Houston Rockets broadcast team gets new addition

New reporter Michelle Margaux will serve as in-game reporter for Houston Rockets game broadcasts joining Bill Worrell and Craig Ackerman (play-by-play announcers), Matt Bullard and Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler (analysts) on the AT&T SportsNet broadcasts

AT&T SportsNet SM -Southwest announced today the broadcast schedule for the Houston Rockets 2018-19 season.

AT&T SportsNet, the official TV home of the Houston Rockets will produce and televise 70 regular season games. Houston Rockets regular season coverage on AT&T SportsNet tips off October 17 against Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans. The network broadcasts will include both pre-game and post-game shows.

Bill Worrell and Craig Ackerman will return to share duties as the play-by-play announcers, as well as Matt Bullard and Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler as analysts on the AT&T SportsNet broadcasts. Kevin Eschenfelder will serve as the host of both pre-game and post-game shows.

Joining Kevin on the pre-game and post-game shows as an analyst is Houston Rockets legend Calvin Murphy. This year’s broadcast team will have a new addition, Michelle Margaux, who will serve as the in-game reporter for all home and away Houston Rockets game broadcasts this season. Margaux comes to AT&T SportsNet from FOX Sports Sun, where she spent the past year as reporter and host.

Starting on October 17th , AT&T SportsNet will continue the behind-the-scenes show, Rockets All Access.

This weekly show will air on Wednesdays before the pre-game show or at 6pm on Wednesday nights when there is no game. The show will allow fans to see the behind-the-scenes stories and personalities of their favorite players, coaches and front office staff.

Note: Territorial restrictions apply. Subject to blackouts.

For a complete Houston Rockets broadcast schedule for the 2018-19 season go to https://southwest-
attsn.att.com/rockets/schedule/

(This post was taken from a release sent to me by AT&T SportsNet)

UH media star alums to be honored

University of Houston Alumni Association Announces 2015 Honorees - some from the broadcasting world

The University of Houston Alumni Association will present its annual awards to several successful Coogs.

Among those earning Distinguished Alumni Awards are Rockets announcer Bill Worrell, Steve Harvey producer Rushion McDonald while ESPN broadcaster Robert Flores will earn the Rising Star award.

Here is more from the release:

The University of Houston Alumni Association (UHAA) has announced its 2015 Alumni Awards recipients, which include nationally and locally prominent leaders in their fields—from CEOs to radio and television personalities— as well as individuals who have a history of service to the University and community. Honorees will be recognized at the 61st Annual Awards Gala on May 2, 2015, at the Westin Houston, Memorial City.

Distinguished Alumni Awards are given to individuals whose professional accomplishments bring prestige to the University. Five people are being honored in 2015:

Aylwin Lewis (‘76, M.B.A. ‘90) is the president and chief executive officer of Potbelly Corp. and is a board member at the Walt Disney Co. and Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

Bill Worrell (‘69) is in his 32nd season as the play-by-play announcer for the Houston Rockets. In 2011, he was honored with a Lone Star Emmy for best play-by-play announcer.

Rushion McDonald (‘83) is the executive producer of the Emmy-winning “Steve Harvey Show.” He is a co-founder of the Neighborhood Awards show (formerly the Hoodie Awards), a tribute to the best leaders and organizations in local neighborhoods throughout the nation. McDonald was listed as one of Showtime Network’s top 50 U.S. comedians for three consecutive years.

Ken Bailey (‘69, J.D. ‘72) is a founding partner of the civil litigation law firm Bailey Peavy Bailey, PLLC. While at the University of Houston, he was the starting quarterback during the 1967-1969 seasons and, in 1968, was a recipient of the Charles Saunders Award for an Outstanding Athlete. He has held numerous volunteer positions, which include serving on the UH Law Center’s Law Foundation Board and co-chairing the UH Athletics Director Search Committee in 2009.

Dominic Ng (‘80) is chairman and chief executive officer of East West Bancorp Inc. and East West Bank. His numerous volunteer positions include director and former chairman of the Committee of 100 Inc., member of the University of Southern California’s board of trustees, committee member on the Resnick Institute advisory council at the California Institute of Technology, member of the Bowers Museum board of governors, and board member of the Southern California Asia Society Inc.

The 2015 UHAA Distinguished Service Award recipient is Laurie Rutherford (‘86, M.B.A. ‘91, M.S. ‘04), director of Enterprise Risk Management at CenterPoint Energy. This award is given to UHAA Life Members who are set apart by a history of service to the association and University. Rutherford serves as president of the UH CenterPoint Energy Alumni Association and is a former member of the Houston Cougars women’s basketball team.

John T. McNabb and Drue DaSilva (‘93, M.S. ’99) have been named Outstanding Volunteer Award recipients. The Outstanding Volunteer Award recognizes alumni and University supporters who exemplify a spirit of volunteerism to advance UHAA’s mission. McNabb is chairman and chief executive officer of the Willbros Group, as well as senior advisor and former vice chairman of corporate finance at Duff and Phelps Corp. He is a former member and chairman of the dean’s advisory board at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business, where he developed and taught a course in leadership. DaSilva is manager of inside sales at ShoreGroup and is an active volunteer with many alumni organizations including Moores School of Music, the University of Houston’s College of Technology and Chi Omega.

Sports journalist and ESPN anchor Robert Flores (‘92) has been named UHAA’s Rising Star, which honors motivated young alumni who have excelled beyond the norm early in their careers. Flores hosts ESPN2’s “Fantasy Football Now” and is co-host of SportsCenter’s “Top 10 of the Month” on ESPN.

In 2015, the University of Houston Alumni Association will recognize the extraordinary efforts being made by the current student body. The student body has been named the 2015 Chairs Award recipient, which honors non-alumni who have consistently and voluntarily given extraordinary support to the University of Houston. UHAA is awarding the student body the Chairs Award for the significant role students have played in making improvements to the University’s culture, diversity, experience and external profile over the past five years.

The Outstanding Volunteer award is nominated and selected by the UHAA/alumni relations staff. All of the other honorees are nominated by alumni and the general public and presented to the UHAA awards committee, which selects the honorees and presents them to the UHAA Board of Directors.

For more information on UHAA or any of its programming, please visit www.houstonalumni.com or call 713-743-9550. For more information on the 61st Annual Awards Gala, please visit http://houstonalumni.com/awards.

Comcast SportsNet Houston launches Monday

Sports fans in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico will have a new home for the most comprehensive regional sports coverage when Comcast SportsNet Houston, a partnership between the Houston Astros, Houston Rockets and the NBC Sports Group, debuts on Monday, October 1 at 5 p.m. CST.

“This region has waited a long time for an in-depth approach to regional sports coverage, focused not only on our pro teams, but also on sports at the college and high school level,” Comcast SportsNet Houston President and General Manager Matt Hutchings said. “Our viewers are heavily invested in their teams. We have invested to provide them with committed and authentic coverage of their favorite hometown teams.”

Comcast SportsNet will take to the air at 5 p.m. CST with a brief introductory video that reflects the outlet’s passionate non-stop approach to local sports, leading into “SportsTalk Live,” an analysis of the day’s top sports stories debated by a rotating panel of sports journalists, players, team officials and other expert insiders. Hosted by Kevin Eschenfelder, “SportsTalk Live” will feature 60 minutes of interviews, special guests, commentary and debate. Guests for the inaugural show include Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin and Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.

Next, “SportsNet Central” debuts at 6 p.m. and also airs live at 10 p.m. and midnight. “SportsNet Central” delivers 30 minutes of live regional sports news devoted to professional, college, high school and community sports. Kelli Johnson and Marius Payton will anchor the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on launch day, while Tiffany Blackmon is set to handle the midnight show. Viewers will also be introduced to Comcast SportsNet anchors and reporters Howard Chen, Bill Doleman, Sara Eckert, James Palmer, Leila Rahimi and Sebastian Salazar on additional launch day programming.

Additional Comcast SportsNet Houston Launch Day Programming:

· 6:30 p.m. --- “Lift Off,” an introduction to Comcast SportsNet’s coverage commitment, hosted by Houston Rockets play-by-play man Bill Worrell. “Lift Off” guests include Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, Hall of Fame pitchers Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan; Rockets Hall-of-Famers Clyde Drexler and Calvin Murphy; Texans linebacker Connor Barwin and receiver Kevin Walter.

· 7 p.m. --- “Astros Field Pass,” an up-close look at the Astros with interviews and player profiles. New Astros manager Bo Porter will be introduced. The program also includes interviews with Astros owner Jim Crane, General Manager Jeff Luhnow, and legendary radio broadcaster Milo Hamilton, plus a recap of Astros “Legends Weekend.”

· 7:30 p.m. --- “Rockets Backcourt Pass,” a behind-the-scenes look at the Houston Rockets as the team prepares for the 2012-13 season. Go into the NBA Draft “war room” with General Manager Daryl Morey, get a look at Jeremy Lin’s first day as a Rocket, see how Rockets players “welcome” their rookie teammates, and more.

Additional Programming Notes

· The network’s first live event is scheduled for Thursday, October 4 at 7 p.m., when the “Thursday High School Football Game of the Week” is introduced. The Woodlands plays host to A&M Consolidated in a battle of two top-25 Conference 5A teams.

· Comcast SportsNet’s college football coverage, hosted by Bill Doleman, begins on Saturday, October 6 at 5:30 p.m. with “Saturday Tailgate Live,” covering the latest insights and updates about regional college football squads, followed by live game coverage as North Texas visits the University of Houston at 6 p.m.

· “Pro Football Postgame Live,” hosted by Kelli Johnson, debuts on Monday, October 8 following the Texans-Jets Monday Night Football game, providing immediate analysis and live coverage of press conferences, player reaction and more.

Comcast SportsNet Houston is being made available in both standard and high definition to all local cable, satellite and telco TV providers and today is carried by:

· Comcast Cable (channels 39/639 in the Houston area, 86/1688 in Houma, La Place, Monroe and Shreveport, Lou., 269/1687 in Little Rock, Ark.).
· Coastal Link (channels 31/131 in Brazoria, Texas).
· EnTouch (channels 73/473 in the Houston area).
· Phonoscope (channel 35, HD channel launching TBA in the Houston area).
· Fans with other TV services should visit IWantCSNHouston.com for the latest distribution developments and to tell their cable, satellite or telco TV provider to add Comcast SportsNet to their channel lineup. Follow Comcast SportsNet Houston on Twitter: @CSNHouston for the latest news and information about the network.

(This post was from a release sent to me from Comcast SportsNet)

Comcast SportsNet Houston launch party & news

Comcast SportsNet Houston sidewalk level studio - you can walk right up and look

I figured the Comcast SportsNet Houston launch party Monday at the network's new Houston Pavilions studio would be big, but it hit me just how big when I walked up and standing there on the street was Calvin Murphy. Then, as I was getting my badge, Kevin McHale's was right behind mine! You know me, it doesn't take much to excite me since I rarely get out anymore.

The crowd was full of Houston Astros and Rockets players and staff members (both teams own the network along with Comcast/NBC Sports). After a little crowd smoozing, members of the University of Houston Cougar Marching Band showed up to drum the crowd into the House of Blues which is directly across from the new sports network's studios.

Houston City Council Member James G. Rodriguez, who represents this area of town, said the city recognized the day as Comcast SportsNet Houston day.

Houston Rockets broadcaster Bill Worrell took the microphone and addressed the crownd about how Houston cable sports coverage started on Home Sports Entertainment (HSE), then became Prime Sports Networks and eventually Fox Sports Southwest and Fox Sports Houston. He says a lot of the original crew is back with CSN Houston.


Worrell added he likes the fact that CSN Houston will be broadcasting live Houston sports news in the afternoons and evening instead of the two minutes the rest of Houston TV devotes to it.

Matt Hutchings, President and General Manager at Comcast SportsNet Houston, closed the evening saying CSN Houston will be one of the best regional sports networks in the country. No stranger to Houston, Hutchings said he grew up here and his father worked for the Houston Astros under Judge Hofheinz.

Three CSN programming partnerships were announced last night:
- UH/Rice
- The Marathon Oil Corporation Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards
- Houston Shell Open

The Houston Rockets begin pre-season play so we'll see how CSN Houston handles team coverage for the first time.

RELATED
- Comcast SportsNet Houston launches

VIDEO: Bob Allen gives us cancer recovery update

Bob Allen: "I'm getting stronger everyday"


We saw a nice photo of Bob Allen from Don Nelson's wedding from the weekend. Now we actually get to watch an update from Allen concerning his cancer recovery.

At a lunch today at Mia's Table in the Upper Kirby District, KTRK abc13 anchor Dave Ward met with two former channel 13 sports anchors and a Houston Rockets broadcaster.

Ward took video of Bob Allen and his KTRK predecessor Dan Lovett along with Houston Rockets play-by-play commentator Bill Worrell.

"I'm doing better everyday," Allen told Ward in the video. "I lost 50 pounds, I got weak, went through a year of treatment which sucked. Now I'm going to rehab and I'm getting stronger everyday, feel better everyday. My biggest problem is just being patient. The doctors are giving me a thumbs up."

So what is Lovett doing this days?

"I'm trying to stay out of jail," Lovett joked with Ward.

In reality Lovett is selling copies of his book, "Anybody Seen Dan Lovett?: Memoirs of a Media Nomad."

As for Worrell, he's taking a break after the Rockets season.

Fmr. KTRK sports reporter Bruce Gietzen retires from TV

Former KTRK abc13 sports reporter and Houston Rockets broadcaster Bruce Gietzen to leave TV news and remain in Waco


After 33 years in the TV biz, Bruce Gietzen is leaving TV screens.

For the last 12, Gietzen has been anchoring the news from behind the desk of KXXV News Channel 25 Waco, Temple and Killeen. Today marks his last day at that gig. Starting at the end of the month, Gietzen will become the Director of Communications for the Waco Independent School District.

"Now [I] will have a schedule that mirrors my wife's," Gietzen told mikemcguff.com. "She's a terrific teacher who changes lives every year, and that's so much more important than doing TV. Education has become a passion of mine and I'm excited to take on a new challenge."

Houstonians will know Gietzen from his days as the sports reporter for KTRK abc13 and as a member of the Houston Rockets and Astros broadcast team.

I got Gietzen to tell me about some of his favorite Houston sports stories he got to cover.

On his time at KTRK:

"Our sports department at KTRK in the eighties was a great group - Bob Allen and Tim Melton, two great guys, and myself, and our sports producer was Dave Strickland, who years later was the News Director of what was one of the top news operations in the country. With Marvin [Zindler] and Dave Ward and Ed Brandon, KTRK was a real powerhouse.

They were one of the first stations in the country to go to an hour newscast at 6 p.m. and it had two sportscasts. That second one came on about 6:40 and that's why I got hired at Channel 13 - they wanted "people stories" in that second block, not typical highlights and scores, and Bob came up with the idea to call it "Time Out with Bruce Gietzen" and I had a blast -- and pretty much free reign doing those stories.

Mike Tyson was just a few months into his professional boxing career and had won his first 11 or 12 fights all by knockout in the first round. He came to Houston as part of the Budweiser boxing series and was fighting a guy named Eddie Mitchell. Tyson was up and coming, and I went to do a story on this kid who was the talk of the boxing world, getting video of a workout a couple days before the fight.

We shot him sparring with someone, jumping rope, and doing one armed push ups...then did an interview.

One question I asked him was, 'Did you always want to be a fighter? You look more like a football player than a boxer.'

He answered in that high pitched voice, 'Yea? You look like you eat too much.'

I told him he was right.

A few minutes later we were packing up and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and Tyson sincerely said, 'Jimmy told me my comment was uncalled for and I needed to apologize to you. I'm sorry I said you look like you eat too much.' (Jimmy was his manager, the legendary Jimmy Clayton.)

Of course I replied, 'No problem Mike. We're good.'

'You sure,' he asked.

'Yes, absolutely.'

He then shook my hand and said thank you for coming out and doing the story.

What was I going to do? Get mad at him? I don't think so.

Tyson knocked the guy out a couple nights later 22 seconds into the first round.

He and I can share that special interview moment!"


On his time with the Houston Rockets broadcast team:

"I left [KTRK] in '88 to be part of the broadcast team for the Astros and worked with Milo [Hamilton], [Larry] Dierker and Bill Brown. Another really good group of guys, and Milo was an old school baseball encyclopedia. I learned a lot from him about preparation and timing.

The job doing Rockets studio work came about almost by accident. The Rockets were on the road in December in Detroit and the TV play by play guy was either Ron Franklin or Bill Worrell at that time ('89 or '90). They had a sore throat and laryngitis so Channel 20 called me and asked if I could be on standby to fly to Michigan to help with the broadcast if they couldn't go the entire game. Then Franklin said he could do the game, but we decided to send it back to the Houston studio for the half-time and post-game to save his voice. We did all that on less than 24 hours notice and had to scramble to get some video and stories put together since that was before the internet and all the digital revolution.

We did two of those studio shows on that road trip and the GM at Channel 20 liked them, so that's how those got started. At that time I think we were the second team in the NBA to do the studio wrap around shows besides either Sacramento or the Knicks. We had a lean and mean staff, but put together good, creative broadcasts, and I know the league showed tapes of our telecasts to other clubs to utilize that same format incorporating studio shows.

They evolved into pre-game, half-time and post-game, and we got a stable of ex-players to rotate joining me in the studio as the guest/analyst. It was Elvin Hayes, Purvis Short, Mike Woodson and Robert Reid came in some, so did Mike Newlin and John Lucas.

Their gifts for working were things like a pair of cowboys boots or a gift certificate for dinner or gasoline. After Kenny Smith retired, his agent called us one day and said Smith would like to get in that rotation and we said 'sure!' Then the agent said he'd do it for $5,000 a game and we had to say no, it wasn't in the budget, and told him what the other guys got.

A few days later the agent called again and said 'okay, he'll do it for $2,000 a game.' Kenny didn't get on our shows. Every time I see him now with Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley, I think about that, and he may be getting that fee now!

Those were fun teams to cover, a diverse group of personalities. I remember in '94 we had to come from behind to beat the Knicks for the title. The format then was three middle games in a row in NY, and the feeling was the league offices so wanted New York to win the title. It was a hard fought defensive series and no team scored 100 points and we heard a lot of griping from New Yorkers.

We tried to do a mixture of hard core sports and fun things in those studio shows, to appeal to a wider audience. One year I challenged Elvin Hayes to a free throw contest, with no expectations. I beat him (Calvin Murphy said that was no big feat) and it became an annual story, and I'm not sure Elvin ever got over that embarrassment."



On his time in Waco TV:

"I got out of broadcasting in '96 and worked in Atlanta, then Washington DC in sports Marketing, then came back to Dallas. In 2003 I got back in as a news anchor in Waco, and that wasn't as fun as covering sports, but it was still good. There's a lot of news here for a market this size - big stories like the West fertilizer explosion, the two shootings at Ft. Hood, the Twin Peaks biker shootout, and of course Baylor's new stadium and athletic program.

Waco has a lot of positive things going on. Walking into McLane Stadium crossing the Brazos is one of the great college football experiences in the country, and of course you should do that right after having an infamous "gut pak" at Vitek's BBQ nearby.

The Texas Sports Hall of Fame is right on the river, as is the Texas Ranger Museum, and the Baylor Campus. We also have our first National Park, the Wooly Mammoth Site, which is fantastic."

KPRC 2 anchor Bill Balleza celebrates 40 TV years

KPRC 2 anchor Bill Balleza got cake and balloons from his co-workers Tuesday on the 6pm newscast (WATCH VIDEO). He's been in the TV biz for 40 years. For nearly 31 years, he's been at KPRC 2 (he started there Aug. 18, 1980).

Heck I remember when Bill was the young, new guy on the KPRC anchor desk! The only anchor that has been in Houston that long that I can think of his KTRK 13's Dave Ward (if you count sports, Bob Allen has also been on Houston TV longer).

Turns out Balleza started his television news career in San Antonio at KSAT which is now KPRC's Post-Newsweek sister station. Before that, Balleza's bio says he was in the Marine Corps, "including 13 months in Vietnam where he was positioned as a scout/sniper."


Watch Balliez anchoring with Linda Lorelle from 1/7/94:





And for you longtime KPRC fans, here is Balleza's image in the classic Ernest P. Worrell (RIP Jim Varney) KPRC campaign.

Texas TV & radio job moves August 2016

DALLAS - FORT WORTH

WFAA 8's Shelly Slater leaving as anchor to spend more time with children.

Mike Garber out as CBS11 KTVT news director.

WFAA's Carla Wade joins KTNV.

NBC 5 KXAS adds Wayne Carter to its consumer investigative unit from WREG Memphis.

NBC 5 KXAS has hired Larry Collins from WBFF in Baltimore.

Homa Bash is leaving WEWS in Cleveland to work at KXAS in Dallas.

Reporter Philip Townsend leaving WFAA 8 for return to WVEC Norfolk, VA.

CBS11 KTVT adds Brittany Jeffers to reporting team.

WFAA 8 Producer Amanda McNew leaves to become Grapevine PD Media Manager.

HOUSTON

Bill Worrell planning retirement, Craig Ackerman to take over road TV duties.

Univision-owned KXLN Houston (DMA 10) has added meteorologist Anthony Ortíz Rodríguez to its news team.

Former KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Simone Eli joins The Steve Shannon morning show with Simone Eli on Tuscaloosa, Alabama's 95.3 THE BEAR mornings 5-10am.

Former SportsRadio 610 KILT morning host Josh Innes out at 94.1 Sportsradio WIP.

Phaedra Cook will soon be the former Houston Press food editor.

- KPRC 2 Houston Life anchors Derrick Shore and Jennifer Broome
- Phil Archer hits 40 years at KPRC 2
- Dave Ward to move on from abc13 KTRK
- Jace Larson leaving KPRC 2
- Blake Mathews joins KHOU 11 weather
- Dave Ward on KTRK abc13: "They seemed like they really wanted me to make my exit."
- Josh Marshall joins KHOU 11
- Lance Roberts Radio Show Moves to Mornings on AM 700-KSEV
- Michael Saunders named 93.7 KQBT The Beat program director; Urban Brand Coordinator
- Susan Schiller named FOX 26 KRIV news director
- Jason Miles joins KHOU 11
- Keli Rabon joins KHOU 11
- Paul Pendergraft retires from News 88.7 KUHF

SAN ANTONIO

Brian Alonzo, meteorologist/weather and Traffic producer for KSAT-TV, has become the Weekend Meteorologist for KETK-TV/KFXK-TV in Tyler, TX.

AUSTIN

Joe Barlow named The CW Austin entertainment reporter.

Former KPRC 2 EP (current KVUE assistant news director) Jenelle Shriner named news director at KPLC Lake Charles, La.

AROUND TEXAS

KLBK Lubbock sports reporter/anchor Gene Dumont moves to become a sports reporter for Razorback Nation.

KETK Tyler anchor/reporter Brittni Thomason leaves to become a reporter at KWCH 12 Wichita, Kansas.

After 20 years on the Nightbeat, News Channel 25 KXXV’s Ann Harder stepped down as the 10 p.m. news anchor. Harder will continue to co-anchor the 5 p.m. and the 6 p.m. newscast.

Tashara Parker has been hired by TEGNA-owned Tyler, Texas, CBS affiliate KYTX as an evening anchor.

KCBD Channel 11 Lubbock Weather Anchor/Reporter Niku Kazori joins WCBD Charleston, SC.

KFXK Tyler weekday morning anchor/reporter Kristen Chapman moves to WPEC West Palm Beach as a reporter/MMJ.

KYTX Tyler reporter Destiny McKeiver is leaving the station for WJXT Jacksonville.

David Tillery Named GM Of KTEN.


REMEMBERING

Galveston Daily News mourns death of Managing Editor Scott Williams.


============================================================================

As good as people think I am at tracking Texas media job moves, my image is better than reality. Don't expect that I see every Twitter or Facebook post about your new job. Don't get mad at me, contact me below to make sure I don't miss your big career move!

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

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Doug Johnson of KPRC has died

Beloved former KPRC 2 weatherman Doug Johnson had passed away at the age of 79


It's with sad news I pass on the news that one of Houston's most popular weathermen, KPRC's Doug Johnson, 79, has died, his former station is reporting.

I can still remember sitting in my grandmother's living room watching her TV friends Ron Stone and Doug Johnson on the "Scene at 5" just having a friendly conversation on the channel 2 newscast. Years later, I watched a clip of those two again and it was amazing how effortless they made it look compared to today's more scripted fare.

RELATED
Video: KPRC 2 remembers Doug Johnson

I would guess that was the appeal of Johnson, he really was like someone you knew in real life. He also helped pioneer television news while covering some dangerous Houston weather.

Johnson was also a fixture on 950 KPRC AM when the Hobby family owned both the television and radio stations, probably only making him more popular with Houstonians.

According to the Liberty County Vindicator newspaper, Johnson was born in the Houston Heights and was a fifth generation Texan. He attended Reagan High School, TCU, Alaska Baptist University and Alaska University.

His first radio job was at KBYR Anchorage, Alaska. He joined KPRC in 1962 and remained on the NBC affiliate until 1994.

Johnson returned to Houston morning TV after KPRC on what was at the time KNWS 51.

In KPRC's excellent story on Johnson's life, the station featured the infamous clip of Wilma the Weather Chicken. Yes, there was a chicken before Radar the Weather Dog.

Johnson told Ernie Manouse on A Conversation on Houston Classic TV on Houston Public Media TV 8 KUHT in 2012 all about the clip which I have transcribed below.

"Ron Stone thought of millions of things over the years that would make my life miserable. And he always thought I needed help with the weather and Wilma the Weather Chicken was one of his inventions," "He presented it to me on the five o'clock show. And he told me to open up the lid, take the chicken out, and it would peck food from the bowl indicating the weather for the next day. We had a bowl called 'partly cloudy,' one called 'cloudy,' and one called 'clear.' So I reach in to grab the chicken, and I've seen chickens before, I had spent some time on the farm up in Franklin, TX, but I had never seen a chicken like this one before. It looked more like the cross between a buzzard and a dove. And it bit me as I was taking it out. And I enjoy sympathy so I wore a big bandage to work the next day. Anyway I set the chicken down and it took off. It didn't peck from any of the bowls, but flew up into the rafters after it landed on Bill Worrell's desk and defecated. But it stayed into the rafters for probably a week until they hired a wrangler to come out and get it."

TX TV news and radio job moves May 2021

 

Send tips for the monthly Texas media job list here.

Best TV News Bloopers May 2021

DALLAS - FORT WORTH

Nexstar Media Inc. Promotes Andrew Alford to President of Broadcasting Division, Effective June 1.

KKDA (K104)/Dallas Adds Comedian J.J. Williamson To The 'Dede In The Morning' Show.

Texas Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards winners 2021
Dale Hansen to retire from WFAA 8

HOUSTON

KPRC 2's Frank Billingsley selected by Houston City book as a 2021 Houston Legend.

Rockets Long Time TV Announcer Bill Worrell Retires.

 Fox 26 KRIV anchor Jonathan Martin celebrates five years at the station.

AJ Hoffman To Depart KFNC (ESPN 97.5 And 92.5)/Houston For Vegas Job.

Houston Chronicle reporter Sarah Smith joins ProPublica's South team covering housing, mental health, poverty and religion.

Jilly Joins 105.9 The Rock As Midday Host.

"Spectacle," Neon Hum Media's podcast about the history of reality TV, was named as one of the best podcasts for 2021, along with "Anything for Selena" and "Resistance." Houstonian Shara Morris is "Spectacle's" executive producer.

KUBE adds LocalNow news and weather channel.

Disney’s Digital Center 3 in The Woodlands Centralizes Hardware, Allows Control From Anywhere.

Chelsey Hernandez hosting "The Hampton Roads Show" on WAVY
Gina Gaston's triplets featured on KPRC
Brhe Berry gives birth to baby #2
Where is Fox 26 Meteorologist Mike Iscovitz?
Why SkyEye13 can't fly some mornings
KPRC 2 10pm newscast May 25, 1987
Brandon Walker's Good Samaritan honored
Britta Merwin to leave KPRC 2
Tom Koch officially signs off
Blake Mathews leaving KHOU 11
KHOU 11 claims top 10pm spot in May sweeps 2021
'Houston Happens' launches on CW39 KIAH
Natasha Geigel is pregnant with first child
KTMD #1 rated 4pm news regardless of language
Dave Strickland honored with Dave Ward Excellence in Media Award
Kaitlin Monte expecting baby #3
KPRC 2 10pm newscast May 10, 1985
David Nuño leaves abc13 KTRK for TexAgs
Brooks Garner joins FOX 35 WOFL Orlando
Tim Pandajis joins KHOU 11
Ernie Manouse celebrates 25 years with Houston Public Media
Praise 92.1 returns to KROI 2021
Isiah Carey's mural
KHOU 11 behind the scenes 2021 vs 1968

SAN ANTONIO

New SAAHJ report points out lack of diversity in San Antonio TV anchors.

News 4 WOAI and Fox 29 KABB reporter Joe Galli is a thorn in the side of National Wrestling Alliance champion Nick Aldis. 

Randy Beamer is going to be a Grandpa.

Paul Venema KSAT retirement videos
Sarah Forgany gives birth
Erica Ross joins KENS 5 San Antonio

AUSTIN

KJCE-A/Austin,TX Adds The 'Cardle and Woolley' Show.

Public Radio In Texas Gets A New Leader: Corrie MacLaggan Of The Texas Tribune.

Jay Michaels Named PD of ACL Radio/Austin.

 New 102.7 The Vibe, “Austin’s Party Station,” launches.

KVET License Restored.

Dinah Chukwu joins KVUE Austin as Digital Content Producer.

KUTX/Austin Can Now Be Heard At The Austin-Bergstrom Airport.

TX TV stations featured on "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"
Erin Cargile leaving KXAN Austin
Sydney Benter leaving KXAN Austin
Why am I covering Denver on a Texas TV blog?
Wes Wilson named KIII 3NEWS News Director
Elliott Longoria Moore named President-GM of KYTX Tyler

AROUND TEXAS

3News KIII is celebrating our 57th anniversary of being a South Texas tradition.

Shawn Knight Departs KISX (107.3)/Tyler, TX.

Texas Monthly Celebrates Latest Awards and Nominations.

Gabriela Gutiérrez joins Telemundo 40 Rio Grande Valley KTLM
Jesse Schroeder joins KTRE Lufkin and Nacogdoches
Samantha Mesa joins Local 5 WOI

REMEMBERING

Rucks Russell has passed away

KILT-A/Houston Producer Brandon Porter Passes Away.

Texas TV news and radio job moves January 2022

 

Send tips for the monthly Texas media job list here.

DALLAS - FORT WORTH

Johana Suárez leaves Univision Dallas KUVN 23 for Noticias Telemundo.

Cynthia Izaguirre celebrates 14 years at WFAA 8.

Where is Sonia Azad on WFAA?

Lauren Caruba joins The Dallas Morning News as investigative reporter from the San Antonio Express-News.

FOX 4 KDFW reporter Shannon Murray renews her agreement.

Cassandra Jaramillo leaves The Dallas Morning News for Reveal.

Star 102.1 KDGE adds Delilah to lineup.

DFW radio DJ charged with producing child pornography.

Karen Borta leaves CBS 11 DFW morning newscast
Adriana De Alba joins WFAA 8
Michele Rave joins Univision 23 Dallas
WFAA 8's new 2022 studio video tour
Keisha Burns leaves NBC 5 DFW KXAS
WFAA DFW photojournalist Josh Stephen describes Colleyville hostage coverage
Erin Moran and Baby Elena deliver CBS 11 DFW weather
CBS Station innovation lab to be based at CBS 11 KTVT DFW

HOUSTON

Laura Arnold, Richard Kinder, and more pump $20M into Houston nonprofit news outlet
- New Non-Profit media outlet planned for Houston.

 Johnny Chiang leaves Cox Media Group Houston after 21 years to create Red Street Records.

Harilyn Macosko leaving 89.3 KSBJ.

KPRC 2 reporter Cathy Hernandez renews her agreement.

Photojournalist Matt Black leaves abc13 KTRK.

Samantha Olivo from “Roula & Ryan” takes over for Freddy Cruz who left 104.1 KRBE at end of 2021.

Rockets, City of Houston honor longtime TV broadcaster Bill Worrell.

Brittaney Wilmore promoted to senior digital producer for abc13 KTRK.

Brittany Britto Garley leaves the Houston Chronicle for Eater.

Travis Herzog returns to abc13
Top Chef Houston: Season 19 on Bravo
KPRC launches "KPRC 2 Community" initiative
2022 KLOL reunion
Stefania Okolie leaves abc13 KTRK?
Hope Media Group Announces Merger
KHOU 11 Morning News promos
Daniella Guzman stops by Houston Life
13 Eyewitness News at 6 - January 15, 1991
Zalome Briceno joins Telemundo Houston KTMD
Where is Anavid Reyes?
Rita Garcia in a FOX 26 throwback
John Foxx named 100.3 The Bull KILT-FM Brand Manager
Dominique Sachse talks relationship and life changes
Rosie Nguyen joins abc13 KTRK
Jonathan Bruce joins abc13 KTRK
KHOU 11 Morning News replaces #HTownRush
Jacob Rascon joins abc13 mornings
2021 Walk to End Alzheimer's Houston
Bounce TV moves to 49.2 in Houston from 11.2
Chancellor Johnson joins KPRC 2
Daniella Guzman signs off KNBC, arrives in Houston
Art Rascon anchored with Jacob Rascon on last day with abc13
KTRK Sign-on 1991
Michelle Choi is engaged to Mario Sandoval
Gladys "Gee Gee" Hill KCOH 1430 Houston (1970)
Vanessa Richardson appeared on NBC Sports’ coverage the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona

SAN ANTONIO

KENS 5's Sarah Forgany honored at MENA Awards.

Y100 KYCC's Beth Boehm replaced by Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey of "Frito and Katy" from Candy 95 KNDE Bryan-College Station.

The Dana Cortez Show returns to 98.5 The Beat KBBT.  

Y100 KCYY launches new 'Texas Made' weekend show.

Jordan Foster leaves KENS 5 San Antonio
Mike Jimenez joins News 4 SA - FOX 29 San Antonio
Samuel King leaves KSAT San Antonio
Greg Pollak leaves News 4 SA - FOX 29 San Antonio
Vladimir Flores promoted to Telemundo 60 San Antonio weekend anchor
Joe Reinagel to retire from KENS 5 San Antonio
Joe DeCarlo joins News 4 SA - FOX 29 San Antonio

AUSTIN

Christopher Nunley, Ph.D. to leave KVUE for new job.

Following exit of Dale Dudley, Rock 93.7 KLBJ launches Matt, Bob & B-DOE in mornings.

Zack Shields celebrates 22 years at FOX 7 Austin KTBC.

KXAN weekend sports anchor Chris Tavarez joins KTXL Sacramento as Sports Director and weekday sports anchor.

Ashley Goudeau celebrates 10 year at KVUE.

Matt Holiday named APD at 96.7 Kiss FM KHFI and 102.3 The Beat KPEZ

The Vibe 102.7 Austin flips to Mega 102.7.

Russell Falcon leaves KXAN for Nexstar Digital.

 Evan Smith will step down as The Texas Tribune’s CEO in 2022.

Jerry Quijano named local 'All Things Considered' host at KUT.

Casey Claiborne moves to FOX 7 Austin mornings
Hunter Williams moves to KVUE Austin mornings
Dolly Parton on KVUE Austin?
Avery Tomasco promoted to CBS Austin mornings
Nicole Hartford to leaves CBS Austin mornings
Tom Miller returns to KXAN Austin

AROUND TEXAS

Longtime KVIA G.M. Kevin Lovell to retire.

El Paso’s ABC-7 KVIA debuts state-of-the-art broadcast studio experience.

Tyger Allen joins the KTEN Sherman-Denison morning show on February 21, 2022.

Jonathan Mejía hired as MMJ at KFOX 14.

Davis Baker joins KTEN Sherman / Denison as sports director.

Julissa Garza promoted to KIII 3 Corpus Christi First Edition reporter.

Jackie Kingston KAMR Local 4 Amarillo evening anchor Jackie Kingston is now married.

Joel Burke joins KORA Bryan-College station As PD.

Tejano 106.9 KLUB Victoria launches in South Texas.

“The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show” starts airing on Mix 94.1 KMXJ Amarillo.

Kelly Mac exits Magic 102.5 KTCX Beaumont.

Man who stalked Lubbock radio DJ sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Texas TV meteorologists are changing like the weather!
Rubén Juárez joins KVEO - CBS 4 RGV
Changes at KLBK Lubbock sports department
Daniella Hankey leaves KFDX 3 Wichita Falls
Texas news directors promoted or leaving TV
Kristin Walla joins KIII 3 Corpus Christi
Jillian Fertig leaves KFDM 6 - FOX4 Beaumont
Joy Addison joins FOX News from Beaumont TV
Rebecca Cantu named GM of KIII Corpus Christi
Walt Howard retires from KFDA NewsChannel 10
Texas TV wedding and engagements
Mackailyn Johnson leaves KSAN San Angelo

REMEMBERING

Ron Franklin, former KPRC 2 and KHOU 11 Houston, ESPN sportscaster, dead at 79.

Retired Lone Star 92.5 KZPS personality Jon 'JD' Dillon has died.

Former member of the Telemundo Houston family dies: Art Sobarzo, who was director of creative services for Telemundo Houston, recently passed away.

Tejano radio legend Dan Peña passes away.

Former AP reporter Mike Cochran dies at 85.

Mike Capps: From KPRC to WFAA, ABC and CNN

Mike Capps is the play by play voice for the Round Rock Express, but you should hear about his reporter life before baseball working for KPRC 2, WFAA 8, ABC News and CNN

We are celebrating 15 year of the mikemcguff.com blog this week if you can believe that.  

So to honor this anniversary,  we talk to legendary journalist Mike Capps who worked his way up from KPRC 2 in the 70s, to WFAA 8 in Dallas - Fort Worth, ABC News and CNN.

All the Round Rock Express fans who now listen to Capps's play by play work, might not realize his deep history in broadcast journalism.

Mike McGuff: Take us back to the early days of your time at KPRC (please include dates when you were there).  From your memory, how did the three stations rate back then? 

Mike Capps:  Hi Mike, thanks for the invitation and for spending time with me. I feel honored you thought of me. Ray Miller hired me out of the CBS affiliate in Beaumont, Texas to become the night police reporter in August of 1974.  I spent the next six years at Channel 2, mostly under the tutelage of Miller, then Larry Weidman before a fellow named Mike Casserly took over and purged the place. I was asked to leave by Casserly almost 6 years to the day from when Miller hired me.  

As much as I hated to leave, it turned out to be for the best career-wise, but the beautiful thing about all that is...we still have those friendships and camaraderie from those days at Channel 2.  As a result, Lyn Salerno a former staffer, heads up Channel 2 Reunions in January of each year and we really, I am afraid to say, behave a lot like we did when we were kids.  Joyous reunions they are.  And so many great stories, most of which are true, always fly back and forth amongst us.

  Look, Mike, in those days when you're 23 years old, and a young reporter in Texas, everyone like me already knew what a kick-ass legend Ray Miller was in that great town, at that great station...AND ANYBODY WITH ANY SPARK OR SALT WANTED TO WORK FOR HIM.  When he hired me, the hiring ranks in the top three biggest thrills I had in my 22 year news career. I mean died and gone to heaven thrilled! 

Legendary begins the tale of Miller.  Consummate, demanding, relentless, tireless, hot tempered, fearless, but as competitive as they come, and always looking for ways to improve himself and all of us.  In those days, we found ourselves in a nose to nose battle with KTRK, Channel 13 and Marvin Zindler.  Back and forth and back and forth in the ratings, and talk about pressure.  Wow!  Every single time we beat them on a story meant bragging rights for us and vice versa.  Big time rivals, BIG time!   But so much fun.  

Remember these years featured the Joe Campos Torres death at the hands of the police, riots at Moody Park where our Jack Cato and Phil Archer were stabbed covering violence during Cinco de Mayo, police officers and some police brass in trouble for various and sundry things.  Police chases, mass murders, I ran at least two dozen drug raids with Houston Police and Harris County Sheriff's officers, discussions, sometimes heated with one of the best human beings I ever met, former Houston Police Chief Harry Caldwell, Skylab's return to earth, and a thousand other stories I was so fortunate to cover.  

Great people to work around, besides Ray and Larry Weidman, like Archer, like Cato, Napoleon Johnson, Alan Parcell, Ted Shaw, Doug Johnson, Fred Edison, Paul Flannagan, the late Bob Brandon, Charley Scott, John Treadgold, Ron Stone, Larry Rasco, Bill Worrell...what a great group of top flight professionals for a young kid like me to work around.  Hard to hang with the likes of those folks at first, but being with them made so much of a difference in the way my career played out, and the competition with KTRK was a huge part of the fun of being there in those days.

What was it like working for the Hobby family?  

I had the good fortune to work for two of THE greatest families in the history of Texas television; the Hobby family at Channel 2, and the Dealey family that for years ran WFAA in Dallas.  I thought Olveta Culp Hobby was such a dear, wonderful and supremely accomplished woman, who supremely valued journalism as witnessed by the Hobby ownership of both the Houston Post and KPRC.  

There's a great story about one of my ALL TIME greatest screw ups and unfortunately...or fortunately it involves Mrs. Hobby.  Early, early one summer morning a fire broke out in downtown Houston at a chemical warehouse, where Toyota Center now stands.  Fire went to four alarms quickly, then got completely out of control.  I was using a film camera in the days right before Channel 2 went all video cameras, and when help arrived, I raced down the Southwest Freeway to drop off film for processing for the morning newscasts.  I pulled into the breezeway housing the huge trucks used for football games at the dome, parked my news car and ran inside.  Was not in the station for more than ten minutes and as I came back out, someone in a big black Lincoln Continental (I believe) had hemmed me into the garage and I couldn't escape.  I was probably 25 years old, with a spring loaded case of the red ass and a temper to match and at that point of the morning was adrenaline charged because of the fire, and needed to get back down to the action.  I threw open the door of the station screaming something like, "Who is the______hell was so stupid they parked their_____, _____vehicle behind ME???"   Mrs. Hobby stuck her head out from behind the door to the newsroom and said, "My, my Michael, are we a little upset this morning?  "Well, excuse me, but it was me," she said,  "and I will have the car removed so you can get on with your business."  No sarcasm, not upset, not riled at me and my fit, and the next time we saw each other she laughed as she talked about it.  But boy, I tell ya.  When I left the place that morning and headed back to the fire, I just knew she'd get me fired..but no sir, she didn't. WHEW!   No one like Mrs. Hobby.  Ever.

When you worked at WFAA, it was one of the top stations in the country.  Based on your website resume, it looked like you travelled to wherever the stories were (even if not in DFW that day).  You also appeared to supervise a large staff.  Talk about the legacy, resources and news ratings that station had.  

Mike, WFAA went through years of news doldrums in the 60s and 70s because the CBS affiliate in Dallas at that time, KRLD-TV had a terrific staff led by a fellow named Eddie Barker who was a dear friend of my dad's, and along with Bill Mercer who was a reporter there, and later the original voice of the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys...those two guys were great newsmen and great people and even greater friends with my dad. Their news shop was first rate, and they hired the first female anchor in Texas, I believe it was in 1967, a lady named Judy Jordan who is no longer with us, but a great reporter and news reader and a ratings hit.

  BUT...WFAA's fate changed in 1973 when they hired a fellow from CBS in New York, a news manager and University of Missouri grad named Marty Haag.  Haag went to work recruiting the best news people he could find, gave them beat reporting assignments just like newspapers in those days.  He also, insisted to management that not only would his people cover Dallas - Ft. Worth news like a blanket, but because of WFAA's cable penetration all over Texas, into Oklahoma, Arkansas, parts of New Mexico and Louisiana, they'd compete all over the southwest and chase stories that involved people from the southwest all over the world.  And that's what happened.  

Haag first brought in a group of people from the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City who had investigative reporting experience, and he hired anchors both male and female that were really first rate, and they all went to work building what turned out to be a juggernaut.  George Foster Peabody and duPont-Columbia awards out the wazoo...and by the time I got there (my first day was the day Reagan was shot in DC), in early 1981, they were rolling.  We'd send crews to stories all over the U.S. in Learjets, just like the networks and often beat the networks on stories we were covering alongside them.

As intense as Ray Miller was, Haag was just as intense if not more so.  Reporters were required to generate their own stories from their beats.  Haag created competitive tension in that shop and while some folks didn't like it, I thought it was a huge motivating tool and apparently it worked.  Some pretty well known names from that shop, 22 of us in all, went to networks from WFAA.  And gosh, the reputation just built from that. 

After you were the first affiliate reporter to lead ABC World News Tonight on both coasts for your WFAA Hurricane Alicia coverage, how much did this play into your hiring at ABC as the Deputy Bureau Chief/Assignments Manager of its Midwest Bureau in the mid 80s?  

After that Hurricane Alicia coverage, I received a phone call from Peter Jennings who was extremely laudatory about those pieces from Houston I did. And then two days after I got back, a dear fellow and then ABC VP for News, George Watson, flew to Dallas and took me to dinner.  And we came close to a correspondent's deal, but for one reason or another, it never worked out.  

That said, I think the real key to me going to CNN had to do with Marty Haag's relationship with a fellow named Ed Turner (no relation to Ted) who ran CNN's day to day operation at that time.  Ed, had seen my work, the ABC piece on World News Tonight, and because WFAA was also carrying an affiliation with CNN then, saw me on some of the stuff I did at WFAA.   

When I went to Atlanta to sign my deal with CNN, Ed mentioned the Hurricane Alicia story and wanted to tell me some details about it...but I have to be completely honest here:  Had I not worked at KPRC, Channel 2 for those years as a cop beat reporter, and had I not known the streets of Houston and Galveston like the back of my hand, that report that played on ABC might never have happened.  The ABC charge producer happened to see my piece being fed up to Dallas from Houston, took me aside, had me record a "Mike Capps, for ABC News, Houston," tag line and that was that.  I don't think it was great reporting that sent that piece to air on ABC as much as it was the luck of having worked at Channel 2 and knowing my way around.  Lucky more than good.  Wow.  That's the REAL story.

As far as the ratings went...television news in those days was so different from what we have now.  Essentially in markets like Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, St. Louis, Minneapolis-St. Paul...you had three network affiliate news departments competing for ratings superiority.  More importantly, our viewership wasn't watered down by 200 cable or internet channels running dozens and dozens of different types of programming 24 hours a day.  Local news in those days carried a huge amount of import in cities across the country than it does now. People watched and talked about it...called in to complain.  If people had a gripe about something, we heard about it, and sometimes while having dinner at local restaurants.    I just have the feeling that local anchors especially were bigger celebrities in our day than now.  Both local newspapers in Dallas-Ft. Worth had TV and radio critics and they covered all of us like a blanket and fired salvos at us whenever they disagreed with anything they saw on the air.

Here's the other thing...the ratings battle in Dallas- Fort Worth in those days was essentially WFAA leading, but early in my years there (I was in Dallas-Ft. Worth, at WFAA, off and on for 10 years), the race involved us and KDFW, formerly KRLD-TV, the CBS affiliate then (now it's FOX). They had Chip Moody as their main anchor, and folks remember him fondly from his days first at KXAS, the NBC affiliate at DFW...then with us and then to Houston.  We had Tracy Rowlett, Iola Johnson and John Criswell as the main anchors...and the ratings were always close...the audience percentages were high....sometimes we'd have a 40 share and win it by two points....sometimes they'd win...and sorta like in the Houston days with channel 2 and 13...always extremely competitive.  But the audience percentages were huge then given what they are now...toward the end of my run...right before I left for CNN...KXAS really became more competitive and that fact really tightened the race.

CNN was growing fast when you worked there.  What was that explosive growth like as a reporter working there?  

Mike, it was exciting.  When CNN first got started a lot of folks in the industry used pejoratives, calling it "Chicken Noodle News," etc...but I will tell you this, I knew it was special when Ed Turner told me their mission statement on the day he hired me, and once we hit the road (first story was a tanker explosion off Galveston...another great, 'Capps lucks out deal,' because I knew all the folks in Galveston who could lead us to the right spots, to the right people, and the story became better because of it).

 And then, that same year, going to Wichita, Kansas and Baton Rouge for the abortion-anti abortion battles on the capital steps in both cities...was a huge eye opener when dozens of people would come up to me the next day making comments (some printable, some not) about "CNN's coverage."  

But one more exciting factor that told me CNN was there with the big boys, came on my first junket overseas covering the runup to the Gulf War.  At the airport in London...CNN on all the terminal television sets.  In Saudi Arabia--CNN.. Amsterdam, Paris...people coming up to me asking if I was going into or out of the war zone.  

Hey, I never got in the news business for the self aggrandizement, but these people knew who I was...which told me two things.  1). They knew who I was because they were watching CNN ALL the time, and 2) That meant CNN was on people's minds all over the world.

CNN really became a big news player during the first Gulf War, talk about your experiences covering this.

   Mike, I went to Saudi Arabia in November of 90 during the runup to the war called Desert Shield.  We travelled all over Saudi doing stories on U.S., Saudi, and Egyptian military preparations for the war, spent nights in the desert with shave-talk Marines, some 19 years old, scared to death.  

We had a run-in with the Saudi social police who tried to harass the female producer and the female photographer who was working with me.  We somehow avoided an international incident after I had grabbed a social policeman, when he tried to push one of the females to the ground.  He went to the ground.  Flat....but I guess the Ministers of Information who accompanied us, decided we were not going to put up with such, and I never saw another one of those guys again.  We covered stories about Saudi families preparing for war, small, quaint little towns getting ready, kids in schools.  

Then I was mustered out in January, missed the 44 hours of the war itself, but was sent back less than two weeks after I came back to the states, to the mountains of northern Iraq, covering the plight of the Kurdish refugees who had been forced out of their homes by the Republican Guard, and onto those mountains.  It was cold up there...a lot of older people and babies died...and we did stories on all of that with Medicines San Frontiers. 

And then there were numerous pieces on the Kurdish Militia, the Peshmerga.  These young Kurdish men, trained by the British Royal Marines, took on Republican Guard in firefights...wild and wooly.  In conversations with these kids the Pesh, they'd tell us how much they valued helping freedom come back to their mountains, how they loved Americans and wanted to become Americans...some of them died, unfortunately, but all extremely brave.  Then on the last day in theatre, several of us from different news organizations showed up at a northern Iraq town that supposedly had been liberated, but when we arrived on the outskirts of the town, we were stopped and turned around by Republican Guard.  

Probably twenty of us...me and two others from CNN, NPR, BBC, Sky News, CBS, CBC and others...we all met up on the main road, and within minutes, two truck loads of Republican Guard, with bayoneted AKs, surrounded us, and I thought for all the world we'd be killed or taken captive.  Over one of the hills came two WartHog, tank fighter jets, scared those guys away...we got in the car and hauled ass to Ankara and headed home. End of the story of the Gulf War for me....and lucky to still be alive.

(Capps also just contributed to my Branch Davidian standoff remembered by Texas TV journalists who were there in Waco post.  He was working for CNN at the time. You can click the headline link to read his memories from that Texas tragedy.)

Please talk about your broadcasting career for The Round Rock Express.  What was it like moving from hard news to sports calling?  

Mike, I suffered some extremely serious stress issues as a result of seeing people blown apart for years and it finally caught up to me. 

 I woke up in the middle of the night, with the bed post in my hand, and had busted my head wide open.  I had suffered from stress, anger issues, etc., and needed help.  If you think there's not a God in Heaven--the therapist who helped dig me out of the mental morass was a 4 tour-Vietnam side gunner on a helicopter, and licensed Presbyterian Lay Minister.  We had to break it down to basics, mentally, and start all over.   

In another life, I played baseball in junior college and the game never really left me.  I worked as a part time scout for Red Murff, the man who discovered and signed Nolan.  I helped him with tryout camps, and took assignments looking at players, when he needed me and I had time off from news.  I repeatedly told him that one day I was going to shut it down in the news business and write a book with him.

After I got into therapy, I left CNN, wrote the book, The Scout: Searching for the Best in Baseball, with Red, and away we went.  Promoting the book in Spring Training '96 in Arizona, we had Red on the air with Bob Starr, the late Angels broadcaster and Bob did a magnificent job working Red's interview in and out of the play by play and I swear I kept hearing a voice in my head..."you can do this, you can do this."  In between innings I asked Mr. Starr, I said, "I love your work, I'm 45 years old, and I too old to get started?"  His response, "you are a puppy at 45, no you are not too old."

Two phone calls later I got a job broadcasting Independent ball in Tyler, the next year I was in AAA in Nashville, the next year, 1998, I started doing fill in MLB work on ESPN and I worked in Sioux Falls, SD, '99 Independent ball again in Atlantic City, and started in Round Rock in 2000 and have been there since. 

The work fits me perfectly. I dearly love the game, the players, coaches, managers and fans...and have developed tons of friends throughout the years...Have done fill in work for both the Rangers and Astros and still at my advanced age (70 on December 19, 2020) dream of that full time MLB chance.  

But you know what...I still have the greatest baseball life ever.  My wife Karen, 3 daughters, 1 step son, 7 grandchildren between the ages of 17-4 all love the game, love Cappy's role in the game, and along with spending time with them, taking care of two dogs, Archie and Molly and two cats, Penny and Lylah...and supporting Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Austin Sheltie Rescue, Austin Pets Alive, Austin Humane Society and RBI Austin, is what we do.

https://cappspbp.com/

9th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards winners 2011

The 9th Annual Lone Star EMMY Awards were held in Houston Saturday night and I am already getting requests for the winner's list. You can see who was nominated for the 9th Annual Lone Star Emmy Awards this year here.

 I didn't see an official list at lonestaremmy.org so I took the results from the Texas TV chapter's Twitter account.  Congrats to all and my old station KTRK for winning Outstanding Achievement in Station Excellence. Well deserved.


Outstanding Achievement in Station Excellence. Congratulations ABC 13 Houston's News Leader, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Anchor - News. Congratulations Shelly Slater Anchors, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Anchor - News. Congratulations Norma Garcia "On the Set, On the Field" , KXTX

Outstanding Achievement in Investigative Report - Series. Congratulations Rapido y Furioso: Las Armas del Narco, KNVO

Outstanding Achievement in Investigative Report - Series. Congratulations Port O Plenty , KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Investigative Report - Single Story. Congratulations The King of Kemah, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Investigative Report - Single Story. Congratulations Ambush Towing, WOAI

Outstanding Achievement in News Special. Congratulations La Nueva Frontera, KXTX

Outstanding Achievement in News Special. Congratulations Hurricane Katrina: 5 Years Later, KPRC

Outstanding Achievement in Video Journalist . Congratulations Everyone Has A Story, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in Video Journalist . Congratulations Daniel Morales, Video Journalist, KTMD

Outstanding Achievement in Photographer - News. Congratulations Josh Stephen Compilation, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Anchor - Weather. cngrts Snow, Tornadoes & cmputr Crashes: Larry's Got it Covered, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition/Arrangement. Congratulations Joni Music ~ Sing Hallelujah , Daystar

Outstanding Achievement in Arts/Entertainment - Program Feature / Segment. Congratulations Friday Night Spotlight, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Audio. Congratulations Check The Sound ~ Edge, Daystar

Outstanding Achievement in Arts/Entertainment - News Single Story / Series / Feature. Congratulations The Patriotic Painter, KHOU

Outstanding Achievement in Arts/Entertainment - News Single Story / Series / Feature. Congratulations La Onda Tribal, KUVN

Outstanding Achievement in Writer - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.). Congratulations It's Only Words..., KDAF

Outstanding Achievement in Writer - Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.). Congratulations 4 WOAI Copy, WOAI

Outstanding Achievement in Writer - News. Congratulations Every Day I Write The Book, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Writer - News. Congratulations Daniel Morales, Writer, KTMD

Outstanding Achievement in Editor - News - No Time Limit. Congratulations And That's The Way It Is '10-'11, KHOU

Outstanding Achievement in Editor - News - Within 24 Hours. Congratulations Made With Love, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in General Assignment Report - No Time Limit. Congratulations A Drowning at Westside, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in General Assignment Report - Within 24 Hours. Congratulations I Killed Them: A Jailhouse Apology , KDAF

Outstanding Achievement in News Excellence. Congratulations WFAA-TV, WFAA

Outstanding Director - Post-Production / Short Form (Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, etc.). cngrts David Hershey Directing Composite, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Director - Technical Director. Congratulations Wicked Weather, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Director - Live or Live-to-Tape / Newscast. Congratulations CBS 11 News at 10pm, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Evening - Larger Markets (1-25). Congratulations Super Bowl Sunday, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Features / Human Interest. Congratulations Kevin Reece - Features, KHOU

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - General Assignment / Spot News. Congratulations New's Reel, KENS

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Investigative. Congratulations Mark Greenblatt Investigates, KHOU

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Live. Congratulations Stipes on Ice, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Specialty Assignment / Consumer / Medical. cngrts Drug War, Belo Border Bureau

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Specialty Assignment / Consumer / Medical. Congratulations Covering Schools, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting. Congratulations Justin's Lighting Piece, Daystar

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion: Program - Image. Congratulations @ 6:30 Sing-Off, WOAI

Outstanding Achievement in Health/Science - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations To Avery With Love, KBTX

Outstanding Achievement in Health/Science - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations SIDA: Vacuna Experimental, KUVN

Achievement in Health/Science - News Single Story/Series/Feat. cngrts A Surgery Gone Wrong. A Life Changed Forever, The Dallas Morning News

Outstanding Editor - Short Form Promos, PSAs, Commercials, Opens, cngrts On The Path: Inside The Tyson Chandler WarCry vid, Dallas Mavericks

Outstanding Achievement in Editor - Program (Non-News). Congratulations Preston Janis: Razor Fist, Trophy Hunters TV

Outstanding Commercial - Single Spot/Campaign. cngrts Schreiner University: "Learning by Heart" Campaign, Electro-Fish Films & Briscoe Hall

Outstanding Achievement in Continuing Coverage - Within 24 Hours. Congratulations Gas Pipeline Explosion, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Continuing Coverage - No Time Limit. Congratulations The Hidden Video, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Continuing Coverage - No Time Limit. Congratulations Atrapados en Coahuila, KWEX

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - Program - Sports. Congratulations Cowboys Camp, KDFW CS

Outstanding Achievement in Editor - Sports. Congratulations Fast Five-ward, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Anchor - Sports. Congratulations Newy Scruggs: Weed, Frogs and Sports, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Sports Analyst /Play by Play. Congratulations Bill Worrell, Fox Sports Houston

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Reporter - Sports. Congratulations Matt-Tage, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in Community Service. Congratulations Unase al Reto, KWEX

Outstanding Achievement in Community Service. Congratulations Allen City Television ACTV, Allen City Television / ACTV

Outstanding Achievement in Crime - News Single Story / Series / Feature. Congratulations Juarez Paramedics, Belo Border Bureau

Outstanding Achievement in Crime - News Single Story/Series/Feat. Congratulations Buried In The Backyard: The Death of Dedra Salinas, WOAI

Outstanding Achievement in Business/Consumer - News Series. Congratulations Wireless, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Business/Consumer - News Single Story / Feature. Congratulations Discount Dud, KDFW

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Commentator / Editorialist / Performer / Narrator. Congratulations McCaa Uncut, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Evening - Medium Markets (26-60). Congratulations KVUE News at 6, KVUE

Outstanding Achievement in Specialty Assignment Report - Program/Special/Feature/Segment. Congratulations Battle in Brooks County, KRGV

Outstanding Achievement in Specialty Assignment Report - News Series. Congratulations Valdez to Venice, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Special Event Coverage (other than News or Sports). Congratulations Gloworama: New Year's Eve, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Sports - One-Time Special. Congratulations Inside Cowboys Stadium: Secrets Revealed, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Sports - Reg. Scheduled Daily/Weekly Program. Congratulations 'THE' High School Spotlight, Fox Sports Southwest

Outstanding Achievement in Sports - Program Feature/Segment. Congratulations Luchadores and Hidden History, KSAT

Outstanding Achievement in Community/Public Service (PSA) - Single Spot/Campaign. Congratulations The Cowtown 2011, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in Public/Current/Community Affairs - Program/Special/Series. Congratulations Passage to India, KTRK

Outstanding Achievement in Public/Current/Community Affairs - Feature/Segment. Congratulations Are You My Family?, KENS

Outstanding Achievement in Magazine Program - Feature/Segment. Congratulations Sideline Signer, Phillips Productions, Inc.

Outstanding Achievement in Magazine Program - Program / Special. Congratulations The Ultimate Summer Escape: Costa Rica, KIAH

Outstanding Achievement in Magazine Program - Feature/Segment. Congratulations Kalle TV - Kalle Backstage, KUVN

Outstanding Achievement in Specialty Assignment Report - News Story/Feature. cngrts Celebration - 1 Heart Gainesville, Daystar

Outstanding Achievement in Breaking News. Congratulations A Day of Weather, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in On-Camera Talent - Program Host/Moderator/Reporter - Programming. Congratulations Jake's Takes, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in Military - News Single Story / Series / Feature. cngrts Among the Wounded, The Dallas Morning News

Outstanding Achievement in Historic/Cultural - News Single Story/Series/Feature cngrts Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, TPWD

Outstanding Achievement in Historic/Cultural - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations LAS HEREDERAS DE HIDALGO, KUVN

Outstanding Achievement in Documentary - Historical. Congratulations The Lost Fort, Rusty Spur Productions

Outstanding Achievement in Documentary - Cultural . Congratulations One Square Mile - Austin, Texas, Brazos Film & Video

Outstanding Achievement in Human Interest - News Series. Congratulations Taylor's Heart, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Human Interest - News Single Story/Feature. Congratulations SUE'O REALIZADO, KUVN

Outstanding Achievement in Human Interest - News Single Story/Feature. Congratulations FOX 4 Goes Social, KDFW CS

Outstanding Achievement in Texas Heritage - Program/Special. Congratulations The Daytripper: Brenham, TX, Hogaboom Road, Inc.

Outstanding Achievement in Texas Heritage - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations Galveston Ghosts, KTMD

Outstanding Achievement in Texas Heritage - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations Bat Bombs Go Boom!, WOAI

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - Program - Campaign. Congratulations Mission Marriage, Daystar

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - Program - Single Spot. Congratulations TXA21 'What I Like On 21', TXA21

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - Program - Single Spot. Congratulations The Social Nedwork, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion: News Promo - Image. Congratulations @ 6:30 Trailer, WOAI

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - News Promo - Campaign. Congratulations Super Bowl Classics, KDFW CS

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - News Promo - Campaign. Congratulations Presente En Tus Maanas, KUVN

Outstanding Achievement in Promotion - News Promo - Single Spot. Congratulations Radio Traffic Trap, KDFW CS

Outstanding Achievement in Religion - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations Lefty, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in Spot News. Congratulations Texas Wildfires, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Serious Series. Congratulations Honoring the heroes, KTVT

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Serious Series. Congratulations Deadly Three Day Wait, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Serious Feature. cngrts Baby Montior Hackers: How Secure Is yr Crib? KCEN

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Serious Feature. Congratulations Amores Que Matan , KXLN

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Serious Feature. Congratulations A Line to the Outside, KENS

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Light Feature / Series. Congratulations Ninas Boxeadoras, KXTX

Outstanding Achievement in Feature News Report - Light Feature / Series. Congratulations Coach Tib's Ring, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Team Coverage. Congratulations Oak Hill Fire, KXAN

Outstanding Achievement in Team Coverage. Congratulations A Day of Weather, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Photographer - prgrm (Non-News) / Short Form Promos . cngrts 2010 Compilation, Austin Channel 6

Achievement in Writer - prgrm (Non-News) / Commentary / Editorial. cngrts Off the Beaten Path, Phillips Productions, Inc.

Outstanding Achievement in Interview/Discussion - Program/Special/Series. Congratulations Portada S.A., KWEX

Outstanding Achievement in Interview/Discussion - prgrm/Special/Series. cngrts Joni Table Talk ~ Nicole C. Mullen , Daystar

Interview/Discussion - Feature/Segment. cngrts Porque Amamos La Musica - Franco De Vita, Hermes Music

Outstanding Achievement in Informational / Instructional - prgrm / Special / Feature / Segment. cngrts I luv a Mystery, TPWD

Informational / Instructional - prgrm / Special / Feature / Segment. cngrts Aprendamos Juntos, Houston ISD

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Evening - Smaller Markets (61+). Congratulations KLTV 7 News at 10, KLTV

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Evening - Smaller Markets (61+). Congratulations FEBRUARY FREEZE , KFOX

Outstanding Achievement in Weather - Program/ Special / Feature/Segment. Congratulations Storm Zone, KXAS

Outstanding Achievement in Weather - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations The Radar of the Future, KTVT

Environment - News Single Story/Series/Feature. cngrts Sacrifices, Sea Turtles, & Planting The Seed, KIAH

Education/Schools - News Single Story/Series/Feature. cngrts The rt Track, Phillips Productions, Inc.

Outstanding Achievement in Education/Schools - News Single Story/Series/Feature. Congratulations Educacion sin Fronteras, KXLN

Children/Youth Teen - prgrm/Special. cngrts Traveling w/ the Tribe: Twin Elm Guest Ranch-Bandera, Texas, Dadgummit Productions

Outstanding Achievement in Children/Youth Teen - prgrm Feature/Segment. cngrts Let's Eat! Fruit Salsa, FamilyNet TV

Outstanding Achievement in College/University Student Production - Photographer . Congratulations 7Daily, The University Star

Outstanding Achievement in College/University Student Production - Sports. cngrts Ride 2 Recovery, The University Star

Outstanding Achievement in College/University Student Production - Long Form . cngrts A Change in Degree, NTTV

College/University Student Production - Arts & Entertainment/Cultural Affairs. cngrts Haitian Amputee Soccer Team, The University Star

Outstanding Achievement in College/University Student Production - News: General Assignment. cngrts Stadium Implosion, TCU News Now

Outstanding Achievement in College/University Student Production - Newscast. Congratulations ntTV Nightly News, NTTV

Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Arts - Graphics / Animation. Congratulations WFAA Design Compilation, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Arts - Graphics / Animation. Congratulations Crazy San Antonio Animations, KENS

Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Arts - Graphics / Animation. Congratulations Ani-mando Imagenes, KUVN

Outstanding Achievement in Sports - News Feature. Congratulations Exit the Tiger, KRIV

Outstanding Achievement in Sports - Sportscast. Congratulations Dumbest Play Ever, WFAA

Outstanding Achievement in Sports - News Single Story/Series. Congratulations NASCAR - IOWA, KDTN

Outstanding Achievement in Politics/Government - New Series. cngrts Insurance Run By The Government: A Windstorm Ran Through It, KHOU

Outstanding Achievement in Politics/Government - News Single Story/Feature. Congratulations Sometimes...Things Get Lost, KENS

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Smaller Markets (61+). Congratulations KRGV Channel 5 News This Morning, KRGV

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Medium Markets (26-60). Congratulations Good Morning San Antonio, KSAT

Outstanding Achievement in Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Larger Markets (1-25). Congratulations News 8 Daybreak: Cause and Effect, WFAA