Tim Heller has health scare

KTRK abc13 chief meteorologist Tim Heller spends time in hospital

Tim Heller

Things are getting rough health-wise in the abc13 KTRK weather department. First, Casey Curry fell on the station's new set, now Tim Heller had health scare of his own.

The chief meteorologist took to his Facebook page to explain:

Had a little health scare this week and spent some time in the hospital. Good news is I'm home, tired but feeling much better. Doctors said I have the heart of a 25 year old and the brain of an 18 year old...which prompted my wife to insert a few jokes. (Hey, gotta keep your sense of humor!) The boys have Columbus Day off so we're going to spend some family time together. I'll see you later next week, better than ever!

Had a little health scare this week and spent some time in the hospital. Good news is I'm home, tired but feeling much...
Posted by Tim Heller on Thursday, October 8, 2015

KPRC 2 & Telemundo Houston to host mayoral debate just before early voting begins

KPRC2 & Telemundo Houston to host mayoral debate just before early voting begins Spanish-language viewers will be able to watch the debate live on TelemundoHouston.com

KPRC Channel 2, Telemundo Houston, and the League of Women Voters of Houston will host "Decision 2015: Houston Mayoral Debate" on Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m. The live event happening just three days before the start of early voting will be held at Houston Baptist University's Linda and Archie Dunham Theater located at 7502 Fondren Road, Houston, TX 77074. It will be carried live on KPRC2, Click2Houston.com and TelemundoHouston.com.

The two top-rated television partners as well as the League of Women Voters of Houston Education Fund and HBU's Department of Law & Society are collaborating to help Houstonians become better informed about the candidates running for mayor in November.

The seven leading candidates, Chris Bell, Stephen Costello, Adrian Garcia, Ben Hall, Bill King, Marty McVey and Sylvester Turner, have committed to take part.

The debate will be hosted by KPRC Channel 2 anchor Bill Balleza and Telemundo Houston anchor Paulina Sodi. Balleza has been at the helm of many big events for KPRC for more than 35 years and anchors KPRC Channel 2 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., & 10 p.m. Sodi has 15 years of journalism experience and anchors Telemundo Houston’s News at 4:30pm, 5 p.m., and 10 p.m.

Candidates will field questions from four panelists, including “Houston Newsmakers” host Khambrel Marshall and Telemundo Houston anchor Martín Berlanga as well as League of Women Voters members Reda Hicks and John Gorczynski. Some of the questions will come from audience members who submitted them upon registering to attend the debate.

Spanish-language viewers will be able to watch the debate online at TelemundoHouston.com and via the Telemundo Houston mobile app, which is free and available for download on iTunes and Google Play stores.

Admission is free but audience members must register online at:

http://lwvhouston.org/election-info/debates-and-forums/

The doors of HBU’s Dunham Theater will open to ticketed audience members at 6 p.m. The doors will close at 6:45 p.m. in order to prepare for the live broadcast.

“With so much at stake in our city and so many candidates to choose from, KPRC Channel 2 knows it is critical we give Houston voters a chance to learn about the people running for Houston’s highest office,” said Jerry Martin, KPRC2’s General Manager “Due to our strong partnership with Telemundo Houston and the League of Women Voters of Houston, this mayoral debate will benefit even more voters whose decision on Election Day will ultimately shape the future of our great city.”

“It is vital that Houston’s Spanish-speaking community be fully informed about the issues that are at stake as Houston, our country’s fourth-largest city, prepares to elect its next Mayor,” said Tony Canales, President and General Manager, Telemundo Houston. “Telemundo Houston is proud to provide Spanish-language viewers with a livestream of the Mayoral debate on TelemundoHouston.com and on our digital app, to ensure that our viewers are tuning in to get the information they need and in the language they prefer – while they are on-the-go – before they exercise their right to vote next week through early voting.”

"Since 1920, the League of Women Voters of Houston Education Fund has offered our community a full menu of reliable, non-partisan voter services, encouraging everyone to participate fully in civic life. We provide candidate forums, voter registration, voter information, programs exploring important public policy issues, and our popular ‘Voters Guide to the Election and the Candidates," said Aimee Turney, League of Women Voters of Houston President. “Our partnership with KPRC Channel 2 and Telemundo Houston is an important part of this outreach."

All media interested in covering this mayoral debate should RSVP by October 14th to decision2015@kprc.com. A feed of the live, televised debate will be made available to record on site.

To follow along on social media, use the hashtags #Decision2015 and #VoteHOU.


(This post taken from a release sent to me by KPRC and Telemundo Houston)

FOX 26 KRIV gets graphics refresh

New FOX 26 KRIV graphics aren't square

FOX 26 KRIV said farewell to the 4x3 aspect ratio and hello to the 16x9 world in a little graphics refresh.

The station also, for now, got rid of the crawl at the bottom of the screen that said things like myfoxhouston.com. Notable because the station's new website is fox26houston.com.

And don't get me started on the myfox[insert city].com naming, that's a whole nother post. I may not be a Harvard educated marketing genius, but why if you are late to the Internet thing in many cities (like all the way to the mid-2000s in Houston) would you brand your website something totally different from the station? Essentially making your web marketing efforts even harder?!

Hey, what do I know...I guess? That's why I'm an armchair QB blogger.

Back on topic, the new graphics can be seen below.

Sonia Azad joins WFAA 8 after KTRK abc13

Sonia Azad

Former KTRK abc13 reporter/fill-in anchor Sonia Azad is heading to Dallas-Fort Worth's WFAA 8 where she will be the TEGNA station's new medical reporter/fill-in anchor. That position was formerly held by longtime reporter Janet St. James.

UPDATE DECEMBER 2022

Sonia Azad to leave WFAA Dallas

DFW TV watchers will know that means Azad is about to takeover a big role in that market and she knows it. St. James was the go to health source in Dallas for nearly two decades. The veteran DFW journalist left the TV biz earlier this year, then announced she was battling cancer.

"I see it as a big responsibility and it is a big honor to follow her in this role," Azad told mikemcguff.com this morning.

Azad is not totally new to health journalism. She covered medical issues back in Waco a few TV markets ago and won some awards based on her work.

As you read right here, the Houston native left KTRK abc13 last March. Azad told me that she was thinking of even seeing what life was like outside of TV. In fact, for the last seven months, she's been a certified yoga instructor teaching full-time.

However, I think anyone in the TV biz knows that if a chance to work at WFAA comes up, you take it. So she did. Now the marathon runner is very excited to merge her two worlds of health/wellness and journalism...especially at a prestigious news shop like this one.

"This is a dream job," Azad told me.

Before KTRK, Azad worked for TV stations in San Diego, Chicago, Waco and College Station.

The award winning TV reporter received a journalism degree from UT Austin and a masters in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. She also received a master of legal studies from Northwestern University's law school.

Azad's first day at WFAA will be this coming Monday.

PS
Azad joins fellow former KTRK reporter Demond Fernandez in Dallas who left Houston in May of 2014 for WFAA. If this becomes a trend, I'll start calling WFAA "KTRK North." Also, Houston TV watchers will recognize WFAA's news director Carolyn Mungo because she was an award-winning reporter at KHOU 11 for many years. She also worked at FOX 26 KRIV as assistant news director before leaving for The Metroplex.


(Thanks Steve Boudreaux!)

REPORT: Vicente Arenas interviewing at KENS 5 San Antonio?

Could former KHOU 11 weekend anchor Vicente Arenas be returning to San Antonio television news after CBS News departure?

Lots of my readers couldn't believe Vicente Arenas left CBS News last month. I hear it was family reasons.  But Arenas might be back on the air sooner than later...and sorry Houston TV...the rumor doesn't include you.

Jeanne Jakle of the San Antonio Express News reports she hears the former KHOU weekend anchor and KTRK abc13 reporter, might be toying with the idea of returning to Alamo City TV news.

Here is more from her column:

Atop KENS-TV’s list? Finding a strong replacement for former chief anchorman Jeff Goldblatt, who exited the CBS affiliate more than a month ago.

Among candidates for the job — according to station whispers — are two familiar faces who have graced local TV news previously, Jeff Brady and Vicente Arenas.  READ MORE

After all, Arenas did work at San Antonio's WOAI before returning to Houston at channel 11 in 2003. 

Houston TV watchers might also recognize the fact that one of Arenas' old KHOU bosses, Jack Acosta, is now the news director at KENS. That can't hurt his case either.

Stay tuned.

mikemcguff blog hits 10 years! Let the party begin!

After 10 years has mikemcguff.com earned respectability or just sold out?


This blog has come a long way in a decade. That's right, mikemcguff.com has been around 10 years now!

If you need proof on how far it has come, take a look at this first post! You can tell that was before the days of social media. Now you can easily share links via Twitter or Facebook.

Here is what the blog used to look like back in the dark ages. It was a spartan black background with white text and some orange highlights. That's it. Czar of Talk Radio Michael Berry was the one to help me realize that look was a little hard to read.

Back then, I wrote about all kinds of things, but the one thing that always won you over was media coverage.

Lots has changed in the Houston and Texas media world in a decade. First, there would hardly be new reporter departure/arrival posts. Back then, media folks tended to stay put for long periods of time. YouTube was still very new so there were hardly any Houston media videos to show off.

Things have changed for me personally too. When the blog was born, my wife and I were living it up in Midtown sans kids (both of which have changed too) and I was still a special projects producer at KTRK abc13 (ditto).

I will never forget how excited I was about blogging. Before the blog, mikemcguff.com was actually a website I coded in Dreamweaver, that was pretty much a resume type site. And coming from TV, it was so freeing to be able to easily post whatever I wanted to a blog. It was much simpler task than using the web content management systems I had been using up to that point professionally.

Enough nostalgia, because if I go any further, I might spouting off warm thoughts about RSS feeds, and you don't want to read about stuff like that.

All this week, I'm taking a look back at the old blog. Tomorrow, I'm revealing the top 10 posts of all time on mikemcguff.com. You might want to sit down with a bowl of curry while perusing the list {hint, hint}.

Dominique Sachse reveals all on YouTube

KPRC 2's Dominique Sachse has already conquered TV, so why not YouTube too?


Last year, KPRC 2 mega star anchor Dominique Sachse launched her own YouTube channel and it only proves the traditional media folks can conquer the new one. With nearly 43,000 subscribers and counting, Sachse is amassing quite the digital audience.

Now, I don't usually watch her channel's videos unless I'm prepping on getting my glam metal band "IFB" back together since most of the topics cover hair and makeup trends/advice. But this week, Sachse did a Q&A with viewers which gave us more insight into the anchor's life. Oh, and if the answers aren't revealing enough, it appears she records from her elegant home bathroom.

First of all, did you know Sachse's first name came from the work of Ayn Rand? That's right...taken from the character of Dominique Francon in The Fountainhead! Here's the CliffsNotes version.

Sachse also answers questions on her blended family, her favorite color to wear, dealing with haters who "have keyboard courage," and even her tattoos? Well, just watch to find out more about the last one. And no, it's not this tattoo.

Overall, I think you will find it a pretty uplifting and honest video. Personally I need to follow her advice and get more sleep. Enjoy!

And here is a personal tease...I'm going to use Sachse's social media work as a person to emulate in my "Creating Your Brand Through the Power of Social Media" presentation this weekend. It all goes down at the "NewsGathering: Diversity in the Digital Age" conference taking place at Rice University on Saturday.

RELATED
WATCH: Ron Stone's last KPRC 2 newscast

Hottest TV news bloopers September 2015

TV news bloopers for September 2015

Summer gives way to the fall season, cooler weather is on the way, but the television news bloopers are still hot in September 2015!

Houston TV stars battle it out in 'Roula and Ryan’s DJ’ing with the Stars' on 104.1 KRBE

Frank Billingsley, Chita Johnson, Tim Heller, Chester Pitts & Paul Wall battle in 'Roula and Ryan’s DJ’ing with the Stars' on 104.1 KRBE


Houston television stars KPRC 2's Frank Billingsley, KHOU 11's Chita Johnson, KTRK abc13's Tim Heller, original Houston Texan/former KPRC 2 sports anchor Chester Pitts, and rapper Paul Wall are all battling it out to win 'Roula and Ryan’s DJ’ing with the Stars' contest. The star must become the best DJ they can be on 104.1 KRBE by winning a series of challenges and listener votes.

RELATED
- Roula Christie inducted Into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2022
- Roula Christie launches syndicated 'Weekends with Roula'

- Roula Christie wins a 2019 Gracie Award 

Whomever gets the most votes earns the $5,000 grand prize, which will be awarded to the winning celebrity DJ’s favorite local charity.

This week's challenge was the group therapy portion of the contest. Chita Johnson got the first listener question on whether women are offended when guys check out their breasts. Watch below to see the recently engaged Johnson's surprised reaction to the question.



RELATED
104.1 KRBE's Roula and Ryan's secrets revealed by Mike McGuff (AUDIO)

September 2015 Texas media job moves

Texas media job moves from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and beyond in September 2015

DALLAS

CBS11 adds husband-wife duo Dan Haggerty/Cristin Severance to news team
Cristin Severance and Dan Haggerty, married in 2014 and also colleagues at San Diego’s ABC affiliate, KGTV-TV, for the past three years, are joining DFW’s CBS11 in tandem.

Robyn Tomlin, Pew Research Center vice president/digital and communications, is joining the Dallas Morning News as managing editor.

HOUSTON

Gow radio stations 1560 AM, 97.5 FM adjusting lineups
Steve Bunin, the former ESPN and Comcast SportsNet Houston anchor who now hosts a midday show on KFNC (97.5 FM), will move to Gow Media’s KGOW (1560 AM) as part of a schedule shift announced Monday that will include shows featuring veteran Barry Warner and former KGOW host Raheel Ramzanali.

Atom Smasher joins WoodlandsHits.com lineup with morning show
Radio host Smasher will have an exclusive morning show Monday - Friday on WoodlandsHits.com

Tom Ash retires from KTRK abc13 where he has been the creative services director since the mid-1990s. Before that he was at KPRC 2.

Houston Business Journal publisher to retire
John Beddow, publisher of the Houston Business Journal, has announced his retirement.

Former Rock 101 KLOL and 93.7 The Arrow KKRW talent Steve Fixx moves from Internal Communications with Direct Energy to External Communications and Media Relations Manger with Dynegy. He joins former Houston TV's Micah Hirschfield.
- Secrets on how to jump from media to PR from those who've successfully done it

KPRC 2 producer Amber Willis leaves for market #1's WNBC New York.

Krystina Ramey replaces Phoenix on The Roula & Ryan Show at 104.1 KRBE. She formerly hosted a morning show at 98.5 WTFM in the Tri-Cities TN/VA area.

Houstonia Magazine's dining editor Katharine Shilcutt jumps up to managing editor.

Former KHOU 11 weekend anchor George Smith joins WFLD's Good Day Chicago.

KHOU 11 producer Misti Willingham is now a communications specialist with Media Masters.

Two Fresh Faces Added to the NGEN Team
Ayana Mack joins NGEN radio as the Afternoon Show Host from 3-8PM and Brian Meza joins as NGEN Station Manager.

Irika Sargent to Chicago's WBBM & Vicente Arenas out at CBS News
Two former Houston weekend TV anchors Irika Sargent (KPRC 2) and Vicente Arenas (KHOU 11) change gigs.

KTRK abc13 investigative reporter Keli Rabon leaves station after months on the job.

Patricia Lopez returns to abc13 KTRK and shows body transformation.

Scarlett Fakhar joins FOX 26
FOX 7 KTBC Austin anchor Scarlett Greyson joins FOX 26 KRIV Houston as reporter Scarlett Fakhar.

Nate Griffin of SportsRadio 610 KILT joins FOX 26 as reporter
From radio to TV, Sports Radio 610 KILT's Nate Griffin joins FOX 26 KRIV as reporter.

Mayra Moreno joins KTRK abc13 from KENS 5
KENS 5 San Antonio anchor Mayra Moreno comes back to Houston at KTRK abc13.

Craig Roberts returns to KPRC 2
Craig Roberts re-launches "The Daily Craig" column on KPRC 2's click2houston.com.

When a movie stinks, you’ll smell it on Third Rock Radio with Jr. Mintz
Former 101 KLOL partners Doug Harris and Pat Fant Reconnect on Third Rock Radio.

SAN ANTONIO

Chief anchor Jeff Goldblatt out at KENS-TV
Chief anchorman Jeff Goldblatt no longer works at KENS-TV. After three years as the station’s 5, 6 and 10 p.m. co-anchor, Goldblatt "has left the company."

S.A. TV news star cut due to racy video
“Street’s Corner,” a regular feature on KABB-TV’s 9 p.m. newscast since 2011 that looked at fun, delicious and madcap elements of San Antonio, is now history. J.T. Street, the man who brought it to you, was fired last week.

KENS 5 San Antonio names Tom Cury as GM
TEGNA Inc. named Tom Cury president and general manager of KENS in San Antonio, TX. Cury comes to KENS after serving as director of sales at TEGNA’s WFAA in Dallas, TX since 2011.

Casey Keiran joins KABB as a sports reporter from KERO in Bakersfield, California.

AUSTIN

Fox 7 hires new weeknight news anchor
Rebecca Thomas joins Mike Warren for KTBC's 5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. She fills the spot vacated by Christine Haas.

KVUE anchor Jade Mingus appears to not be with the Austin TEGNA station anymore. Her bio is no longer on the station's site.

Bernal hired as KEYE reporter
Camila Bernal has started a new job as weeknight reporter at KEYE-TV/Telemundo Austin.

Ashley Roberts joins KEYE TV as traffic anchor.

TWC News Austin and San Antonio reporter Jess Mitchell leaves to become the assistant director of communications at UT’s Division of Student Affairs.

Austin radio host Kristen Kurtis lands Philly gig
Kristen Kurtis, who spent about four years as KGSR’s midday host, has been tapped to host mornings on legendary Philadelphia radio station 88.5 WXPN-FM

AROUND TEXAS

KXXV Waco, Temple, Killeen morning anchor Meg Bonacorsi leaves to become evening anchor for TWC News Austin and San Antonio.

Nick Delgado leaves KWTX Waco, Temple, Killeen to become a WRNN-TV New York area regional network reporter.

Patrick Crawford, the KCEN Waco, Temple, Killeen meteorologist who was shot in the station's parking lot in 2014, has left to work for WBAY in Green Bay.

Holguin leaves KABC for El Paso’s KFOX
Robert Holguin is leaving Los Angeles, where he has been a reporter for KABC since 2006, to become prime-time anchor at KFOX in his hometown of El Paso.

REMEMBERING

KPFT mourns Ayn Morgan
KPFT programmer Ayn Morgan,39, died Sept. 23 in a motor vehicle accident.  Morgan hosted the  KPFT program "The Chestnut Tree," a blend of ambient sounds, experimental music and more.

In Loving Memory Of Michelle Outlaw
The New Bull 100.3 KILT's Michelle Outlaw passed away after an illness.

RELATED
Media job moves across Texas since May 2015

- Looking for TX TV jobs?
- Contact here for job changes