Mycah Hatfield joins abc13 KTRK

Mycah Hatfield joins abc13 KTRK as reporter/MMJ from KJRH Tulsa, Oklahoma

Mycah Hatfield, KJRH Tulsa, Oklahoma reporter/fill-in anchor,  joins abc13 KTRK as reporter/MMJ.

This is a return for Hatfield since she is originally from Houston where she attended Northland Christian School from kindergarten to 12th grade. In fact, she interned at KPRC 2. Now that she works for channel 13, does that make channel 2 like the McCoys in her life? (OK, she probably likes that as much as I like McGruff the Crime Dog jokes. That canine ruined my family name!)

“Making my way back to Houston has been a goal of mine for years," Hatfield told mikemcguff.com. "I am so grateful to be part of the ABC 13 team. Everyone has been so welcoming. Now I am looking forward to getting out on the streets and meeting all of the great people of Houston.”

Hatfield worked at KJRH since 2017. Before that she was a Multimedia Journalist & Fill-in anchor at KATC in Lafayette, La.

The award winning reporter is a 2014 grad with a degree in journalism from Gaylord College in 2014 at the University of Oklahoma. She has a minor in Economics.

RELATED
- Anchor/reporter Steven Romo joins KTRK abc13 from KJRH Tulsa
- KJRH Tulsa investigative reporter Marla Carter joins KTRK abc13 as reporter



(Thanks Sharon!)

Mycah Hatfield named ABC13 Houston investigative reporter

Mycah Hatfield has been named the new investigative reporter at ABC13 Houston, KTRK.

Here is Hatfield's announcement about her new investigative role:

"After almost six years at ABC13 Houston, I've accepted the role as Chief Investigative Reporter for the station. I am really excited about this new position and the opportunities that come with it.

Some really talented people have held this position at ABC13 before me and there are many others in the city doing incredible investigative work. I know I have a tall task ahead, but I look forward to the challenge. 

I often times respond to texts from my friends saying, "We need to take a deep dive into this" -- usually about some totally ridiculous topic. But the truth is, I love diving deep. I love digging for details, getting to the bottom of things and understanding the full picture. Now I get to do that full time -- and not just for fun -- but to investigate issues that actually matter to our community. 

That means you won't be seeing me on TV as much, but just know I am here working on stories to bring you that will shine light on what's happening in your community and hopefully bring about change. 

If you know of something that doesn't feel quite right, a story that's been overlooked or a problem you think deserves more attention, please send me an email at Mycah.B.Hatfield@abc.com. Your voice matters and together we can get answers.

Can't wait to see what we dig up!"

She takes over for Kevin Ozebek, who wasn't in Houston for even two years as he followed former KTRK general manager Wendy Granato to ABC7 KABC Los Angeles.

Hatfield joins an esteemed group of previous ABC13 investigative reporters, including Ted Oberg, Wayne Dolcefino, and Marvin Zindler, who have held Houston's leaders accountable for many years, dating back to the 1970s.

Originally from the Spring area, Hatfield returned to her hometown station, ABC13, in June 2019, after serving as a reporter and fill-in anchor at KJRH 2 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Before joining KJRH in 2017, Hatfield served as a multimedia journalist (MMJ) and fill-in anchor for KATC 3 in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The award-winning reporter is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She attended Northland Christian School from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Steven Romo joins KTRK abc13

Anchor/reporter Steven Romo joins KTRK abc13 from KJRH Tulsa

Steven Romo

Anchor/reporter Steven Romo is joining KTRK abc13 according to a post on his Facebook page. He comes from KJRH in Tulsa, OK.

UPDATE JULY 2021

Steven Romo and Stephen Morgan are engaged

However, the Dallas native has spent most of his TV career in Texas.

Romo has worked as the evening anchor for KCEN's KAGS-HD newscasts Bryan/College Station. He also anchored weekend newscasts for KZTV Action 10 News and reported for KRIS 6 in Corpus Christi. Before that, he was an anchor/reporter for KAUZ News Wichita Falls. Romo started his television news career at KFDX in Wichita Falls.

His official start in journalism began while reporting for the Texas A&M daily student newspaper.

And I bet there will be a lot of Google searches for "Is Steven Romo related to Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys quarterback)?" Not as far as I can tell.

For a real Tony Romo Texas TV connection, look no further than his own wife, former KDAF 33 Dallas-Fort Worth reporter Candice Crawford (who also happens to be the sister of Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford).

Marla Carter joins KTRK abc13

KJRH Tulsa investigative reporter Marla Carter joins KTRK abc13 as reporter

Marla Carter

I'm back from Los Angeles and playing catch up.

So many changes in the Houston TV world happened while I was away that went unreported...until now.

The first post is all about Marla Carter who joined KTRK abc13 from KJRH Tulsa where she was an investigative reporter since 2007.

Before that, the award winning journalist worked for WIBW Topeka, Kansas.

The Kansas City native earned her degree from the University of Missouri.

We can assume she replaces John Fenoglio.

RELATED
- New KPRC 2 reporter is Rob Reiner's son
- Stephanie Whitfield joins KHOU 11
- Jake Reiner joins KPRC 2
- Melissa Correa joins KHOU 11


(Thanks Taylor)

Brett Anthony joins KYTX CBS19

Meteorologist Brett Anthony joins KYTX CBS19 Tyler-Longview as chief meteorologist from weekends at KCTV Kansas City

Brett Anthony is heading down to Texas to be the chief meteorologist for KYTX CBS19 Tyler-Longview.  

He's been the weekend meteorologist at KCTV5 - KSMO in Kansas City since 2017.  

At the time of this post's publishing, Anthony has not officially left KCTV5 for the Piney Woods as he was still on the air in KC yesterday as you can see in the above video. 

Still time for a last barbecue meal?

KYTX CBS19 is excited to have Anthony and his nearly 30 years of weather experience, as his bio is already online on the East Texas news website.

Before KCTV5, Anthony worked for KJRH 2 Tulsa as the station's chief meteorologist for for years. Jay Cronley at Tulsa World even wrote a glowing profile of Anthony and his forecasting accountable. 

Prior to Oklahoma, Anthony worked at KCTV's Kansas City competitor KSHB for 11 years. 

The first TV job listed on Anthony's LinkedIn profile is as weekend met for WOIO - WUAB  Cleveland, Ohio.

The two-time regional Emmy award winner has a meteorology degree from Western Kentucky University and a radio-TV degree from Southern Illinois University.

(Thanks Steve Swienckowski)

Avery Travis and Will DuPree promoted to KXAN anchors

Avery Travis and Will DuPree were promoted to KXAN Austin midday anchors from 11am to 1pm with meteorologist Freddy Vela in October 2024.  Hey, better late than never...

Travis joined KXAN in 2020 as an investigative reporter from KAMC Lubbock, where she was the anchor of Good Morning Lubbock and KAMC News at 11:00 a.m. 

DuPree was hired in June 2018 from KJRH Tulsa, Oklahoma where he was a Weekend Morning Anchor. Later on, Dupree anchors the 4pm news with chief meteorologist Nick Bannin.

Both of the EMMY Award winning anchors interned with CBS News, but Travis, a University of Texas at Austin grad, interned with KXAN so anchoring for the station fulfills a decade long dream.

This team comes from a recent anchor shuffle. Jennifer Sanders left middays for evenings when Britt Moreno left.  Mike Rush left in September.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will DuPree (@willdupreetv)

KTRK and ABC owned stations will 'LAFF' on tax day

ABC stations like KTRK will run LAFF network on digital channels

While the Live Well Network will continue for the time being (past its announced cut-off date), KTRK and other ABC owned stations will launch the LAFF network on .3.

The country's first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy around-the-clock will launch this spring when Katz Broadcasting debuts LAFF on April 15, 2015, it was announced today.

LAFF will feature a mix of contemporary off-network sitcoms and popular theatrical motion pictures, with a target audience of adults 18-49. The LAFF brand will cross multiple platforms, with the linear network carried on the signals of local broadcast television stations and corresponding cable carriage while companion digital content will be available at LAFF.com and via the LAFF app.

Katz Broadcasting also announced two major distribution agreements for LAFF:

The ABC Owned Television Stations will carry LAFF in New York (WABC-TV), Los Angeles (KABC-TV), Chicago (WLS-TV), Philadelphia (WPVI-TV), San Francisco (KGO-TV), Houston (KTRK-TV), Raleigh (WTVD-TV) and Fresno (KFSN-TV).
The E.W. Scripps Company will also launch LAFF on its stations in Detroit (WXYZ-TV), Phoenix (KNXV-TV), Tampa (WFTS-TV), Denver (KMGH-TV), Cleveland (WEWS-TV), Indianapolis (WRTV-TV), Baltimore (WMAR-TV), San Diego (KGTV-TV), Kansas City (KSHB-TV), Cincinnati (WCPO-TV), West Palm Beach (WPTV-TV), Buffalo (WKBW-TV) and Tulsa (KJRH-TV).
These initial agreements will make LAFF available to more than 35% of the country, with more distribution additions expected to be announced shortly.

LAFF joins GRIT, the first broadcast network targeting men, and ESCAPE, the first over-the-air network designed for women, in the Katz Broadcasting portfolio. Katz Broadcasting was established in 2014 by Bounce TV founder/COO and former Turner Broadcasting executive Jonathan Katz. Katz is President and CEO of the company while also still serving as COO of Bounce TV, the nation's first and only over-the-air television network for African Americans.

"In launching three television networks within ten months, we are clearly very bullish on the renaissance of free broadcast television," commented Katz. "This burgeoning new broadcast ecosystem resembles the early days of basic cable, expanding to offer viewers diverse new choices and complementing the growing number of over-the-top subscription services."

"The ABC Owned Television Stations and E.W. Scripps Company stations are among the strongest players in their DMAs, which include the biggest markets in the country. We are thrilled and proud to have these two preeminent groups as our charter distribution partners for LAFF," commented Katz Broadcasting Chief Distribution Officer Jeffrey Wolf. "We look forward to welcoming more station groups to the LAFF family."

LAFF expects to make more announcements in the coming weeks.

(thanks Mike)

Texas news directors promoted or leaving TV

Texas TV anchors and reporters aren't the only ones leaving jobs in the so-called "great resignation," so are news directors and managers, too.

CW39 KIAH news director Scott Fitzgerald

Scott Fitzgerald, who I interviewed back in September 2020, when he was the brand new CW39 KIAH News Operations Manager is leaving the TV biz to join Vizrt/NewTek as Regional Sales Manager for its Southwest region.

According to its website, NewTek is the leader in IP video technology that gives every storyteller a voice through video. 

Fitzgerald has also been a news director for KJRH Tulsa, Oklahoma and KRNV 4/Fox 11 KRXI Reno. 

The Wake Forest University grad has also worked for CBS interactive, NBC News and NBC Weather Plus.

James Keith KENS 5 San Antonio Assistant News Director

James Keith, the KENS 5 San Antonio Assistant News Director, announced he is leaving the TEGNA station and TV in general at the end of January 2022.  Keith will join the corporate communications team at Security Service Federal Credit Union.

Keith joined KENS as an investigative reporter in January 2017.  In 2018, he was promoted to assistant ND.

He previously has worked as an assistant news director/anchor/reporter for FOX 29 KABB San Antonio and a reporter for the former News 8 Austin and KAVU 25 Victoria.

Keep your eyes on Keith, because he has left the TV business in the past and then jumped back in.

For example, before KENS, Keith was the chief communications officer for the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. In the past, he was also the communication director for Judson ISD.

Chad Cross joins CBS from KXAN Austin

While we're talking news directors, we should mention KXAN news director Chad Cross.  

Now he is not leaving TV news, but moving on up.  As I blogged last week, Cross will serve as a senior leader at the lab as Vice President, Content Development, CBS Stations out of KTVT Dallas - Fort Worth.

You've seen Cross's name on my blog in the past since he has been with KXAN Austin since 2012. 

Cross has also been the news director for KWCH Wichita, Kansas.

CW39's morning news has December departure and arrival

Original "Morning Dose" reporter Courtney Carpenter has left CW39 KIAH's NO WAIT WEATHER + TRAFFIC AM newscast.

UPDATE JULY 5, 2021
Courtney Carpenter joins abc13 KTRK

Here is part of what Carpenter posted on her Facebook page:

"My last day at CW39 was earlier this month. 

I’m so grateful for the experience & the friends I made while working there! I’m not sure what’s next for me on the job front, but I know it will all work out in the Lord’s timing - it always does! 

Thank you all for following along! I know some of you have been since my days reporting in Abilene & College Station."

RELATED
CW39 Houston has been quickly making big changes 

Carpenter came to channel 39 Houston in 2018 for the debut of the new local version of "Morning Dose" from KBTX Bryan - College Station.  She had worked in BCS television news since 2016 as channel 3's morning newscast feature reporter. 

She started her career at KRBC Abilene as a multi-media journalist (MMJ). 

The Monroe, Louisiana native, who grew up in Springdale, Arkansas, graduated from Dallas Baptist University on a golf scholarship.

That experience led Carpenter to intern with CBS Sports and travel with the PGA Tour. 

Carpenter's departure happened just before the arrival of a new meteorologist.

As I posted earlier, meteorologist Carrigan Chauvin debuted on the CW39 morning newscast Christmas Day.

Chauvin comes to Houston from KJRH 2 Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Commenters on my Facebook page were asking who Chauvin is replacing.  

I don't think she is replacing anyone.  Chauvin is filling a new, second meteorologist spot for channel 39 along with Adam Krueger who arrived at KIAH from Spectrum News a few months ago.

Corley Peel joins KPRC 2 Houston

Corley Peel announced she is joining KPRC 2 Houston as a reporter.  She joins channel 2 after working for Graham Media Group sister-station News4JAX WJXT Jacksonville, Florida as weekend morning anchor/reporter. 

RELATED
Candace Burns joins KPRC Houston
Anavid Reyes to leave KPRC 2 Houston
Brandon Walker leaves KPRC 2

Peel left News4Jax in August 2022 to be with her twin sister, Chelsea, who was battling stage-4 lung cancer. Sadly, Chelsea passed away later that month. 

The native Texan joined News4JAX in July 2017 as a reporter and was later promoted to anchor in August 2021.

She previously worked for KJRH 2 News Tulsa, Oklahoma as a reporter and KSN Local News KSNF Joplin, Missouri as a weekend anchor/reporter.

The Texas Tech University grad interned with FOX34 KJTV Lubbock.

You'll notice Peel is featured in a photo with KPRC 2 reporter and KPRC2+ digital anchor Zach Lashway who came from News4Jax, too.

Hey Houston, I’m Corley!
I have officially joined the @KPRC2 team as a Reporter! I am so excited to meet you and I can’t wait to share your stories!#kprc2 #houston #houstonnews #texas pic.twitter.com/PwDGFocV18

— Corley Peel (@CorleyPeelTV) March 7, 2023

Brittany Rainey joins CBS 11 DFW mornings

Brittany Rainey is now the morning meteorologist for CBS 11 KTVT Dallas - Fort Worth.

She takes over for Anne Elise Parks who left in September 2022 along with meteorologist Dominic Brown, who joined the station in April 2022, and has already been on the AM shift.

Rainey, who as I wrote before, has the best name for a meteorologist, joined CBS DFW in 2021. 

She later joined the CBS Local News Innovation Lab which is housed inside of the KTVT studios.

Originally from Florida, Rainey previously worked for FOX 13 WTVT Tampa.  

She also worked for:

- Fox 59 WXIN/WTTV 4 Indianapolis, Indiana 2015-2018

- KJRH 2 Tulsa, Oklahoma 2015-2012

- Weekend meteorologist at unknown station in Huntington, West Virginia

- Weekday evening then promoted to weekday evening meteorologist News 5 KHAS Hastings, Nebraska

- Weekend meteorologist unknown station in Missoula, Montana

Steven Romo leaves abc13 KTRK

Steven Romo, abc13 KTRK weekend morning anchor/reporter, is leaving the ABC Owned Television Station this Friday for The Big Apple.

Romo tweeted Monday night, that would be his last anchoring for channel 13, the rest of the week he will be working the morning shift.

UPDATE OCTOBER 2021
Steven Romo joins NBC News

Now, his departure is no surprise because Romo announced he is following his fiance, former FOX 26 KRIV meteorologist Stephen Morgan, to the New York area.

When he first hit the Houston airwaves, I wondered if Romo was related to then Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.  Romo recently told me the answer is no.

Romo, the newscaster, joined abc13 in July 2016 from KJRH Tulsa, Oklahoma. In Tulsa, Romo started as the weekend morning anchor, moved to weekend evenings and then to the weekday 5pm newscasts.

Before crossing the Red River, Romo had a very Texas television news career:

Main anchor - KAGS Bryan-College Station
Anchor/MMJ - KKZTV Corpus Christi
Anchor/reporter/producer - KFDX/KAUZ Wichita Falls

The Dallas native attended Texas A&M University.  

Interesting fact, Romo's grandmother was in Dealey Plaza the fateful day President John F. Kennedy was killed. She also worked as a seamstress for JFK assassination filmmaker Abraham Zapruder.

CW39 Houston launches "NO WAIT WEATHER + TRAFFIC"

First ever show in the nation to solely focus on weather and traffic coverage debuts on CW39 Houston KIAH

Since arriving in late June, newly hired CW39 Houston KIAH News Operations Manager Scott Fitzgerald (formerly the KJRH Tulsa, Oklahoma news director) has already helped oversee lots of changes at one of Nexstar Media Group's newest stations.

UPDATE MAY 2021

'Houston Happens' launches on CW39 KIAH

"It feels a lot longer than six weeks, it's been a busy six weeks," Fitzgerald laughed when he told mikemcguff.com recounting his busy first summer in Houston. "But I'm very proud of what [the staff has] done. We were sitting here thinking if we were ready to launch the new show and we launched it, and literally an hour later, we went, 'we need a hurricane plan because there's a hurricane in four days.'"

That hurricane was Laura, which had the Gulf Coast states in a quandary for around a week in late August as the storm ultimately chose its path of unfortunate destruction near Cameron, Louisiana.

The other winds of media change transformed the nearly two-year-old channel 39 AM news show "Morning Dose" (and only newscast KIAH currently produces, the nightly newscast is produced by abc13 KTRK) and transformed it into "CW39 Houston NO WAIT WEATHER + TRAFFIC."

A few days before the storm hit, the staff debuted the new newscast. The weeks leading to that, they produced "Morning Dose" like usual on a temporary set, took a quick break at 10am and then started rehearsing for the new show.

While the anchor team remains the same (such as anchor Sharron Melton and traffic anchor Hannah Trippett) the focus of the show will be as the title implies, a nearly total focus on Houston weather and traffic coverage.

One personnel change will be meteorologist Maria Sotolongo who is leaving the TV biz for ranch life near College Station, TX. Spectrum News Austin and Spectrum News San Antonio meteorologist Adam Krueger will join CW39 in a few weeks to take her place.

Citing a desire to create a unique newscast in Nielsen's Designated Market Area (DMA) TV market #8, Fitzgerald and crew determined that Houston's legendary traffic and weather woes affects every local TV news viewer.

And from 6 to 10am, the "NO WAIT WEATHER + TRAFFIC" newscast has plenty of time to devote to the topics since that's the entire format of the show.

"The stories we do are related to people's commute," Fitzgerald added. "If you really think about it, getting to work is is a lot of people's lives."

The change in news format, also led to changes in the newscast studio. That includes a substantial investment in a larger set makeover, graphics package and upgraded weather system with new storm/lightning tracking software.

"A lot of folks around the country right now are talking about cutting and saving money," Fitzgerald told me. "And [the news set upgrade is] definitely an investment, not just visually, but the ability to tell stories. You know, we have a touch screen in play. We've got five or six different positions on the set now where we could tell a different story. The set also provides a way if we wanted to go in other avenues, we could pull parts of the set out and create a new place to, you know, to tell a story and do something with that."

Fitzgerald says you can't cover traffic from behind a desk, so the station also sends anchor Shannon LaNier to broadcast live from Houston freeways. At this point, two other live vehicles can be put into the mix if necessary.

And even though weather and traffic are actually in the name of the newscast, there are a few news items still in the mix here and there.

For example, Tuesday morning on the first day of school for many area districts, reporter Courtney Carpenter interviewed a principal in our pandemic world. Feature Maggie Flecknoe will continue reporting live and from inside the studio.

The KIAH management team thinks the revamped newscast is the first of its kind in the nation. That follows the history of the Houston CW affiliate. From producing a younger demo focused newscast under the 39News brand more than a decade ago, to totally dumping tradition for the anchor-less NewsFix format, the former Tribune owned station has always experimented to compete with the bigger television companies that run Houston stations.

Now that Nexstar has taken over, suddenly more resources are available as we saw during the before mentioned Hurricane Laura. If you were reading this blog before the storm made landfall, then you saw how "the largest local television broadcast and digital media company in the nation" sent in help from stations across Texas to allow channel 39, for the first time, to offer wall to wall expanded on-air coverage. By the way, in Texas alone, Nexstar owns stations in 13 markets.

That sudden boost from KIAH's new parent company, also gives the station more options to compete in the Houston market for the foreseeable future. Now it's just about time to implement those resources.

"I've got a list," Fitzgerald told me with a laugh. "Whenever I get that list, you know, shortened up. Yeah. We've got a long list."

RELATED
- Nexstar Media Group Completes Tribune Media Acquisition Creating The Nation’s Largest Local Television Broadcaster
- Chris Pruitt named VP and GM of CW39 KIAH

Taniya Wright joins KPRC 2

WNCN Raleigh's Taniya Wright joins KPRC 2 as morning anchor

KPRC 2 is proud to welcome Taniya Wright to the Graham Media Group family.

Taniya will join our news team on August 5th and take her place on the morning news desk next to co-anchor Owen Conflenti weekday mornings 4:30-7:00 a.m. and on our midday newscast weekdays 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. co-anchoring with Andy Cerota.

“Taniya brings a positive energy that should help her fit right in with our number one morning team,” said KPRC Vice President and General Manager Jerry Martin. “Taniya will be a great addition to the KPRC 2 family.”

RELATED
Rachel McNeill leaving KPRC 2

Wright comes to Houston from Raleigh where she worked at the CBS affiliate, WNCN.

Prior to WNCN, she was a Morning and Midday Anchor at KJRH in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Midday and 5 pm Anchor at WHAG in Hagerstown, Maryland.

In addition to her on-screen experience, Taniya has more than six years of experience behind the scenes as a Producer at WFLA back in her hometown of Tampa, Florida.

Taniya comes from a Gold Star family and was a recipient of a scholarship from the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. She is an enthusiastic supporter and speaker at SOWF events around the country. She is also an animal lover and a Broadway musical fanatic.


(This post was taken from a release sent to me by KPRC)

Jason Walker named News 8 Now La Crosse Wisconsin news director

Jason Walker has been named assistant news director for KBTX 3 Bryan-College Station.

UPDATE DECEMBER 2022
Jason Walker joins WKBT News 8 Now La Crosse Wisconsin as news director.

“KBTX is a legacy station that has produced some of the best talent our industry has seen and I’m honored to have been chosen for this role,” Walker told mikemcguff.com.

RELATED
Karla Castillo moves to KBTX 3 mornings

He takes over for Michael Oder who left a few months ago to become news director for KTTC 10 Rochester, MN.

Walker comes from KEYE Austin where he was a photographer since 2015.

He previously worked for:

- CW39 KIAH NewsFix Houston Producer/Editor

- abc13 KTRK Houston news photographer

- KENS 5 San Antonio news photographer

- KOTV 6 Tulsa, Oklahoma photographer

- KJRH 2 Tulsa, Oklahoma news photographer

- KSWO 7 Lawton, Oklahoma news photographer

Carrigan Chauvin leaves CW39 Houston

Carrigan Chauvin is leaving CW39 KIAH Houston, where she is a morning meteorologist and traffic anchor, for Nexstar Media Group sister station WGNO New Orleans.

RELATED
Adam Krueger to leave CW39 Houston
Idolina Peralez leaves CW39 Houston
Usher DMs Houston TV meteorologist

In a video she released on Instagram (WATCH BELOW), Chauvin reveals to her family that she will be on WGNO mornings.

Chauvin debuted on CW39 on Christmas Eve morning 2020 after working for KJRH 2 Tulsa, Oklahoma. Before that, she worked for WTOK 11 Meridian, MS.

WGNO is a homecoming for the meteorologist who was born and raised in Chauvin, Louisiana. Yes, you got that right—Chauvin was born in Chauvin!

Last year, I asked Chauvin what it was like working both weather and traffic for the station.

"Believe it or not since I have taken on this new gig of traffic anchor and meteorology, my stress levels have gone down significantly," she told me in 2023.  "I think it a mix of gaining experience on how to juggle and having a great support system at CW39."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carrigan Chauvin (@carriganchauvin)

 

Brittany Rainey joins CBS 11 KTVT

Brittany Rainey, who lets face it, has the best name for a meteorologist, is now on the airwaves of CBS 11 KTVT Dallas - Fort Worth.

UPDATE JULY 2022
If you haven't caught Rainey lately on CBS 11 KTVT DFW, it's because she has joined the CBS Local News Innovation Lab and will be providing weathercasts for stations across the country.

RELATED
Collin Myers joins CBS 'NOW' out of DFW

"Thrilled to hang out on @CBSDFW morning show with @CBS11Karen while @anneeliseparks welcomes her new baby," Rainey tweeted.

As you have read on this very blog, KTVT morning meteorologist Anne Elise Parks is pregnant and has been covering her experience on air.

Houston fans will recognize former KHOU 11 meteorologist Blake Mathews who is another new face in the CBS owned DFW station's weather department.

Rainey, who is originally from Florida, previously worked for FOX 13 WTVT Tampa till around the end of 2020 or so from what I can tell.  

Before Florida, Rainey worked for:

- Fox 59 WXIN/WTTV 4 Indianapolis, Indiana 2015-2018

- KJRH 2 Tulsa, Oklahoma 2015-2012

- Weekend meteorologist at unknown station in Huntington, West Virginia

- Weekday evening then promoted to weekday evening meteorologist News 5 KHAS Hastings, Nebraska

- Weekend meteorologist unknown station in Missoula, Montana

The ceremonial sharing of the weather clicker 😂 Thrilled to be at @CBS11 working with Chief Meteorologist @ScottPadgettCBS ! It has been a blast! pic.twitter.com/vQRCf2hVSn

— Brittany Rainey (@itsbrainey) September 16, 2021

Russ McCaskey and Jennifer Lindgren among CBS 11 KTVT layoffs

UPDATE

Russ McCaskey joins WINK News Florida after KTVT

CBS had nationwide layoffs yesterday and those cuts also affected CBS 11 DFW KTVT employees

The bios of CBS 11 DFW KTVT morning anchor Russ McCaskey and weekend morning anchor Jennifer Lindgren were removed from the station's website yesterday.

This coincides with the much publicized layoffs in the CBS and Viacom merger that has not only affected the corporate side yesterday, but also the CBS owned an operated television stations.

I was told by a source there are around 15 or so employees of KTVT involved in this cost cutting measures.

In a statement CBS issued Wednesday:

“We are restructuring various operations at CBS as part our ongoing integration with Viacom, and to adapt to changes in our business, including those related to COVID-19. Our thoughts today are with our departing colleagues for their friendship, service and many important contributions to CBS.”

Yesterday McCaskey and Lindgren were no longer on the station's site. At the time of this post's publishing, McCaskey's KTVT Facebook has been deleted.

As we all know, this is a tough time for the media biz, but the timing of the merger between Viacom and CBS made this extra difficult.

Russ McCaskey

McCaskey joined KTVT in 2015 from KJRH Tulsa where he had been the 5, 6 and 10pm anchor. Before that he was an anchor reporter at KXII Sherman.

The Dallas native and award winning journalist is a Plano Senior High School and Texas Christian University graduate.

Jennifer Lindgren

Lindgren joined KTVT from WKYC Northeast Ohio in 2013.

Prior to Ohio, Lindgren was a reporter/fill-in weekend anchor at WTLV Jacksonville, WLTX Columbia, SC and KXII in Sherman.

Among the awards she has won is a regional Edward R. Murrow.


* This post has been updated to confirm that Russ McCaskey and Jennifer Lindgren and others were apart of CBS nationwide layoffs

Texas TV & radio job moves for October 2015

Media job changes around Texas October 2015


DALLAS

Legendary reporter Byron Harris retires from WFAA after 41 years.

TEGNA8 adds Charlotte Huffman to investigative unit
Charlotte Huffman fills WFAA 8 investigative reporter position left open by the Oct. 9th retirement of Byron Harris.

Sonia Azad joins WFAA 8 after KTRK abc13
Former KTRK abc13 reporter/fill-in anchor Sonia Azad joins WFAA 8 as medical reporter.

NBC5's freshman class of 2011 has mostly left the building
Chris Van Horne: Last reporter standing from NBC5’s freshman class of 2011. The other seven have all since gone.

Hondo New Host For Front Porch Show On The Wolf
Cumulus Media announces that Dallas-Fort Worth Country radio personality Greg “Hondo” Robertson has been named host of the long-running Front Porch Show on KPLX 99.5 FM The Wolf.

Jasmine Sadry Joins KSCS Morning Show
Cumulus Media Dallas/Fort Worth announces that Jasmine Sadry will join New Country KSCS 96.3 FM in Dallas.

HOUSTON

Mayra Moreno is new abc13 KTRK weekend morning anchor
Mayra Moreno replaces longtime anchor Elissa Rivas on KTRK abc13 weekend mornings

Katie McCall to leave FOX 26 KRIV
Reporter/anchor Katie McCall to leave FOX 26 KRIV and television news for family

News 92 FM – Where Are They Now
It was one year ago that Houston’s only all-news radio station was shut down and 47 employees lost their jobs.

ABC O&O's Tap Tish Graham As Tech VP
KTRK abc13 chief engineer, Tish Graham, will take over Dave Converse's tech slot when he retires in December from the ABC Owned Television Station Group.

Charisma Glassman joins KTRK as Digital Marketing Manager. She comes from Gloplast Advertising in Houston.

Mariah Gardner joins KPRC 2 as Promotion Manager at KPRC in Houston.

Former FOX 26 KRIV reporter and Hit Video USA VJ, Todd Duplantis, is now the Director of HCC TV Communications.

Sharron Melton goes digital
Former KTRK abc13 morning anchor Sharron Melton gets new website.

Houston morning show hosts embark on new careers after radio
Sam Malone, Dave Crockett and Randy Hames have opened recording studios and production companies after and during their radio careers.

Welcome Ars’ new science writers
For many years, he's been the Houston Chronicle's science guy, handling general coverage but specializing in space exploration, and now Eric Berger is leaving the paper world for Ars Technica.

KPRC2 Web Editor Anavid Reyes leaves to work as anchor/reporter for KTAB Abilene/Telemundo Abilene.

Former FOX 26 KRIV meteorologist Caitilin Espinosa announced she joined the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office team as a PIO (Public Information Officer).

FOX 26 KRIV reporter Andrea Watkins is now the station's Katy bureau chief.

Former Comcast SportsNet reporter Leila Rahimi has joined the company's Chicago network.

Don Holt has retired after "toiling" on the Houston Chronicle Universal Multiplatform Desk.

Rhonda Lamon has apparently left KTRK abc13 where she was morning executive producer.

SAN ANTONIO

Brina Monterroza joins KSAT San Antonio as a producer from WBBH Fort Myers, FL.

Vicente Arenas interviewing at KENS 5 San Antonio?
Could former KHOU 11 weekend anchor Vicente Arenas be returning to San Antonio television news after CBS News departure?

Former KENS 5 anchor Jeff Vaughn leaves WXYZ Detroit for KCAL LA.

Popular S.A. radio personalities no longer on air
KENS 5 confirmed Jonny Ramirez, the voice of "Jonny Ramirez in the Morning" on 107.5 and Xavier Castro, voice of "Xavier's World" on 98.5 have both been dismissed.

KXTN 107.5FM San Antonio welcomes the return of Tejano personality Big Boyee to the station. Big Boyee and Jammin J Javi will be on the air Monday – Friday from 6:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Univision’s KBBT 98.5FM, the number one station for Hip Hop and R&B in San Antonio, is also pleased to welcome The Dana Cortez Show to its airwaves. The show will be live in San Antonio from 6:00 – 10:00 a.m. Monday-Friday.

AUSTIN

From temp to perm: Jenni Lee staying at KVUE
Jenni Lee’s fill-in assignment anchoring KVUE’s weekend morning newscasts has turned into a permanent gig.

KGSR hires new midday host
Emily McIntosh, who had been handling weekend duties at sister station 101X, can now be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on KGSR.

WACO

Meteorologist Jon Haverfield leaves KWTX Waco for KJRH 2 Tulsa, OK.

Lauren Partain leaves KWTX Waco to be a multi-media journalist for KTUL Tulsa, OK.

KWTX morning and noon anchor Dan Ingham leaves KWTX Waco after 12 years to become the vice president of marketing & communications for First National Bank of Central Texas.

Kristi Gross leaves KXXV Waco to be a reporter at WINK Fort Myers, FL.

Meteorologist Tiffany Savona leaves KXXV Waco for WLKY Louisville

KCEN weekend anchor/reporter Emily Collins joins FOX 46 Charlotte, NC.

AROUND TEXAS

Summer Dashe leaves KLTV 7 Tyler to be an anchor/reporter for WPDE Myrtle Beach, SC.

Valerie Kilgore leaves the KETK Longview Bureau to be a freelance journalist based out of Austin.

Texas Reporter Heads to Florida
Jimmie Johnson is joining West Palm Beach, Fla., WPBF as a reporter from KAUZ Wichita Falls.

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

RELATED
- September 2015 Texas media job moves
- Hot October TV news bloopers

Marla Carter leaving abc13 KTRK

Marla Carter is leaving abc13 KTRK at the end of this week.

abc13 KTRK departures/arrivals blogged this week
- Art Rascon to leave abc13 KTRK
- Jacob Rascon moves to abc13 KTRK after KPRC 2
- Cory McGinnis exits abc13 KTRK

Here is what the channel 13 reporter posted to Twitter.

"Friends I have some big news. You all have been so remarkable and I have been so blessed to have worked with such an amazing team at ABC 13. This is my last week at KTRK. I am going to miss everyone so much but I’m so excited about my new adventure!!

I’ve been a reporter for 18 years, 6 here in Houston. I am really looking forward to my next chapter. I am staying in Houston so I won’t be far. More to come. Thank you for all your love and support over the past 6 years!"

Word on the street is Carter's new adventure will not be at another television station. Stay tuned as we find out though.

Carter joined abc13 in December 2015.  

She previously worked for KJRH Tulsa as an investigative reporter for around eight years.

The Kansas City native also worked for WIBW Topeka, Kansas. 

The award-winning reporter is a University of Missouri graduate.

Friends I have some big news. You all have been so remarkable and I have been so blessed to have worked with such an amazing team at ABC 13. This is my last week at KTRK. I am going to miss everyone so much but I’m so excited about my new adventure!! pic.twitter.com/k405assWlF

— Marla Carter (@MarlaABC13) September 29, 2021

 

(Thanks Candi!)