Russ Lewis joins #KHOU11 as promised

KGW Portland morning anchor Russ Lewis joins KHOU 11

Russ Lewis

When KHOU 11 hired KGW assistant news director Sally Ramirez to be its news director, we learned this hire would be a package deal.

That's because Ramirez's husband, Russ Lewis, is the morning anchor at the Portland TEGNA sister station.

At the time of Ramirez's hiring in February, we were told Lewis would, "be joining the KHOU 11 on-air team later this summer."

Well, the heat advisories are on...it must be summer!

So after 15 years in the KGW morning news seat, Lewis said his last "good morning Portland" TVSpy reported today.

"[I'm] off to Houston next week, working for the same company, staying within the family, just leaving this family and moving on to Houston, TX," Lewis told his Portland TV audience this morning. "My wife is already there working for the company too."

Now we have to guess which shift Lewis takes.

According to his bio, Lewis joined KGW in 1999 after working at stations in Sacramento, Tucson and El Paso. If you happen to know the actual stations he worked for, let us know in the comments.

He is a graduate of New Mexico State University.

Russ Lewis to retire from KHOU

UPDATE AUGUST 24, 2020
KHOU's Sally Ramirez to executive produce CNBC's “The News With Shepard Smith”

KHOU 11 4pm anchor Russ Lewis to retire

As I told you that Executive News Director Sally Ramirez is leaving KHOU 11, her husband and channel 11 4pm anchor, Russ Lewis, is retiring.

The announcement was made to the station's staff in an internal memo obtained by mikemcguff.com from KHOU 11 President and General Manager Robert Springer:

After 32 years in journalism, 22 of them with TEGNA, Russ Lewis has informed me he will be retiring from broadcasting at the end of his current contract.

Russ has had an amazing career that comes full-circle here in Texas. Russ began his reporting and anchoring career in El Paso and went on to work in Tucson, Sacramento and Portland, Oregon prior to returning to Texas and joining KHOU in Houston in 2016.

At KHOU, Russ has distinguished himself as a part of the KHOU morning team and most recently as an Anchor and Producer of our 4pm newscast The 4-1-1. Working alongside Fallon Davenport, Erika Lopez, Rachel McCubbin, and Rekha Muddaraj they started with some innovative ideas and have seen our audience grow as a result. Russ shared with me that his experience starting and growing The 4-1-1 has been one of the highlights of his career.

Russ’ next move will take him back to Oregon to expand his role in the family business, developing property with his Dad.

Please join me in thanking Russ for his efforts on behalf of KHOU and congratulate him on his new adventures. Russ’ last day with KHOU will be Friday, August 28th.

Bobby

Lewis arrived at KHOU a few months after Ramirez in 2016. He came from TEGNA sister-station KGW Portland where he had been a morning anchor for 15 years.

He started his TV news career at KTSM El Paso.

Later Lewis worked as a reporter/anchor for KVOA Tucson, Arizona and KTXL Sacramento, California before heading to KGW.

He is a New Mexico State University grad.

Ramirez and Lewis have two daughters who recently graduated high school.

KHOU 11 hires Sally Ramirez as news director from KGW Portland

KHOU 11 hires Sally Ramirez as Executive News Director from TEGNA’s KGW Portland; her husband KGW anchor Russ Lewis joins KHOU this summer

UPDATE JUNE 17, 2016
Russ Lewis joins KHOU 11

Sally Ramirez

KHOU 11, Houston’s CBS affiliate, announced today that Sally Ramirez will join KHOU 11 as Executive News Director. Ramirez comes to KHOU after serving as assistant news director at TEGNA’s KGW in Portland since 2012.

“We are thrilled to have Sally join us. She has a solid news background, a history of innovation and will be instrumental in transforming KHOU into a digital first newsroom,” said Susan McEldoon, KHOU president & general manager.

Ramirez started her career in El Paso, Texas as producer at KTSM-TV. She later worked as a producer in Tucson, Arizona at KVOA-TV and in Washington, DC at WRC-TV. Ramirez worked as an executive producer in Chicago, Illinois at WGN-TV and as a special projects producer in Sacramento, California at KCRA-TV. She joined KGW in 1998 as an executive producer before being promoted to assistant news director at the station.

“I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining one of the finest group of journalists in the country. KHOU 11 has a long standing tradition of producing quality journalism on all platforms,” said Ramirez. “Their solid investigative work has garnered national attention and awards throughout the years. I'm honored to lead this team!”

Russ Lewis

A native of Chicago, Ramirez graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. She is married to Russ Lewis, co-anchor of KGW News at Sunrise and has two teenage daughters.

Ramirez will begin her new role in mid-March. Her husband Russ will be joining the KHOU 11 on-air team later this summer.

UPDATE JUNE 17, 2016
Russ Lewis joins KHOU 11

RELATED
- Philip Bruce is leaving KHOU 11
- VIDEO: KHOU 11 Super Bowl 50 image spot

(This post is taken from a release sent to me by KHOU 11)

Russ Lewis to anchor KHOU 4pm newscast

Russ Lewis is leaving KHOU 11 morning show #HTownRush for 4pm newscast

KHOU #HTownRush anchor Russ Lewis has posted on Facebook today he is leaving the morning newscast and joining the 4pm newscast. The reformatted newscast debuts Monday, June 17th, 2019 and is called the "4-1-1."

Here is what Lewis posted:

Hi Everyone,
A lot of you have noticed I’ve been missing from #HTownRush in the morning and have messaged me asking where I’ve been. I’m still here at KHOU but with a new shift and assignment.

Starting soon, you’ll see me anchoring the 4PM news with Rekha Muddaraj KHOU and Erika Lopez-Meteorologist.

I’ll also show-up on the 5 and 6PM newscasts from time to time. We’ve been working behind the scenes for a while now making some big changes to the 4PM format. I think you’re going to like our new look. I’ll have more to share about all that as we get closer to the debut.

For me personally, this is a huge lifestyle change. Before arriving KHOU 11 News many of you know I anchored the morning news in Portland, Oregon, so I’ve been getting-up in the middle of the night for nearly 20 years. When I started the morning shift we had a 6 month old little girl. Our second daughter would come a year later. The schedule was always difficult for this night owl but for our family, with two working parents, it was perfect. Dad and/or Mom was always at home and I was able to attend every doctor’s appointment, recital, ball game and school play. You couldn’t ask for more when you have young kids, right?

Well, that was a long time ago. This week our oldest finished her freshman year of college and our youngest will be a high school senior. Sadly, they don’t need me around all the time now and everyone at home agrees it’s finally time for Dad to get a good night’s sleep.

I’ve really enjoyed hanging out with you each morning and THANK YOU for waking-up with me for 20 years. I know you’ll stick with our great #HTownRush team and hopefully also be able to watch me Standing For Houston at 4PM with Rekha and Erika. See you soon!
Russ

So who is the new anchor of #HTownRush? Who would you like to see anchor in Lewis seat?

Sports anchor Jason Bristol was anchoring the 4pm show in addition to his other duties. According to the newscast's promo, Bristol will continue on the show as the sports anchor.

Lewis arrived at channel 11 in July of 2016 from KGW Portland. He started his television news career at KTSM El Paso. From there he worked at KVOA Tucson, Arizona and KTXL Sacramento, California.


*updated with new info

KHOU's Sally Ramirez to executive produce CNBC's “The News With Shepard Smith”

After announcing KHOU 11 departure in June, KHOU 11 news director Sally Ramirez to serve as CNBC's “The News With Shepard Smith” executive producer

KHOU 11 news director Sally Ramirez is heading to New York to be the Executive Producer of “The News With Shepard Smith” on CNBC which premieres Wednesday, September 30th at 6pm CT (official release here).

Earlier this summer, I broke the news that Ramirez and her husband/KHOU anchor, Russ Lewis, were leaving Houston and the TEGNA owned station after four and a half years.

"When I announced back in June that I was leaving KHOU and looking for my next challenge, I was flattered by all the opportunities that presented themselves," Ramirez told mikemcguff.com. "I chose this one because I couldn’t resist a chance to build something brand new at the network level."

RELATED
- Sally Ramirez to leave KHOU 11
- Russ Lewis to retire from KHOU

This is the first time I can think of a Houston TV news manager at any local station leaving for a network job. If there is one I don't know about or am just not remembering, I know you will correct me! :)

--------

UPDATE
See, I told you someone would know. Larry Weidman, who succeeded Ray Miller as KPRC 2's news director, left for NBC News in 1980 spending 25 years there, as Bureau Chief in Houston, Tel Aviv and Rome and Producer/Correspondent in the Dallas Bureau.

He adds that KHOU 11 news director Alan Parcell left for CBS New York. Weidman adds that Parcell worked as a KPRC 2 reporter in the 1970s and was one of the first live shots with the fabled Big 2 Instant News Camera.

KTRK abc13 senior manager David Glodt left for ABC News New York.

--------

Before you start contacting me, Sure I realize that many on-air talent have left KHOU for the national level. Of course Dan Rather left for CBS in the 1960s.

In more recent times, anchor Mia Gradney fill-in anchored CBS News's weekend newscast, reporter Vicente Arenas joined CBS News, reporter Gabe Gutierrez jumped to NBC News Atlanta and reporter Mark Greenblatt joined ABC News.

In my interactions with her, Ramirez has said she will always be a newscast producer at heart - her first job in the broadcasting business. By joining CNBC and Smith, she will be able to still flex those muscles in the ultimate role for a television journalist.

"I’m honored to be a part of the CNBC team that will launch the first general news program in the network’s history – especially with a well-respected veteran journalist like Shepard Smith leading the way," Ramirez told me. "This is the perfect job for me. It combines my passion for producing, my creativity and my decades of experience covering big stories."

Ramirez certainly took her time at KHOU and made it something special. Not only did she arrive in Houston to help rebuild channel 11's ratings, but she also actually was forced to help rebuild the entire station thanks to Hurricane Harvey.

At the same time, Ramirez kept the KHOU tradition of earning journalism awards.

RELATED
- Ramirez wins "TV News Director" of the year from Media Alliance of Houston
- KHOU wins Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards
- KHOU ND Sally Ramirez gives "Wisdom from women who run newsrooms"
- KHOU 11's video tribute to ND Sally Ramirez

Ramirez joined KHOU from sister-station KGW Portland in 2016, jumping from assistant news director in Oregon to news director in Houston.

Lewis followed her a few months later and joined the station as its morning anchor.

What you might not realize is that Ramirez and Lewis actually met each other at their first TV job. Ramirez left Chicago to start her television news career as a producer at KTSM El Paso. Lewis was already there as a reporter. Somehow since then, they actually managed to work together, find jobs in the same market for the most part and actually remain married! Trust me, TV news romance stories are rare and mostly ephemeral.

The TV couple raised two daughters who are now attending college in Oregon.

And speaking of Oregon, that is where Lewis announced he is going after he leaves Houston. Lewis says he will be working in his family's businesses which is developing properties.
This will enable him to split his time between Oregon and New York City with Ramirez.

Ramirez's last day at KHOU will be August 28th. Turns out that Lewis's last day of his contract ends the same day.

In the memo that Ramirez sent to the KHOU newsroom announcing her new CNBC position, which was obtained by mikemcguff.com, Ramirez told her loyal staff that she was comfortable leaving KHOU right now because the newsroom was the strongest it had been in years. She urged her staff to take their competitive advantage and keep the ratings success momentum and keep it going.

Here is the full memo:

I want to share some news about my next move!

I have accepted a job at CNBC, as the Executive Producer of “The News with Shepard Smith”.

I am VERY excited to help launch this new, primetime network newscast.

The show debuts at the end of September, which means I need to get to New York ASAP.

My last day at KHOU will be this Friday, August 28th.



When NBC called me recently about this opportunity, I quickly learned a lot of people know KHOU’s story.

They know the great, award-winning work we produce.

They know we are a resilient newsroom.

They know no one covers breaking news better than we do.

I am counting on you guys to continue to build on our legacy.



I want each of you to know how much my 4 ½ years here at KHOU have meant to me – professionally and personally.

You were my family before my family arrived in Houston.

Together we rebuilt KHOU- literally and figuratively.

We’ve worked side-by-side covering some of the biggest stories of our careers and we did it under less than ideal conditions.

I will NEVER forget those challenging times.

As difficult as they were, we not only survived, we thrived. We came out stronger!

When COVID hit, we were already battle tested, and it shows.



I am comfortable leaving KHOU right now, because the newsroom is the strongest it’s been in years!

We are competitive again. We have momentum. We are seeing ratings success.

DO NOT LET COVID OR ANYTHING ELSE KEEP YOU FROM BUILDING ON THAT MOMENTUM!

We’ve worked too hard to get here.



THANK YOU for allowing to be your team leader.

It’s been an honor, a privilege and I’ve had a BLAST!

Sally Ramirez to leave KHOU 11

UPDATE AUGUST 24, 2020
KHOU's Sally Ramirez to executive produce CNBC's “The News With Shepard Smith”

Executive News Director Sally Ramirez to leave KHOU 11

Executive News Director Sally Ramirez will leave KHOU 11 at the end of the summer 2020 according to an internal memo from channel 11 President and General Manager Robert Springer obtained by mikemcguff.com:

This was a difficult headline to write and I am sure it is equally difficult to read.

After 22 years at TEGNA, Araceli (Sally) has decided to leave KHOU.

In the four-plus years she has led our journalistic efforts, she has left an indelible mark on KHOU.

While she will be forever remembered as one of the leaders who carried the station through the upheaval of Hurricane Harvey, our time at Houston PBS’ facilities that graciously gave us a temporary home and the triumphant move into a brand-new state of the art facility – I firmly believe Araceli’s greatest contribution to our news operation is the culture she fostered as our leader. It is this legacy that she should be most proud of.

The KHOU newsroom is much, much stronger today as a result of Araceli’s leadership.

We have a culture of innovation and the courage to try new things thanks to Araceli.

We have the technology and tools in our operation thanks to Araceli’s vision for how we could best cover all the incredible stories of the Houston region.

Araceli has offered to continue leading the newsroom through COVID and hurricane season, until I hire our next news director.

We will find ways celebrate and thank Araceli over the course of the summer. In the meantime, reach out to her and share your memories and gratitude, I know she would love to hear from you.

Bobby

HAPPENING THE SAME DAY
KHOU 11 4pm anchor Russ Lewis to retire

No doubt that Ramirez just happened to come work for KHOU at one of the most difficult time in the Houston CBS affiliate's history.

In 2017, she had to evacuate the staff during Hurricane Harvey. Then setup a new KHOU workspace at Houston Public Media. Then find a new studio and have that designed and built.

RELATED
- KHOU 11 reveals what happened during Harvey evacuation
- KHOU ND Sally Ramirez gives "Wisdom from women who run newsrooms"
- KHOU 11's video tribute to ND Sally Ramirez

In 2016, Ramirez came to KHOU from sister-station TEGNA’s KGW Portland where she was assistant news director.

During her Ramirez's time at KHOU, the station won various awards including multiple Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards.

In 2019, Ramirez took home "TV News Director" of the year from the Media Alliance of Houston.

Ramirez is married to KHOU 4pm anchor Russ Lewis who is retiring from broadcasting. They have two daughters.

Ramirez started her television news career as a producer at KTSM El Paso.

Her producing career took her to KVOA Tucson, Arizona and WRC Washington, DC.

She later worked as an executive producer at WGN Chicago and a special projects producer at KCRA Sacramento, California.

Ramirez joined KGW in 1998 as an executive producer working her way up to management.

A Chicago native, Ramirez graduated from DePaul University.


UPDATE JULY 17, 2020
Russ Lewis tells Kristi Turnquist of the The Oregonian that while he is retiring, his wife, Sally Ramirez is not:

“As anyone who’s worked with Sally can tell you, she has journalism in her blood. She is committed and passionate and the hardest-working person I’ve ever known. She feels so badly about leaving during a pandemic AND hurricane season that she resigned, and then offered to stay another three months to lead her staff through the most dangerous stretch of storm season. That’s the type of person she is. So, she’ll probably stay in Houston a bit longer than me. Yes, she will stay in the news business. Sally gets lots of unsolicited calls and opportunities. Once the right fit comes along, she’ll be ready to conquer the next challenge.”

VIDEO: KHOU 11's new morning show takes on viewer critics

New KHOU 11 morning team wraps up first week on air, faces the audience head on

New KHOU 11 anchor Russ Lewis does not ignore viewer critics

As I told you months ago, Russ Lewis has arrived from TEGNA sister station KGW Portland and landed in Ron Trevino's morning anchor chair.

With his arrival came a massive channel 11 Houston anchor change, the likes I have never observed before around here.

Well, Lewis and newly moved co-anchor Lisa Hernandez (who came in from evenings and replaced Lily Jang on the show), have wrapped up their first week to mixed reviews.

And if I, a little free blogger.com blog, am receiving all these emails/social media/blog comment interactions about the changes, I can only imagine what KHOU 11 must be getting!

Today, the new morning anchors addressed the criticism on air by actually showing some of the complaints. I found out about this, because a viewer who is angry with the change, felt the station was mocking those who are not happy with the new morning team.

In reality, anytime a station makes major anchor or weather team changes, there will be fallout. Viewers become emotionally attached to anchors and TV stations like that...unless management wants to move those anchors around or get rid of them.

Eventually people will grow to like the new team or change the channel.

To get the station's ratings up, it appears KHOU news director Sally Ramirez decided to go big or go home back to Portland when she decided to blow up the TV anchor lineup she found upon taking the job.

Sometimes these bold moves are good and lead to TV gold, sometimes they lead me to write about a new news director coming to the station.

I mean, think about the KTRK news director who decided to put Marvin Zindler on the air in the 1970s. That was seen as a big gamble at the time...

It will be interesting to watch in the meantime. Stay tuned.

Xavier Walton joins KHOU as morning anchor; Lisa Hernandez moves

Xavier Walton joins KHOU as morning anchor from WCNC Charlotte, North Carolina; Lisa Hernandez moves to weekend evenings

KHOU 11 has hired WCNC (TEGNA) Charlotte, North Carolina, weekend anchor Xavier Walton as its new #HTownRush morning anchor.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022
Xavier Walton joins NewsNation

UPDATE AUGUST 31, 2022
Xavier Walton leaves KHOU 11

"We are excited to have him on board," KHOU president and general manager, Robert Springer, told mikemcguff.com.

Springer adds that Walton wants to move to Houston, to not only report the news, but also to make it a better place to live through his community involvement.

Here is Walton's TV news career highlight reel:

WCNC Charlotte, North Carolina Area
Anchor/ Multimedia Journalist
June 2015 – 2019

KTWO Casper, Wyoming Area
Evening Anchor/Reporter
June 2012 – June 2015

KUSA Denver
News Intern
June 2011 – August 2011

WSYX-ABC6 Columbus, Ohio
Intern
June 2010 – August 2010

According to his bio, Walton graduated from California Lutheran University and even played on the basketball team. He was the starting point-guard three out of the four years he played.

Walton will join the Houston CBS affiliate in mid-September.


When I keep writing about the name "Walton" in connection with the KHOU morning show, it takes me back to the days when Johnathan Walton worked those hours!

With the new Walton's arrival, comes the move of current #HTownRush anchor Lisa Hernandez.

Hernandez will be moving to weekend evenings alongside Ron Trevino who currently anchors alone in that time slot. Trevino will continue to solo anchor the Saturday morning news.

Springer tells me the station is working to expand its weekend coverage with Hernandez's addition.

In 2011, Hernandez arrived to channel 11 and Houston from abc7 KABC Los Angeles to replace Lucy Noland on the evening shift.

She might be in TV now, but Hernandez started freelancing for the LA Times while earning a political science degree at UCLA. Upon graduation in 2001, she refocused her career on TV news starting at KESQ Palm Springs. From there she went across the country to Charlotte, North Carolina's News 14 as a reporter and then returning to California joining KABC in 2004.

In 2016, Hernandez swapped the PM shift for the AM hours and became the station's morning anchor, replacing Lily Jang, with newly hired Russ Lewis who came from KGW Portland.

A few months ago in early June, Lewis left mornings for KHOU's revamped 4pm newscast.

KHOU 11 building new set; operating from temporary studio

UPDATE NOVEMBER 08, 2016
KHOU 11's new set 2016

While a new set is being built, KHOU 11's newscasts are now temporarily being done from 'Great Day Houston's' set


KHOU 11 is getting a newscast set and the temporary one might have fooled some viewers since it looks pretty much the same as before.

"We're in a new location, we've lost our lease," joked new morning anchor Russ Lewis in a video posted to Facebook. "We've had to move out to a new location."

"We've moved next door to the 'Great Day [Houston]' studios," added co-anchor Rekha Muddaraj. "So this is typically where the audience sits for 'Great Day.'"

In the video, Lewis takes us on a tour of the studio. He opens a fridge on the talk show's set and finds a Corona. Fitting since it is actually National Drink Beer Day.

Isn't everyday now some kind of marketing created celebration of a product? Years ago I tried to get in on the action by begging then Houston Mayor Annise Parker to create "Mike McGuff Day." Notice you haven't celebrated my day yet. Anyone reading this have an in with Mayor Sylvester Turner?

We also learned that the weather and traffic green chroma-key wall is now down the hall in its own room.

According to my posts, KHOU 11 launched the last newscast set in 2011. And last year introduced a giant screen that would make any NFL fan drool.

Channel 11 is the only Houston English language television station I've never stepped a foot inside, so I don't have any great insight on its studio. I can say on TV it looks smaller than what the other stations have to work with.

A fellow media watcher wrote me, who appears to know way more about TV studio sets than I do, and offered these scenarios:

It'll be interesting to see whether the new KHOU set will be a carbon-copy of KING and KUSA sets (by Jack Morton PDG), or whether it'll be something original (like Devlin or FX).

The anchor's posts on Facebook say the new set will be ready in November.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 08, 2016
KHOU 11's new set 2016

RELATED
- KTRK abc13 debuts new set
- KPRC 2 launches new set for 2013
- Univision 45 KXLN unveils new set
- Bruce Aleksander, longtime Houston TV lighting director-designer, gets honored



(Thanks Eric and Robin)

Houston, TX media moves of 2020

Where did your favorite Houston or Texas anchor/reporter leave or come from during 2020?

JANUARY

Barbi Leo joins KIII 

KHOU 11 launches its first ever Sunday morning newscast

Anayeli Ruiz joins KHOU

Madd Hatta Show on 97.9 The Box cancelled

Jessie Watt joins Mix 96.5’s “The Morning Mix” 

Lisa Hernandez leaves KHOU 11

Chauncy Glover adds 6:30pm news duties

Brandi Smith new KHOU Saturday morning anchor

Larry Seward leaves KHOU

Sophia Beausoleil leaves KPRC 2

Matthew Seedorff joins FOX 26 KRIV

Hannah Mackenzie joins KPRC 2

Heather Sullivan joins FOX 26

Katherine Marchand leaves abc13 KTRK

Sophia Beausoleil joins NBC 5 KXAS

Bill Balleza signs off KPRC 2

VIDEO: Bill Balleza's goodbye on last KPRC 2 newscast

FEBRUARY

Raven Ambers joins abc13 KTRK

Luis Gerardo Nuñez joins “Noticiero Telemundo Houston” at 4pm and 4:30pm

MARCH

Anavid Reyes joins KPRC 

Kevin Roth joins abc13 KTRK

Kris Gutierrez rejoins KPRC 2

"The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show” returns to Houston on RadioNOW 92.1

KPRC 2 photojournalist John Treadgold talks 44 year Houston TV career

APRIL

MaryAnn Martinez leaves KPRC 2

Roxie Bustamante joins abc13 KTRK

Taniya Wright leaves KPRC 2

Lisa Hernandez joins KPRC 2

Michael Lopardi joins KPRC 2

MAY 

Roula Christie launches syndicated 'Weekends with Roula'

Albert Ramon leaving KVUE Austin for News Nation

Niku Kazori leaves KENS 5 San Antonio

Chris Pruitt named VP and GM of CW39 KIAH

Jennifer Sanders joins KXAN Austin

Sally Mamdooh leaves KPRC 2

Russ McCaskey and Jennifer Lindgren among CBS 11 KTVT layoffs

CW33 KDAF DFW launching Morning After with Ron Corning and Jenny Anchondo

John Labus leaves 740 KTRH

JUNE 

Steve Simon exits CW39 KIAH 

Leslie Mouton leaves KSAT 12

Brett Buffington leaves KHOU 11

Niccole Caan new KENS 5 consumer investigative reporter

Juan Beltran exits abc13 KTRK

Lori Bruffett promoted to KBTX GM

Ron “The Show” Hughley joins SportsRadio 610 KILT

Chrisdyann Uribe leaves FOX 26 

Erika Lopez re-joins KVUE Austin

Mike Lee promoted to VP-GM of KWKT & KYLE Waco/Temple/Bryan

NBC 5 KXAS launches "Texas Today," Dallas-Fort Worth’s New Lifestyle Program 

Mark Garcia named VP & GM of KMID Midland/Odessa

James Brown leaves KBMT Beaumont

Hannah Mackenzie leaves KPRC 2

KPRC 2's "Houston Life" moves to 3pm

Houston Public Media experiences staff cuts due to COVID-19 budget shortfalls 

Ramon J. Pineda to lead KRIS Corpus Christi

Sally Ramirez to leave KHOU 11

Russ Lewis to retire from KHOU

JULY 

José Santos leaves Telemundo Houston

Big changes at KRIS 6 Corpus Christi 

Trey Serna leaves CW39 KIAH

Daniel Aguilar takes over as Newscenter 25 KAVU Victoria GM, James Munoz as news director

Deneige Broom returns to WFTV 9

Re’Chelle Turner joins KPRC 2

Newscenter25 KAVU's announces new anchor lineup

KVUE Austin shifts Bryan Mays and Mike Rush

Faith Woodard joins KVEO Brownsville

Mary Kate Hamilton joins KOSA Midland-Odessa

Bailey Vaughn joins KTEN 10

Breanna Barrs leaves FOX 29 KABB

AUGUST

Madd Hatta to advise KTSU The Vibe

Andrew Tate joins KTEN Sherman

Isaac Williams joins NBC 23 KVEO Brownsville

Joe Puma joins KVII Amarillo

Mark Silberstein joins KRIS Corpus Christi

Kalyn Norwood to leave KVUE 24

Brandon Hamilton leaves KWTX 10

Chinedu Ogu joins Great Day Houston

Stephanie Serna named KSAT 12 morning anchor

Elise Hu: From KVUE to VICE News

Joe Sam joins Houston Life

Deborah Wrigley to leave abc13 KTRK

KHOU's Sally Ramirez to executive produce CNBC's “The News With Shepard Smith”

Lainie Fritz leaves TV sports behind for now

Sydney Hernández joins Local 23 KVEO as evening anchor

SEPTEMBER

FOX 26 KRIV debuts “The NewsEdge Early Edition” at 6pm with Kaitlin Monte

Maria Sotolongo leaves CW39 KIAH

Adam Krueger joins CW39 Houston

KVEO Brownsville debuts first-ever Latina anchor team

Collin Myers exits abc13 KTRK

Bob Slovak leaves abc13 KTRK

CW39 Houston NO WAIT WEATHER + TRAFFIC

Lee Sausley announces KRIS 6 retirement

KBTX Bryan-College Station's "Brazos Valley This Morning" teams up newlywed anchors Kathleen and Josh Ninke

KETK Tyler launches new 4 and 4:30pm newscasts

Laura Laughead joins KAMC Lubbock

Bria Bell returns to Dallas at Spectrum News

KRGV Rio Grande Valley hires Marianela Aguirre and Hugo Magallan

Mayde Gomez joins FOX 29 San Antonio KABB

KXAN's CW Austin debuts weather and traffic AM news

Rashi Vats's 5pm anchor journey

Jessica Hunt leaves KSAT 12

OCTOBER

Mike Capps: From KPRC to WFAA, ABC and CNN

Spectrum News 1 to serve DFW/Wichita Falls and other parts of Texas

Lauren Westbrook returns to KWTX 10 Waco

The Mike McGuff blog is 15 years old!

DECEMBER

KHOU Taps Roldan, Boslow and Klein to Lead Content Team in Houston, Texas

Kyle Claude named Houston Public Media Executive Director of Content Operations

Russ McCaskey joins WINK News Florida after KTVT

Ashley Paredez joins ABC 15 KNXV Phoenix

Andrea Parquet-Taylor named vice president and news director at CBS Los Angeles

Jerrel ‘Hardbody Kiotti’ Brown leaves 97.9 The Box

Simone De Alba takes over for Irene Cruz News 4 SA WOAI

Mike Gillaspia joins KIII after KRIS

Brett Anthony joins KYTX CBS19

Carrigan Chauvin joins CW39 KIAH

Courtney Carpenter leaves CW39 KIAH

Karsen Buschjost joins Big 2 News KMID Midland/Odessa

Harvey floods KHOU 11, evacuates building

UPDATE MARCH 29, 2018
KHOU signs deal on new building!

NOVEMBER 16, 2017
KHOU officially moving thanks to Harvey

UPDATED: KHOU 11 studio floods again, staff forced to evacuate and relocate at Federal Reserve building


RELATED
- KHOU begins studio rebuild process
- VIDEO: Summary of KHOU 11 studio flooding Harvey
- KHOU 11 broadcasting from TV 8 KUHT behind the scenes photos
- Dan Rather's words of encouragement for KHOU

I've been up since 4am shoveling water and making a makeshift drainage system to keep water out of my house. People are boating down my street.

And I am lucky.

Watching what happened to the eastern portion of the Houston area breaks my heart. At the time of me writing this on Sunday morning before 9am, high water rescues are going on all around our metro area.

I'm sure we don't even know the extent of the damage right now, and apparently Harvey is not finished with Houston or Texas just yet.

#khou11 evacuation #hurricaneharvey @BrooksKHOU pic.twitter.com/K4LLKdxFcP

— Sally Ramirez (@SallyKHOU11) August 27, 2017

Since this is a Houston media blog, let's take a look at KHOU 11 which has flooded once again.

After I originally posted this item, the staffers announced online and on TV they were evacuating the building.

They quickly relocated to the Federal Reserve building right down the street from the station. I believe that building is on higher ground.

As of 6pm Sunday evening, the station announced it will broadcast from the studios of KUHT 8. Online, WFAA is still providing coverage, on air I see color bars.

We made it! 25 miles in 2 hours. Thanks @DarbyKHOU. Here's our new temp home - PBS station @UHouston #khou11 pic.twitter.com/KfPfE3Og9Y

— Russ Lewis (@RussKHOU) August 27, 2017

At the time of the evacuation, reporter Brandi Smith and photographer Mario Sandoval were live in the field from Beltway 8 near I-10, and continued to be the only thing on the channel for a very long time until the station signed off at 10am.

Smith even alerted rescue workers to a motorist in trouble while live on the air. People reached out to me on social media to praise their efforts.

After a few hours, KHOU sister station WFAA started providing online Harvey coverage for the Houston audience from Dallas.

KHOU began taking water in early Sunday morning - including in its new studio. The anchors and other staff members were then moved up stairs to continue broadcasting.

As you can see in the above video, the water then started pouring into the station's lobby and the call was made to evacuate.

The last report I heard was two feet of water entered the building.


Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 was the last time the station flooded.

For those of you not in Houston, KHOU is located near downtown on a scenic stretch of Buffalo Bayou. That is great until the bayou comes out of its banks...especially since part of channel 11's parking lot and building are lower than the street Allen Parkway.


When I was live tweeting Hurricane Ike in 2008 at KTRK abc13, water was coming through the ceiling in various parts of the building. During wall to wall coverage, staff members gathered behind the set to cover the weather center computers to keep them from getting wet.

You might remember during the 2016 Houston Tax Day floods when KPRC's former building took on water and was forced to broadcast from its transmitter site.

That was nothing compared to what KHOU is going through.

Stay strong.

RELATED
- VIDEO: Summary of KHOU 11 studio flooding Harvey
- KHOU 11 broadcasting from TV 8 KUHT behind the scenes photos
- Dan Rather's words of encouragement for KHOU

An explosive week in Texas media

Here we thought the week leading into 4th of July weekend would be a quiet one in Texas media.

As the fireworks explode all night, boom goes that idea.

DALLAS - TYLER

UPDATE
Pioneering Texas TV anchor Judy Jordan dies (KDFW, KLTV, KYTX)

HOUSTON

KHOU 11 4pm anchor Russ Lewis to retire

Executive News Director Sally Ramirez to leave KHOU 11

José Santos leaves Telemundo Houston

The Texas Radio Hall of Fame class 2020 announced

UPDATE
CW39 KIAH Morning Dose Anchor/Senior Producer Trey Serna leaves


CORPUS CHRISTI

Big changes at KRIS 6 Corpus Christi with more on the way


JUNE JOBS WRAP UP

Texas TV news and radio job moves June 2020

As always, take a bite out of Texas media news by sending McGuff the media blog dog a tip!

Have a good rest of the holiday weekend.

Xavier Walton now KHOU 11 weekend anchor

When Kimberly Davis joined the KHOU 11 HTownRush morning crew as an anchor this summer from KYW Philadelphia, Xavier Walton seemed to just disappear from the AM show named after a hashtag.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022
Xavier Walton joins NewsNation

UPDATE AUGUST 31, 2022
Xavier Walton leaves KHOU 11

At the time, he told viewers on social media that he was moving schedules.

Now, Walton's bio has been changed to note he is a weekend anchor for the TEGNA Houston station.

Walton joined the KHOU morning newscast back in 2019 from the weekend anchor chair at WCNC Charlotte, North Carolina. He took over AM duties from Lisa Hernandez (now at KPRC 2) and Russ Lewis (now retired).

So does that mean anchor Ron Treviño is off weekends and officially the 4pm news anchor? 

While Treviño's bio has not been changed from saying weekend anchor, and none of his social bios say anything about the 4pm news, it seems that weekday newscast with Rekha Muddaraj seems like a comfortable spot for the longtime channel 11 anchor at the moment!

There are KHOU viewers who still come on my social comments to complain about Treviño and Lily Jang leaving the morning newscast back in 2016. 

Lots of changes in Texas TV world summer 2020!

I'm not saying BIG Texas TV station changes don't happen during the slow summer time, but June and July 2020 were pretty wild compared to most years.

Starting at the end of June, KHOU 11 Executive News Director Sally Ramirez announced her departure from the TEGNA station and her husband, KHOU 11 anchor Russ Lewis, announced retirement from the TV biz.

Right before the 4th of July, three on-air staffers exited KRIS 6 Corpus Christi.

In mid-July in the Victoria market, Danny Aguilar took over as Newscenter 25 KAVU general manager and James Munoz became the new official news director.

That change led to a KAVU anchor line-up change announcement around a week later.

Just last week, KVUE Austin swapped the morning and evening news anchors.

Is this all COVID-19 related? Maybe some of it, but most of it probably would have happened anyway.

And July isn't even officially over yet!

What's next?

As always, take a bite out of Texas media news by sending McGuff the media blog dog a tip!

Texas TV news and radio job moves June 2020

Send tips for the monthly Texas media job list here.

RELATED
- Houston social media stars June 2020
- Best TV News Bloopers June 2020

DALLAS - FORT WORTH

Carlos Tamez joins Estrella TV as news director/managing editor.

Julie Fine renews her agreement as political reporter and anchor of Lone Star Politics at KXAS. - Napoli

Allie Spillyards renews her agreement as reporter at KXAS. - Napoli

Nicole Nielsen joins CBS 11 KTVT.

Former CBS 11 KTVT general manager and Nexstar Broadcasting Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Brian Jones to retire.

CBS 11 KTVT Programming Director Ken Foote retiring.

Stella M. Chávez starts Immigration & Demographics beat at KERA.

Alejandra Martinez KERA as a reporter.

The Dallas Morning News is testing out reporter-specific promo codes for readers on the fence about subscribing.

Classical music in quarantine: WRR builds connections over the airwaves.

- NBC 5 KXAS launches "Texas Today," Dallas-Fort Worth’s New Lifestyle Program
- Pretend to be A FOX 4 KDFW Good Day anchor

HOUSTON

Khambrel Marshall reports the weather and supports Houston.

Houston Public Media’s Ernie Manouse says being out ‘enriches’ his life.

Why I love Texas: KPRC’s new anchor Lisa Hernandez shares her love for Houston’s sports, diversity and food.

Joey Guerra spotlights diverse local musicians at the Houston Chronicle.

KPRC 2 investigative reporter Joel Eisenbaum celebrates 15 years with the station.

Sports editor and LGBTQ ally Jenny Dial Creech advocates for progress at The Athletic Houston.

Morning meteorologist Elita Loresca celebrates five years at abc13 KTRK.

Reporter Janelle Bludau celebrates three years with KHOU 11.

Steve Campion renews his agreement as an MMJ and reporter at KTRK in Houston. - Napoli

Houston Chronicle digital reporter ShaCamree Gowdy was selected for the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship.

An Advocate at ABC13: Brandon de Hoyos uses his platform to promote LGBTQ equality.

Dr Jim Siebert renews his agreement as Chief Meteorologist at FOX 26 KRIV. - NWT

Victoria Cordova helps Houston Public Media address the needs of its audience.

Former KHOU 11 reporter Drew Karedes renews his agreement as reporter at WFXT in his hometown of Boston. - Napoli

From TV to online: The evolution of remote learning at UH.

Ex-Chronicle reporter accused of attempted sexual assault of child.

- Former Houston TV News Producer Promoted to President of Myriad Global, USA
- abc13 KTRK virtual town hall discussing relationship between police and communities of color
- Lisa Hernandez debuts on KPRC 2
- Steve Simon exits CW39 KIAH
- VIDEO: KPRC 2 Uniquely Dominique Sachse
- Brett Buffington leaves KHOU 11
- Juan Beltran exits abc13 KTRK
- Melanie Lawson and Chauncy Glover's conversation about racism
- Ron “The Show” Hughley joins SportsRadio 610 KILT
- Getting to know Eric Rowe - Producer Roula & Ryan Show 104.1 KRBE
- KPRC 2 Investigators 2000 Promo - Tony Kovaleski
- What happened to Mario Diaz?
- Morning traffic anchor Chrisdyann Uribe leaves FOX 26 KRIV Houston
- KHOU 11 noon and 4pm meteorologist Erika Lopez re-joins KVUE Austin as chief meteorologist
- Melanie Lawson's town hall discussing race relations and our Faith communities
- Tom Koch now does weddings
- Dominique Sachse talks with psychotherapist about coping with anxiety, depression and isolation
- Hannah Mackenzie leaves KPRC 2
- Melanie Lawson involved in Juneteenth documentaries
- Mike Iscovitz's amazing dog rescue story
- KPRC 2's "Houston Life" is moving
- KTRK GM Wendy Granato tests positive for COVID-19
- Houston Public Media experiences staff cuts due to COVID-19 budget shortfalls
- Houston teen builds HTX Breaking News into big news brand
- Houston Chronicle reporter Jay R. Jordan has breaking news come to him
- 104.1 KRBE wins big at 2020 Worldwide Radio Summit Industry Awards
- TNCRadio wants to be Houston's online driving online station
- Chauncy Glover hosts town hall discussing violence against transgender women of color
- Dave Ward interviews Rudy Tomjanovich, Smokin Joe’s Driving Range back, 2015 Peach Bowl on CW39
- Bill Barajas tested positive for COVID-19
- Executive News Director Sally Ramirez to leave KHOU 11
- KHOU 11 4pm anchor Russ Lewis to retire
- 104.1 KRBE "Roula and Ryan Show's" Ryan Chase tests positive for COVID-19


SAN ANTONIO

Myra Arthur returns to KSAT after birth of second child: The veteran KSAT anchor has been out on maternity leave.

Black members of the KSAT family reflect on recent protests against racism.

Sarah Acosta renews her agreement at KSAT as a Reporter/Anchor. - NWT

Japhanie Gray renews her Reporter agreement at KSAT. - NWT

Larry Ramirez renews his agreement as sports anchor and reporter at KSAT. - Napoli

Jack Acosta celebrates five years as news director at KENS5. He was previously assistant news director at KHOU 11 Houston.

Kaiti Blake enters into a new agreement as a Weekend Meteorologist at KSAT. - NWT

iHeartMedia Austin/San Antonio has announced Jason McCollim has been named Senior Vice President of Programming.

Emmy and AP award-winning news producer Alicia Nicole celebrates five years with News 4 San Antonio WOAI and KABB FOX 29.

Introducing KSAT Explains, a new weekly look at the biggest issues facing San Antonio - it is free to stream on smart TVs, devices and KSAT.com

Alpha Media launches WE 103.3/San Antonio.

- Leslie Mouton leaves KSAT 12
- KVII Amarillo Investigative Reporter/Anchor Niccole Caan joining KENS 5 San Antonio as consumer investigative reporter


AUSTIN

Austin’s KXAN Investigations are as big as Texas. Find out why KXAN Austin’s latest investigation involved almost two dozen people in news, digital, production and marketing, and how the station balances that content on TV and digital platforms across all the Nexstar stations in the Lone Star State.

John Engel makes a 60 market move as he is named Political Reporter at KXAN Austin from WCYB Tri-Cities, Tennessee. - NWT

Tony Plohetski celebrates 20 years at the Austin American-Statesman.

Hema Mullur renews her agreement as primary anchor at KEYE. - Napoli

Sports Anchor/Reporter Emily Giangreco celebrates a year at KVUE 24.

KOKE/Austin’s Bob Cole diagnosed with COVID-19.


AROUND TEXAS

Mark Garcia named VP & GM of KMID Midland/Odessa.

James Brown leaves KBMT Beaumont

Mike Lee promoted to VP-GM of KWKT & KYLE Waco/Temple/Bryan.

Lori Bruffett promoted to KBTX GM.

Ramon J. Pineda to lead KRIS Corpus Christi.

Paul Alexander is the new news director for KFDM Beaumont. He formerly was an ND in Corpus Christi and Brownsville.

KWES Odessa reporter Cory Mose delivers fun standup.

Emani Payne moves to WNCN Raleigh, NC as a reporter/MMJ from KCEN Waco/Temple/Killeen anchor/reporter. - NWT

Amarillo Radio: KXGL Taps Ashley & Brad For Wake-Up Duty.

KORQ Abilene flips from Top 40 To Country.

Stephanie Bates announces she will be joining the ABC7 KVII Amarillo team as weekend meteorologist/reporter.

General Manager Danny Aguilar leaves Fox West Texas stations.

UT Tyler to launch new NPR affiliate with KVUT purchase.

- John-Thomas Kobos, KIII morning anchor & marriage officiant

KHOU 11 makes major anchor changes

Morning, evening, night, weekend anchor changes at KHOU 11



KHOU 11 is going through major, major anchor changes. In fact, in my time blogging and before, I don't ever remember a change to this degree all around the same time at a Houston TV station.

Multiple sources are telling me that a meeting was held in the channel 11 newsroom this morning announcing the following anchor schedule changes.

Morning show:
Russ Lewis (incoming from KGW Portland) and Lisa Hernandez (moved from evening anchoring)

4pm:
Rekha Muddaraj will be added (from weekend night anchoring)

10pm:
Len Cannon and Mia Gradney (moved from and possibly still working evening newscasts)

Weekend mornings and nights:
Ron Trevino (moved from morning anchoring)

Sherry Williams will be moved from weekend morning anchoring to weekday morning reporting full-time.

Unknown what will happen to morning anchor Lily Jang at the moment. UPDATE: Lily Jang will be a 4pm feature reporter until her contract ends.

At this point, we do not know when all of these changes are taking place. I assume Greg Hurst will remain on the evening shows.

I reached out to KHOU for comment and have not heard back. If/when I do, updates will be posted here.

What do you think of the new lineup?

From an outside perspective, KHOU does well in overall household viewing ratings-wise, but has been lacking in the younger demographics coveted by advertisers. The other Houston stations have been doing better in the 18 to 34, 25 to 54...etc. age ranges. I would imagine this is the reason for the big shakeup under new news director Sally Ramirez.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE JULY 29, 2016
VIDEO: KHOU 11's new morning show takes on viewer critics

Lily Jang exits KHOU 11

Lily Jang signs off from KHOU 11

Lily Jang

Lily Jang has announced she is leaving KHOU 11.

She posted on Facebook this morning:

Today was my last day at KHOU. It was an amazing five years working with incredibly talented photojournalists, producers and fellow reporters. To my former co-anchor, Ron Treviño, we're friends for life! Cheers to my next adventure. Stay tuned...

Jang hit the airwaves of KHOU as a morning anchor in 2012 from KCPQ Q13 Seattle where she had worked in the same capacity.

"I am incredibly blessed that KHOU is giving me this opportunity," Jang told mikemcguff.com at the time. "Excited to finally be home where I grew up and my parents can watch me."

Jang served as a morning anchor on channel 11 with Ron Trevino until last June when KHOU 11 introduced major anchor changes. From then until now, Jang has been an afternoon features reporter.

KGW morning anchor Russ Lewis was paired with evening anchor Lisa Hernandez to reboot the morning show.

The changes led to viewer criticism which the anchors took head on. As of late, I have not heard how viewers are taking the changes now. However, according to ratings numbers KPRC 2 released for the November 2016 sweeps period, KHOU came in fourth in the Adult 25-54 demographic for the 6am newscast.

Jang, who was born in Vietman, grew up in northwest Houston.

According to her bio, Jang attended Lowery Elementary, LaBay Jr. High and Langham Creek High School. Her first two jobs were teaching aerobics at Gold's Gym in Bear Creek and working as a cashier at Randalls off Highway 6.

Before working for Tribune owned Q13, Jang was an anchor/reporter for Northwest Cable News. She also worked at WIAT Birmingham, Alabama and KFDA in Amarillo.

She is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin.

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Michelle Merhar to leave FOX 26