A former KPRC 2 reporter is off the air at his current TV station after he and his wife were hurt from an alleged assault. The whole thing went down in front of the couple's children too.
You might remember Brendan Keefe. He left Houston and KPRC in the early 2000s to become a reporter for WCBS in New York. Now he is an anchor in Cincinnati at WCPO-TV Channel 9 News.
Earlier this month, police say the Keefe family was relaxing at a country club pool when an unattended golf cart crashed into a fence right near them. Witnesses told police the driver of that cart was inebriated and allegedly shoved Tiffany Keefe after the crash. It's reported that Brendan pushed the man after his wife was on the ground and then was punched back.
Prosecutors have since dropped misdemeanor charges against the man. Cincinnati.com reports a grand jury will decide if charges should be brought at this point. The paper also reports Tiffany has a skull fracture and Brendan's eye injuries will keep him off the air for some time.
Sounds like a really bad scene all around. Hope everything turns out alright.
Lone Star Awards
The Houston Press Club presents its 2014 Lone Star Award winners.
The News will shut down paid website
As newspapers try new ideas to attract more digital readers in a changing media world, some are destined to stick and others to fail.
Direct from Hollywood, FOX Television Stations to Air Fresh New Entertainment Show, Hollywood Today Live
FOX Television Stations will air Hollywood Today Live a daily one-hour entertainment magazine show that delivers the hottest celebrity, red carpet and pop culture headlines, social media and red carpet coverage. Hollywood Today Live began July 14, and will air on top FOX Television stations in several markets like Dallas on FOX 4 from 2-3 p.m. and in Houston on MyNet 20 from 9-10 a.m.
Radio host resolves legal dispute with AM station
The legal dispute between Houston radio host Michael Harris and his on-again-off-again boss, KCOH 1230 AM president Jesse Dunn, has been resolved.
Barbizon Updates Houston’s Telemundo Lighting
For KTMD-TV Telemundo in Houston, TX the challenge was to take a brand new space with video walls, LCD displays and Chroma-key elements and design a daylight balanced, fully functioning studio that was easy to maintain without causing delay in the studio’s packed programming schedule.
S.A. anchor’s TV swan song — and upcoming book
Jacqueline Ortiz is waving goodbye to 16 years of newscasting/reporting to devote more time to her family. As it turns out, however, her own children, ages 6 and 9, aren’t the only young people who will benefit from her newly freed-up energies.
Meteorologist who sued KXAN lands new job
A meteorologist who filed a racial discrimination suit against KXAN after she was let go by station management has landed a new job with a nationally televised cable network.
Texas Cable Operator Fined $2.25 Million for Retrans Violation
A Texas cable operator has been fined $2.25 million for violating retransmission consent rules. The Federal Communications Commission issued the Forfeiture Order this week to TV Max of Houston for “willfully and repeatedly” violating Section 325 of the Communications Act “by retransmitting the signals of six Houston, Texas area full-power commercial television broadcast stations without ‘the express authority’ of the originating stations.”
Kuyk Logan
The Hobby family brought Kuyk Logan to Houston in 1969 as assistant managing editor of The Houston Post. He was named managing editor in 1976, a job he held until the paper was sold in 1983. From there, he became managing editor of news at the Houston CBS affiliate, KHOU-TV.
Charles "Chuck" Paul Pharris Sr.
Charles “Chuck” Paul Pharris Sr., 85, of Marietta died Friday, July 11, 2014. He joined KPRC-TV in Houston in 1956 as chief cameraman. He was later named Director of Newsfilm Operations, and became a member of NPPA. Chuck and the KPRC staff won several NPPA and AP awards for spot news and features, and in 1962 KPRC was named “Newsfilm Station of the Year.”
Former KHOU 11 reporter Brad Woodard remembered
Friends gathered Saturday to remember the life of former KHOU 11 reporter Brad Woodard. Those in attendance included Jeff McShan, Carolyn Mungo, Greg Groogan, Chau Nguyen, former KHOU news director Keith Connors and wife Karla Barguiarena, Woodard's two sisters and many current and former KHOU employees.
Mike McGuff talking to presenters Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh.
It was all hands on deck for the international, national and other local news media to find Houston journalists to help cover Hurricane Harvey. There were also the sister-station relief crews needed to fill-in on our Houston TV stations.
Here is a list of the former Houston journalists who were called back from the reserves to help out. If you know of others, please email me.
I was hired by UK Network ITV to report live for its Good Morning Britain program through out last week. One of the show's presenters (a term for anchor in the England) Americans will recognize is former CNN host Piers Morgan.
Former KHOU 11 anchor Lily Jang reported for KXAS NBC 5 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Former KTRK abc13 and ESPN reporter Darren Lyn was tapped to report for TRT World.
Former KPRC 2 reporter Brendan Keefe, now WXIA Atlanta Chief Investigative Reporter, returned to Houston to help out TEGNA sister station KHOU as a reporter. "Houston gets in your heart and doesn't want to leave," Keefe told me. "I volunteered when I saw my friends at KHOU working so hard without a TV station."
Former KHOU 11 reporter Courtney Zubowski worked for CBS News as a field producer.
Former FOX 26 KRIV reporter Todd Duplantis, now the Director of HCC TV Communications, did live reporting for WFTS Tampa Bay, Florida's ABC Action News.
KFSN Fresno reporter Corin Hoggard, returns to his old station of KTRK abc13 where he was a producer, to help with Harvey coverage.
Dr. Neil Frank made his usual return to KHOU 11 when there is trouble in the tropics.
Former KIKK and CBS Radio news reporter Derrill Edward Holly did an interview with the Associated Press broadcast and energy news podcast.
Former FOX 26 KRIV contributor Bob Martin has returned to make appearances on channel 26 and KTRK abc13.
Former FOX 26 KRIV reporter Ned Hibberd, now WCNC Charlotte executive producer of investigations and special projects, has been working for KHOU remotely via WFAA in Dallas.
TVNewsCheck's Michael Depp talks with Brendan Keefe, chief investigative reporter at Tegna's WXIA Atlanta (and former KPRC 2 reporter), about how local news can rediscover creativity at every level — even day-turn stories — by looking at stories with fresh eyes.
Don’t miss the opportunity to train up your news staff and interns on cutting-edge broadcast news practices presented by award-winning broadcast journalists on Oct. 17 in Round Rock!
TAB’s day-long Annual Newsroom Workshop is open to pros for $51 and to interns, students, and educators for $36. Rates increase by $10 on Oct. 8. Deadline: Oct. 14.
· Two different AI sessions – essentials for individual journalists and tools for general newsroom use
· FOI request basics and “tricks of the trade” presented by award-winning IRE member journalists AND a former head of the Texas Attorney General’s Open Records Division
· The crisis of audience trust / what newsrooms can do to rebuild it
· An MMJ masterclass with national Murrow, DuPont, and Peabody award winner Brendan Keefe
· Best practices for better stories on deadline
· Al Tompkins on techniques for getting memorable and compelling story interviews
· Mastering live shots and stand-ups
· RTDNA past president Kevin Benz on making good editorial choices at the speed of journalism
· Tools to sustain yourself and your mental well-being in today’s high-pressure newsroom
· Deconstructing national Edward R. Murrow award-winning stories produced by Texas journalists
· Practical guidance for covering the fallout from the upcoming general election
Former KHOU 11 reporter Doug Miller returns to his old TV gig to help out during Hurricane Harvey coverage
Houston is filled with talented former TV news staffers who have left the news business, but feel compelled to help out once a major hurricane threatens our area.
Case in point, former chief meteorologist Dr. Neil Frank usually returns to KHOU 11 when the Gulf threatens.
And speaking of channel 11, you might have noticed another familiar face returning to the TEGNA station.
"It would have been weird, sitting at home watching after chasing hurricanes all of these years," Miller told mikemcguff.com. "I feel like a retired firefighter watching a building burn...hand me a hose."
No doubt Miller has years of experience and know how on how to cover a Houston-area storm.
Last year, when he took a buyout from the station, Miller told me he was willing to return if/when needed.
"I've got a closet full of rain gear decorated with old KHOU logos," Miller told me in 2016. "If they need me in a pinch, God help me, I'd probably still meet the live truck halfway."
In fact, Miller's outstanding weather reporting lasted all the way till his final days with the station.
If you know Miller personally, then you will know the depths he is willing to go to get the story.
"One of the moments I'll never forget was waking up in the middle of the night during Tropical Storm Allison and turning in the TV to see our newsroom was flooding," Miller recalled to me. "I knew my car would never make it through the streets. so I started walking to the station. As luck would have it, Jeff McShan happened to drive by in a live truck and picked me up."
So what has Miller been up to in his post TV life?
He is now a member of the Houston Chronicle editorial board.
UPDATE
Former KPRC 2 reporter Brendan Keefe, who is now the Chief Investigative Reporter at WXIA Atlanta, tells me he is returning to Houston to help out TEGNA sister station KHOU.
Former ‘Bachelorette’ and Dallas native Rachel Lindsay named ‘Extra’ correspondent.
From its origins airing the banter of bored firefighters to its robust classical programming today, Dallas’s WRR-FM has filled an unusual niche on the airwaves for nearly a century.
KPRC 2's Houston Life executive producer Katie Rae Meyers leaves for a new job at WPIX New York.
SportsTalk 790 KBME morning host Sean Salisbury starts new evening show on 95.7 The Game KGMZ San Francisco.
Emily Foxhall takes over the environment beat at the Houston Chronicle.
Former Houston TV reporter/personality Roseann Rogers has moved to Nashville, TN and is joining the sales team for iHeart Media-Nashville.
Former KPRC 2 reporter Brendan Keefe is profiled in this TVNewsCheck profile showing his leadership of the investigative team at WXIA Atlanta, and his work as a corporate trainer for all 60 Tegna stations.
John McClain is closing in on 4 1/2 decades covering the NFL for the Houston Chronicle.
Freddy Cruz celebrates my 15 years at 104.1 KRBE.
Comedian Chinedu Ogu marks three years at KHOU 11.
Lauren Gilley moves from directing at CW39 KIAH to KHOU 11. (Thanks Susan Farb Morris)
FOX 44 KWKT Waco-Temple-Killeen's Loving Living Local Central Texas host Brian Glenn (formerly of WFAA 8 DFW) contacted me to say he was fired from the station after posting about COVID-19 numbers on social media. Nohely Mendoza takes his spot to host with Amanda Tatom.
KWTX 10 Waco-Temple-Killeen has parted ways with sports anchor Tyler Bouldin.
The legendary Houston reporter has covered it all, including being stabbed and knocked unconscious during the Moody Park Riots coverage (which is now the subject of a Vox Media podcast called the Chicano Squad.) More on this in a minute.
"Phil’s the guy you send when your own reputation is on the line," former NBC News Bureau Chief and KPRC reporter Larry Weidman told mikemcguff.com. "He always delivers and he has for nearly half a century. Plus, he’s also from Wichita Falls."
Phil Archer's early life
The Wichita Falls, TX native graduated from S.H. Rider High School in 1969 and headed to Houston to attend the University of Houston.
"I’ve been fortunate enough to make my career in Houston, which is one of the best news towns in the country," Archer said in his bio. "I’ve worked with some of the most talented journalists in the business; folks who pursued the craft with honesty, accuracy, and passion. It is more than a job – it’s a calling."
Archer got started in the Houston news business with the Houston News Service which was owned by Jack Cato and George Nelson.
That led to a job at Big 2 KPRC in 1976. Archer replaced Mike Capps on the Channel 2 night police beat.
"From the time he walked in, he became a sponge, using his biting wit, his raucous sense of humor, and good ole boy Wichita Falls, Texas charm, learning the rudiments of our craft as quickly as he could and as a result won over all of us in the newsroom," Capps, who later worked for WFAA, ABC and CNN, told mikemcguff.com.
Moody Park Riots and Phil Archer
In 1978, Archer and Cato, who was also working for KPRC, were covering the Moody Park Riots, sparked by the death of Joe Campos Torres by the actions of Houston police officers.
"There was a car on fire and ambulance supervisor's car on fire," Archer told KPRC in 2019. "And so we went past the police line to get video of that. When we we're doing that, we got jumped. And so that's that's how it ended for me. We were...Jack was stabbed. I was knocked unconscious and stabbed. We watched the rest of the rioting lasted another two days, three days from our hospital rooms."
"Their camera gear was cut up and news car destroyed along with several police and fire vehicles," retired KPRC 2 photographer John Treadgold told mikemcguff.com. "Both Phil and Jack went right back to covering the same stories afterwards, sometimes going in before police or firefighters. They were the best in the city in this regard."
In the KPRC history book, "The Fault Does Not Lie With Your Set - The First Forty Years of Houston Television," Archer described his face looking "like hamburger" with cuts, bruises and a particularly nasty gash on the top of his head. He recalled police officers believing he had been stabbed in the crotch. So they laid him on the hood of a patrol car. An officer, who has previously been a nurse, ripped open his pants to examine if he had been castrated.
KTRK photographer Dave Davis, who later became WABC New York's General Manager, caught the moment on camera.
Archer was stabbed in his rear end and bleeding profusely - turning his blue pants red.
Fortunately, some kids nearby dragged Archer out of harm's way.
"And and if those kids had not gotten me out when they did, I might very well bled to death because I lost...I was close at the time...I lost a lot of blood," Archer recalled in his 2019 interview with the station. "So a lot of things luckily happened in the right order for it...to prevent it...from being a really bad day for my mom."
"He obviously laid it on the line in Moody Park, and I think that reportage from Phil and Jack Cato that night pretty much summarizes who Phil Archer is as a news reporter," Capps added. "He offered an intrepid attitude, a no nonsense demeanor and thoroughness beyond reproach as his reportorial tools. Professionalism personified, an unbridled passion for his craft and the stories he reported, and a respect for those who watched his work, simply sets him apart from most and he did it for more than 40 years."
When Archer woke up in the hospital, he was concerned about the whereabouts of his expensive TV news camera, especially when his news director Ray Miller came to visit. He was also concerned about not wearing a tie while covering the riot, a must for Miller who had a rule all news photographers had to look professional.
For his coverage of the riot, Archer received the Perringer Award from the Texas Association of Broadcasters.
That would not be his only award on the shelf. According to his bio, Archer has received more than 50 awards from the likes of the Associated Press, Texas Association of Broadcasters, Houston Press Club and other organizations.
In 1983, Archer was selected as a William Benton Fellow at the University of Chicago which was a program designed to "advance the work of midcareer radio and television professionals, enabling them to bring greater depth and understanding to their work."
The Moody Park Riot story will always come up in Phil Archer retirement goodbye pieces. But Archer's journalistic career is so much more than that one moment.
What fellow journalists say about Archer
He has been that steady voice on KPRC for four decades, who can cover any story with grace and ease, no matter the difficult subject matter. Sources trust him, the Houston television news community respects him and as you will read below, his co-workers liked and looked up to him.
"The only thing I could add is that Phil was one of my ethical policemen in the newsroom," former KPRC news manager Rich McFarland told mikemcguff.com. "You always need watchdogs asking journalists in the room, 'Why are we doing this story?' As a manager it can be a pain in the ass but you appreciate the question. He was also a great coworker, mentor, and friend."
"Phil Archer was a veteran reporter when I was born, so this news is depressing," former abc13 KTRK investigative reporter Wayne Dolcefino told mikemcguff.com. " His knowledge of Houston is irreplaceable. The consummate tv reporter. He has done this town proud."
For this blog post, I reached out to those reporters and anchors who worked with Archer throughout his career. They enthusiastically shared their respect and stories from their time with him.
“You could do an entire blog on 'Phil moments' at KPRC, but among my favorites are Phil riding the trail to Houston with the Rodeo cowboys," former KPRC anchor Linda Lorelle told mikemcguff.com. "On horseback. Every year and loving every moment. Whether covering the Rodeo or Hurricane Katrina, Phil is a consummate storyteller whose passion and perspective give Houston viewers a bird’s eye view unlike any other. It’s a privilege to have worked with him during my years on the anchor desk at KPRC. Happy Trails, my friend, as you enjoy your well deserved retirement!"
"Always loved talking about Texas history and folklore with Phil," former KPRC reporter Ron Stone, Jr. told me. "We’d talk about our love for J. Frank Dobie’s books or he would quote an obscure Western Swing song lyric and it was just a great way to stay sane in the midst of the chaos of a TV newsroom."
“It’s the end of an era," former KPRC reporter Mary Benton told mikemcguff.com. "Phil Archer is a consummate professional and a wonderful person. Full disclosure - it took time for me to warm up to him when we first met, because I assumed we would not have anything in common. Over my 20 year tenure at KPRC, we sat near each other in the newsroom, and I got to see Phil for who he is - decent, sensitive, hilarious and a great storyteller. He has earned his retirement and I wish him all the best!”
"Phil is a reporter's reporter. An absolute legend in Houston news," former KPRC morning anchor/reporter Rachel McNeill told mikemcguff.com. "I learned so much from watching him work. His tenacity, his dedication and his wicked sense of humor are unmatched. You could always count on his support from your very first day in the newsroom and he always kept us laughing with his classic Texas quips!"
Former KPRC reporter Suzanne Boase Honeycutt shared these great moments which I am including in full:
"Phil will hate me for saying this, but I watched him on TV as a kid when my family moved to Houston from Australia. He looked like a cowboy, seemed larger than life, and told amazing stories. He was just so good at what he did - a great writer and reporter. I desperately wanted to make it to the Houston market someday like Phil.
When I first started working at KPRC in the mid 90’s, I was excited and a little intimidated to get to work alongside him. Phil was the senior reporter – he’s always been the senior reporter! - and has a wicked wit. I quickly learned though that under the zingers is a very sweet man.
I shared a desk with him. I’ll never forget his kindness to me, offering suggestions and sharing potential sources for stories. His knowledge of Houston and its history is second to none. But he zinged me, too: I remember Phil noticing a zit on my face one day - that was carefully concealed, so I thought - and asking me about my third eye! Whenever I wanted to get him back, I reminded him that I was watching him on TV when I was in elementary school.
Phil is simply the best at what he does. He has covered every important story in SE Texas for the past 40 years. What strikes me is he has never lost his zeal to chase a story and tell it better than anyone else. Phil makes complex stories – like the collapse of Enron and the Arthur Andersen trial – understandable. But what I remember most is how Phil lights up every year at rodeo time. He is a real cowboy and loves every minute covering the rodeo and enjoying the festivities after.
Phil is the consummate journalist. I cannot even begin to imagine how many stories he has told! His very well-deserved retirement is a true loss for KPRC and for Houston."
Former KPRC 2 reporter Brendan Keefe shares his thoughts with me concerning Archer:
"Phil Archer is the dean of Houston TV news. Phil IS Texas. You know those people you see at rodeo who clearly just bought a brand new Stetson, as if it's about dress up? They're the opposite of Phil Archer. When we say Phil is hanging up his spurs, it's not a figurative description of his retirement. Phil literally hangs up his spurs because he has one of the best antique spur collections in all of Texas.
When I was a cub reporter at KPRC, I absolutely relied on Phil for both pronunciations of Houston streets and Texas towns, but also for his encyclopedic knowledge of history. Phil's institutional knowledge was absolutely indispensable.
Some reporters and anchors would get on a horse for a brief on-camera appearance during a trail ride -- Phil actually quietly and humbly participated in the trail ride every year. Real cowboys don't have to show off or brag. Phil is a real cowboy, though I can't believe he gave in and shaved the mustache.
Phil Archer is the real deal. He is also kind and generous. No one since the great Ron Stone, Sr. is worthy of the title The Eyes of Texas. Phil has earned that moniker one story at a time over decades."
Now Archer will spend more time with his wife Joy and look back at a fantastic career.
"I never wanted to do anything else," Archer wrote in his bio. "Working as a journeyman reporter has given me a front row seat to the major events and personalities of our time, and the chance to provide a vital public service."
