possible consideration.

- Phase two was working with the NFL with 4 names to be considered – Apollos, Stallions, Texans, and Toros.  With 5 graphic design firms hired for a minimal fee and written contracts releasing all rights to the names, fonts, and logos, the teams were assigned to provide font and icons for each name – separate from each other.

- We combined one team font with another team icon for the final name – The Texans.

We used the kickoff for the 2000 season to produce a free event in downtown Houston in front of Bayou Place on Texas Avenue, to unveil the name and logo.  ESPN carried the event live at 6 pm, and over 25,000 fans showed up to cheer on the unveiling of the The Texans. 

- We used the 2001 draft to introduce Toro, the team mascot.

- We planned to introduce the cheerleaders and unveil the uniforms on September 13, 2001.  Never forget 9 – 11 – we had a planning meeting in Bob McNair’s office in the Pennzoil Building as tragedy struck and we postponed the unveiling for two weeks for normalcy to slowly return. 

- To unveil the uniforms, we had no players, so we used Houston celebrities – ZZ Top, Clay Walker, AJ Foyt, and many others to show the Liberty White, Battle Red, and Deep Steel Blue uniforms to a crowd of 20,000 in front of the Wortham.

- The Houston Texans kicked off to a sellout crowd in NRG Stadium on Sunday night football on ESPN on September 8, 2002. We beat the Dallas Cowboys in the inaugural game, and the rest is history.  

As mentioned, I was blessed and worked with a championship team of individuals branding the Houston Texans for 12 years.  A time in my life I cannot describe and cannot believe I was fortunate enough to be part of.  

MM: As an active alumnus of the University of Houston, why do you think it's important for graduates to give back to their school years after earning a diploma? 

JP: My career is based on the lessons, experiences, and road maps that some incredible individuals gave me.  Many of those individuals were the classmates and dormies I knew at the University of Houston Today having the opportunity to teach in the UH Bauer School of Business provides me the opportunity to share my career/lessons with my students and secure guest speakers that can provide insights to the real world and what key business tips helped them the most.  The key messages they have heard were network, relationships, and good work.  Today’s students are tomorrow's leaders.  If we can provide them with just a bit of experience on what did work and could work the world could be a better place for these young individuals.  

MM: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

JP: Life is short. Maximize every minute and find the adventure that gets you out of bed and ready to go.  Find a team of talented individuals and win the championship by working as a team.  Celebrate to the max, but remember, tomorrow is a new day.  It’s easy to get to number one but extremely difficult to stay there.  Your best friends are your best mentors.  Give back – the rewards are amazing. 

Lisa Foronda and Jerome Gray reunite in new TV commercial

Houston TV viewers are noticing a new commercial for the Harris County Toll Road Authority that reunites former KHOU 11 anchors Jerome Gray (also KPRC) and Lisa Foronda.

RELATED: Another Houston TV anchor makes an appearance 

Foronda left the TV business in 2006 and transitioned into the PR and marketing world. She is now the Senior Director of Investor Communications at Legacy Community Health.

Gray also left television news behind at KPRC 2 in 2010 and became the Vice President and Senior Press Officer for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO).  

In 2024, he left METRO to join the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) as Deputy Director of Communications.

Gray gives the mikemcguff.com readers the inside scoop on how the two former KHOU anchors reunited and what it was like being behind the anchor desk once again.

Mike McGuff:  So, how did this new HCTRA TV commercial come about? 

Jerome Gray: It’s not unusual for the Harris County Toll Road Authority to use TV commercials to share what we’re doing to improve mobility throughout the region. Ever since I joined HCTRA several months ago, I have been on a mission to amplify the HCTRA story. What better way to share the good news and inform the public than to enlist the aid of some familiar faces who once did that on a daily basis? And yes, I wrote the scripts. 

MM: What was it like having a KHOU reunion? 

JG: As you know, everyone who works in media in the Houston region is part of a small, tight-knit family.  Many of us stay in touch long after we’ve left “the business.”   Lisa and I are not only former colleagues we’re friends. So, we had fun working together again. You will be seeing more commercials from us on the anchor desk. 

MM: What was it like being behind the anchor desk again? 

JG: It was just like riding a bike, and I didn’t even need training wheels. I will forever be grateful for my time behind the anchor desk. It afforded me the opportunity to do what I love most, tell great stories and meet some incredible people. I also learned a lot.  

All those fond memories came rushing back and while my anchor days are behind me, it was fun to play an anchor on TV one more time.

MM: Where did you shoot the commercial with the fancy "HCTRA News" set?  

JG: We shot the commercials at Captiv Studios on a basic desk that was dressed up to look fancy with a HCTRA branded piece of wood placed on the front of the desk to help with the look and feel of a news set. 

MM: Is there anything else you'd like to add?  

JG:  While we recognize these spots will probably bring a bit of nostalgia to viewers and radio listeners who’ve been around for a while, we really hope people hear the message and have a better understanding of how vital the toll road system is to our region. Toll fees are being used to not only operate and maintain the lanes but also fund future mobility improvements. 

 

(Thanks Doug!)

Layoff leads to TV news gift line

 Photo courtesy: Drew Fowler 

Over the last eight years, when I needed to know something about KENS 5 San Antonio, I contacted its Director of Marketing, Don Smith. 

Unfortunately, Smith was caught up in the recent TEGNA layoffs. Now, he's using his marketing magic and his love of television to create humorous and industry-specific gifts for TV news professionals.

SMTWF.etsy.com

"I wanted to design fun, tongue-in-cheek gift items that speak directly to the local TV news community," said Smith. "With so many people leaving the industry these days, I also created some lighthearted farewell gifts for journalists moving on to new adventures."

In his new online shop, "Spending More Time with Family," you know the line many TV pros use when they unexpectedly exit the industry, television newsers can buy a range of T-shirts, mugs, and candles with witty messages that resonate with those in the industry. 

Popular designs include:

• "I’m Not Bossy. I’m a Producer."

• "Former Reporter... Storyteller Forever."

• "I’ll Eat Anything Sent to the Newsroom."

• "Super Producer."

• "Ratings Don’t Rule Me Anymore!"

Smith brings decades of experience to this creative endeavor, having done marketing for stations across the country, including KHOU in Houston, WESH in Orlando, KOVR/KMAX in Sacramento, and KENS in San Antonio. 

His work has earned three Emmy Awards, multiple Promax Awards, Addy Awards, and other industry honors.

As a TV news geek myself, I wanted to glean insights from Smith's 34 years in the TV biz.

Don Smith

Mike McGuff: So, where did you get the idea for your new venture, "Spending More Time with Family?"

Don Smith: With time on my hands, I decided to start learning Canva and eventually, Printify and Etsy.  This gave me the opportunity to use my creative side while learning new skills and starting a business.

MM: Tell us about some of the designs geared to TV newsers...

DS: In my career, I've worked alongside so many great journalists, editors, directors, marketing teams and more.  I decided to make them my target audience.  I'm designing products for this large yet niche market. I didn't see many products out there that felt like they were made for me, so I just started designing! I also recognize many people are leaving the business and wanted to have great going away gifts for them as well.

So far, my top sellers have been a tongue-in-cheek shirt that says "I worked in local TV (before it started to suck)" and my personal favorite, a t-shirt featuring every news promo cliche imaginable in one, long run-on sentence topical promo script.  I have t-shirts, mugs, candles and a TV color bar blanket - hopefully something for everyone.

MM: Talk about some of the work you are most proud of from your time at KENS 5 San Antonio?

DS: At KENS, I was proud of the brand we created for the station in 2023, "San Antonio's Own."  It resonated with the audience in ways I didn't expect, and our station saw tremendous growth over the last two years.  Our creative team was fantastic and worked hard to make the brand messaging as authentic as possible.  That was the real difference - it came from the heart and viewers could feel it.  In 2024, we were awarded a Lone Star Emmy Award for one of our campaigns.

MM: You worked at KHOU 11 Houston at a time in the early 2000s when the station was really challenging ABC13 KTRK in the ratings.  What was the mood inside the Channel 11 studios at that point and what were some of the things you and the station were doing at the time that drove these results?

DS: I was working at KHOU as a promotions producer when we went from third to first place in the early 2000s.  I remember the newspaper always wrote an article about how KTRK had won sweeps, again.  Once, they wrote "There are three things you can count on.  Death, taxes and that KTRK will be number one."  I hung the articles up in my cubicle with the mission to make them change that article.  They eventually did.  The headline was "There's a New News Leader in Town."  I played a small role, but it was exciting to be part of something once thought impossible.  Our investigative team was fantastic, our morning show was anchored by Deborah [Duncan] and Ron [Treviño] and we had Greg [Hurst] and Lisa [Foronda] at night. A great setup for success.

MM: What is something you worked on that you are the most proud of during your TV career? 

DS: One of my favorite memories was promoting the Super Bowl in Houston, which was being aired on KHOU.  We did high-end image spots with a fun jingle and a countdown campaign featuring celebrities from all across Houston.  My favorite was former President HW Bush, who was kind enough to take part.  He and Barbara were both very friendly and it was a great honor having an ex-President read my words!

MM: Anything else you want to add?

DS: I've been lucky enough to have worked with some of the best creatives in the country.  Together, we won awards, drove ratings and had a ton of fun doing it.  That's the part of the job I miss most - the people.