Don Kobos retires from KTRK abc13

mikemcguff.com exclusive:  Assistant news director and former reporter Don Kobos to retire from KTRK abc13

Don Kobos

After 32 years at KTRK abc13, and 40 years in the business, assistant news director Don Kobos is retiring from the Disney/ABC Television Group station multiple sources have told me.

UPDATE 2022
The changing world of TV News - why not back to basics?

UPDATE 2018
Don Kobos honored in Lone Star EMMY Chapter Silver Circle

Houston TV viewers will recognize Kobos as a reporter at the Houston station since 1982. Kobos arrived at KTRK as an investigative reporter and ended up covering everything from politics, education to general assignments.

In 2000, after covering the George W. Bush inauguration, Kobos became assistant news director.

Before Houston, Kobos was a reporter at WRAL in Raleigh. He graduated from Wake Forest where he played football.

Interesting stuff about Kobos, I remember him having business cards with a cartoon image of himself drawn by Bill Hinds of Tank McNamara fame. He had a sandwich named after him at Kahn's Deli in the Rice Village which I blogged about in 2006.

Kobos also used to call Rice University football games on the radio, he had a column in the Houston Community Newspapers and wrote a study skills booklet for junior high students.

John Thomas Kobos, Don's son, is an anchor at Corpus Christi's KIII 3.

Kobos' departure follows those by longtime news director Dave Strickland and executive producer Jerry Vazquez.

It was announced earlier in the week that special projects executive producer Wendy Granato has taken over the newly expanded role of Vice President of News and Digital Content.

Don Kobos honored in Lone Star EMMY Chapter Silver Circle

Former abc13 KTRK journalist Don Kobos to be inducted in the Lone Star EMMY Chapter's Silver Circle

Former abc13 KTRK reporter, and later assistant news director, Don Kobos, made sure his journalism career was rich and vast.

During his 40 year career, 32 of those years with channel 13 in Houston, Kobos not only distinguished himself for his reporting, but also his newsroom leadership community involvement.

This weekend, Kobos will be recognized by the Lone Star EMMY Chapter as he is inducted into the Silver Circle for 2018. That means he has devoted a quarter of a century or more to the television industry and made a significant contribution to broadcasting.

"It’s a wonderful honor a recognition from my contemporaries," Kobos told mikemcguff.com. "I’m truly humbled."

In 2017, Univision 45 KXLN news director Martha C. Kattan was inducted into the Silver Circle. As far as fellow KTRK colleagues, Dave Ward was inducted in 2011.

These days, Kobos is retired and recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but that has not slowed him down.

He has trained his Labrador retriever, Maggie Rose, to be a therapy dog. Now Kobos and Maggie visit nursing homes, schools and hospitals throughout greater Houston several times a month.

Since no longer covering the courts, Kobos also served on a Harris County criminal grand jury for three months.

Currently, he's also filling his time writing a broadcast news textbook for college students dealing with everyday ethical issues facing broadcast news managers.

So does he miss the daily grind of the TV news biz?

"For forty years I faced three to four deadlines a day," Kobos said. "It’s a job where you are always on the clock checking newspapers, magazines or meeting viewers who give you ideas and now there is the internet. I enjoyed it, but glad I have time now to read a book for example."

Kobos is one of those journalists who wasn't born in Houston, but sure made it is home.

Television news wasn't even his first career choice.

While attending Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on a football scholarship, the Salem, Massachusetts native earned a bachelors and masters degree while spending his summers working on the docks of Boston as a lobsterman.

After teaching junior and senior high school for two years, as well as coaching, Kobos decided a career change was in order.

"I was head coach of a Virginia high school team and only won one game and lost nine," he admitted. "I knew it wasn’t for me."

So he pivoted into the world of television news, something he always wanted to do in the back of his mind.

His first job was in 1974 at WGHP High Point, North Carolina as a film photographer. Three months later, he was gathering information, shooting film, editing and reporting.

His next stop was WWBT Richmond, Virginia, as the city hall reporter four days a week and sports anchor on the weekends.

In 1978, Kobos joined WRAL Raleigh, North Carolina where he concentrated full-time on hard news. As the station's investigative reporter, Kobos would learn that hard-hitting reporting can lead to death threats.

After reporting on the North Carolina vehicle inspections program, Kobos uncovered how dozens of inspectors were approving deficient vehicles. The Governor called for a state wide investigation.

Then the call came into the newsroom threatening Kobos for reporting the story.

"The police drove by my house that entire night," he recalled. "As you can imagine my wife was nervous."

The other investigations he recalls from that time of his career:
- Uncovering the illegal use of state telephones to conduct political campaigns.
- Investigating the illegal use of state helicopters by the Secretary of Commerce who used the helicopters to fly him to and from his home everyday over 60 miles each way.
- Spending six months analyzing 1,500 felony cases in the Wake County courts for trends on how judges treated different crimes.
- Exposing the low graduation rates of scholarship football and basketball student athletes from the five major universities in North Carolina.


In 1982, Houston came calling where Kobos would find his last television home for the next 32 years at KTRK.

"I knew KTRK had a great reputation, but when I visited, they told me about Marvin Zindler, but never showed me Marvin's stories," Kobos remembered. "So the first day here, I watched the 6pm news and there was Marvin.... I was stunned. I ran to the phone and called my wife in North Carolina and said, 'We made a mistake!' Of course I didn’t. I just had never seen anyone like Marvin Zindler."

Kobos ended up covering everything from crime, the Texas prison system, police, education to city and state government.

Some of those highlights include:
- Recognition by the State Bar of Texas (1982) for a series of reports on the death penalty.
- Filing a lawsuit in federal court (1984) to allow TV cameras in the Texas execution chamber. His action triggered a national debate on lethal injection and recording executions.
- A series of reports (1983) showing how few Southwest Conference University scholarship football players graduated with degrees.

Kobos also had his passion projects that he worked on while away from channel 13.

He wrote an article which appeared in the Houston City Magazine chronicling his year long investigation into the death of football player Paul Gipson.

Gipson played in the NFL four seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots. Before that, the Native Texan played for the University of Houston. According to his Wikipedia page, Gipson was one of the first black athletes recruited by UH.

Ironically, Kobos played against Gibson in the Astrodome while at Wake Forest in 1967. The two later reconnected 18 years later in a Texas prison unit while Gipson was serving time on drug charges.

With sports still in his blood, Kobos also served as color-analyst for Rice University's football radio broadcast from 1988 to 1991. At the same time, he even found the time to write an award winning weekly sports and education newspaper column, "Play-It S.A.F.E./Student-Athletes For Education," published in 15 Houston area weekly newspapers

"I was a student athlete in high school and college, I wanted to pass along to younger student athletes things I learned the hard way," Kobos recalled. "So when I did one of those stories for the KTRK news shows, I stock piled over 15 of them and thought, 'Why not write in a newspaper about these people and provide tips and pointers in one of the weekly papers?' I spoke with our news director at the time, Jim Topping, who said go ahead."

The educator in Kobos clearly never left. He wend on to write and solicit funding for an award study skills booklet. The 110,000 copies were printed in English, Spanish and Braille and distributed free to Houston area middle school students.

Outside of his channel 13 television work, Kobos also hosted an award winning series of ten, two-hour long Town Hall meeting programs (1989-91) sponsored by Houston's PBS station KUHT. The award winning series explored topics such as crime, police brutality, health care, and public school education.

Even with his extra projects outside of abc13, Kobos also believed in giving back to the community.

"The vehicles I found were different and unconventional, but because of my job and the contacts I made, worked for me," Kobos said. "These projects I was able to complete, I couldn’t have done in other cities. I found Houston and the many people here had a 'can do' attitude about so many things. I think of the history of this city and the people who lived and worked here, like building a Ship Channel from Galveston to the east side of Houston or building an indoor air conditioned baseball/football stadium, the Astrodome. I wasn’t afraid to ask."

Other Houston community volunteering efforts Kobos was involved with:
- A Rotarian (Rotary Club of Houston) 1987-96.
- An executive board member for ten years on the Lombardi College Lineman of the Year Award benefiting the American Cancer Society 1987-96.
- An executive board member on the Houston Dyslexia Society 1990-94.
- Served as chairman (1997) of the Paul “Bear” Bryant College Coach of the Year Award. The event raised $121,000 for the American Heart Association.

The newsman also served as a visiting professor teaching news writing at Houston Baptist University in 1997 and 2000.

In August of 2000, after 26 years of reporting, Kobos moved from in front of the camera into a management role at KTRK.

Through the next 14 years, while running the day to day news operation, he helped KTRK maintain its dominance in the local ratings. During that time KTRK was recognized twice as the best news operation by the Lone Star Emmy awards.

Congrats Don Kobos!

KTRK's Don Kobos celebrates 30 years today too

Yesterday I posted about how KHOU 11 anchor Ron Trevino was hitting his 30th anniversary at the station today.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 04, 2014
Don Kobos retires from KTRK abc13

He's not the only one.

TV insiders let me know I forgot about Don Kobos at KTRK. You might remember Kobos as a reporter on channel 13 for 18 years, but over the last decade, he's been off camera as the station's assistant news director.

Turns out Kobos has also been at his station for 30 years with today as the anniversary date. Now that is an interesting coincidence.

Legend has it that Trevino and Kobos drop their competitive edge for five minutes each July 19th for a congratulatory phone call to each other on making it another year. I think for 30 they should buy each other a pearl brooch or something.

If you've read this blog for a while, you know I used to work at KTRK 13. In fact, Kobos is one of those repsonsible for hiring me full time in the station's news department (you can blame him). That means I know a thing or two about my old boss.

Before KTRK, the Wake Forest football player and graduate worked at WRAL in Raleigh. He came to 13 as an investigative reporter and ended up covering everything from politics, education to general assignments. When I interned there in the 90's, he was the station's city hall guy.

I remember Kobos having a cool business card that had a cartoon image of himself drawn by Bill Hinds of Tank McNamara fame. He has a sandwich named after him at Kahn's Deli in the Rice Village which I blogged about in 2006.

Kobos also used to call Rice University football games on the radio, he had a column in the Houston Community Newspapers and wrote a study skills booklet for junior high students. He once showed me a copy in his office.

Thanks JT for the photos!

John-Thomas Kobos, KIII morning anchor & marriage officiant

KIII Corpus Christi 3News First Edition Anchor John-Thomas Kobos performs viewer weddings


Last week, I blogged about how legendary abc13 KTRK morning anchor Tom Koch is now officiating weddings.

Well, he's not the only Texas morning anchor involved in nuptials.

Turns out KIII Corpus Christi 3News First Edition Anchor John-Thomas Kobos is also helping couples to get married!

"I’ve been performing marriages since November 2018 after family members (in-laws) paid for me to get ordained online," Kobos told mikemcguff.com. "I mentioned this marriage once on air and that led to a firestorm of viewers asking me to perform ceremonies (custom tailored to their wishes) for them and loved ones."

So far, he has performed close to a dozen ceremonies.

"I performed a gay marriage, a ‘Lord of the Rings’ themed ceremony, and more traditional marriages between couple both young and old," he added. "I also just recently performed a FaceTime service during this pandemic (a first of its kind here in the Coastal Bend)."

Speaking of FaceTime, a few months ago, Kobos told us about what he gets away with wearing during the quarantine.

I get the sense that Kobos doesn't feel like Koch is moving in on his territory. In fact, John-Thomas' dad, Don Kobos, is a friend and former channel 13 Houston colleague of Koch's going back to the early 1980s!

"I never knew how close we all were until the early 2000s, when I was in my early 20s, and Tom showed up to take my mom on a station sponsored dinner date," John-Thomas Kobos recalled. "When Tom arrived to pick up my mother, I asked him ‘Are you my daddy now?’ My father had to work that night and my mother wanted to represent the station on my dad’s behalf. Well, since then, Tom has been my unofficial dad! I’m happy he’s ordained too and I knew I or he would be following in each other’s footsteps. We’re both in news, both anchor a morning show, and now performing ceremonies!"

As for getting ordained, Kobos says it is not as hard as you might think.

"There’s a website, you fill out the info (anyone can do it) and I paid the $80 to be legally allowed to marry couples in all 50 states," Kobos said. "I don’t charge but only ask my manager, aka wife, who is allowed to accompany me. Every service I perform makes me appreciate my wedding to my wife with even more gusto!"

Speaking of Don Kobos, the former reporter and assistant news director, just celebrated 50 years of marriage to his wife Kathy last weekend!

John-Thomas surprised his parents with a renewal vow celebration last Saturday.

He and his wife, Krystie, surprised his folks with an outdoor ceremony complete with rose pedals in the grass as an isle. Krystie made a bouquet and boutonnière.

The changing world of TV News - why not back to basics?

Don Kobos started his local television news career at WGHP 8 High Point, North Carolina in 1974. 

When Kobos retired in 2014, he had served 40 years total in the TV news biz, three decades off them at abc13 KTRK Houston as a reporter and then assistant news director.

Today, Kobos is guest blogging on mikemcguff.com with his op-ed on today's ever-changing local TV world and his advice to get back to the basics of journalism.

RELATED
Don Kobos honored in Lone Star EMMY Chapter Silver Circle

Here is Don Kobos:

The Changing World of Local Television News—Why Not Back to Basics?

Since retiring from local television news after 40 years as a reporter and newsroom manager, I occasionally watch some of Houston’s television news broadcasts. What I’ve discovered has surprised and disappointed me.

Local television news is no different than any communications business. Continued advances in technology result in constant change. I've experienced this throughout my career. When I started in the mid 70s, the tools of our trade were a pen and paper, a microphone, a bulky film camera, and a reporter with the curiosity to get all the facts, which meant both sides of an issue. Then using the pictures shot by a photographer and limited audio quotes or natural sound, the reporter would write and present the story.

Don Kobos at WGHP 8

Granted every few years the tools for gathering that information and stories changed. Most changes improved the reporter/photographer team's ability to get stories on the air faster and easier. In my case, in the mid 70s big bulky film cameras became smaller, lighter film cameras.

A few years later video tape cameras were the revolutionary discovery. Then microwave technology arrived, and reporters and photographers were suddenly miles away at a story scene broadcasting live and answering questions coming from the anchorman at the television station. 

The next advancements included helicopters and satellite capabilities. 

Then before the turn of the 21st century came cell phones and the Internet, and suddenly the information highway changed the world forever. You get the picture.

However, instead of adding staff to feed the increase in live TV and online news programs, television stations started using the new technology by shrinking staff. 

TV news operations started hiring “modern-day reporters,” usually less experienced in larger TV markets like Houston and also eliminating live news programs. Instead of including as much key information in the television news stories, most news operations started placing “the rest of the story” on their Internet sites. The move was done to encourage viewers to pick up their computers, iPads, or cell phones—the more digital readers, the higher advertising revenues. 

The question I ask—how many TV viewers stop during or when the newscast is over and pick up their iPads or cell phones to read the other portion of a news story that is withheld from what they are currently watching on their TVs?

While it may appear beneficial to the consumer of news programs, in my opinion, this current trend has done more harm than good to the coverage and accuracy of local news. 

How? 

First, the search for experienced reporters and anchors these days is driven by the almighty dollar as it was when I was a news manager. News directors are being pushed by their bosses to find less expensive “multi-skilled” talent to deliver local news. Less expensive usually means less experienced news talent. 

For example, in the ’80s until the early 2000s, TV reporters wanting a job in Houston, the nation’s 8th largest TV market, came with a resume of at least five to eight years. Starting annual salaries in the 90s were between $65,000 and $73,000. However, in the mid to late 2000s, reporters from smaller TV markets and with only two to four years’ experience were being hired with starting salaries between $50,000 to $60,000 a year.

“Battle-tested news warriors,” such as Houston’s Dave Ward, Tom Koch, or Phil Archer, who spent more than 40 to 50 years reporting, interviewing, and delivering important news information every morning, noon, or night are gone. 

What you’ll discover is a whole new roster of news presenters. New, young, unfamiliar faces and personalities with far less reporting experience but with more technological expertise. These multi-talented hires supposedly can do it all—report, shoot video, interview, write, edit, and present stories—four jobs done by one person. 

But I ask myself, how accurate and comprehensive are they?

These days the lexicon, the vocabulary, the simple words that explain the tools “modern-day reporters” need to present news and important information confounds me. For example, here are a few descriptions I recently found in a local Houston television station “want ads” searching for what it called a “modern-day” reporter. Job descriptions included words and phrases such as “content and data strategy,” “modernized storytelling,” “train reporters on innovative technology and real time data analysis to underscore content decisions,” or “incorporate use of analytics to guide news content and the aggregation of community resources.”

What does this all mean? What are “modern-day reporters"? 

Reporters who don’t wear ties and sports jackets anymore? Reporters who wear tee shirts, blue jeans, and sandals? Are they “information gatherers” who use Zoom and never leave the TV stations? Does “content and data strategy” really mean get the facts and decide where to place a story in a newscast or on its Internet site? Does it mean giving a reporter more than one minute and fifteen seconds needed for a fuller and more accurate explanation? And is "modernizing story telling” already here?

Are future television news programs going to be delivered by talking robots? 

Amazon already has Alexa, that tiny invisible lady who speaks several languages and sits in that 12-inch-tall tube-shaped device in some living rooms or kitchens answering requests from family members. Or there’s also Google Home which carries out commands in similar fashion. Wait a minute, haven’t we already seen this “dog and pony” show before? Max Headroom! You might remember, if you are a certain age, the sensation that fictional artificial intelligence cartoon character created when he was introduced to the world in 1985.

I know by now some of you reading this essay are saying “Get with the times, you’re an antique and behind the times, let go of ‘old’ journalism, let the technology of the 21st century take over.” 

Yes, Zoom or FaceTime interviews have become a necessity during these days of COVID-19. New technology has made it easier for TV reporters—and for that matter many businesses—to do their jobs without interacting with someone in person, face to face. However, I believe despite all the advances in technology, the best way to truly cover the news today— whether on television, radio, news websites, or in newspapers— is to view “buzz words” with caution and a critical eye. 

Instead study the way news was covered in the past.

Any good reporter worth a grain of salt will tell you getting out of the newsroom with your “new tech toys” is the best way to get the story or get answers. That means like the “gumshoe" reporters or detectives of a bygone era, start knocking on people's doors at their offices, at their homes, at their jobs, at city hall, county commissioners court, or the state legislature. It means confronting elected officials or subjects of stories with tough questions that provide voters and viewers what they want and deserve—answers and solid objective reporting. It means taking the time to get all sides of a story. It means having face-to-face interactions to assess unspoken meaning and the atmosphere surrounding some stories, to give a truer “feel of the situation.” And just as importantly, it means forming relationships and building trust that can lead to more credibility of the reporter, quicker access to future stories, and more possible news sources stepping forward.

- Don Kobos

KTRK-ABC
Reporter 1982-2000
Assistant News Director 2000-2014

John Thomas Kobos lands anchor gig at KIII 3 Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi TV is getting a new anchor I'm told. Recent KIII 3 arrival, John Thomas Kobos, will helm the morning newscast.

He previously spent three and a half years in Fresno at KFSN 30. Before that, he was at KALB 5 in Alexandria, LA for two years.

In these markets, John has covered everything from the military (Ft. Polk) and Hurricanes Katrina/Rita to California forest fires, medical marijuana and the gay marriage debate.

Now Houston readers will notice the familiar Kobos last name. That's because his dad is former KTRK 13 reporter and current assistant news director Don Kobos (my former boss).

"As you might expect [I'm] happy he's back in Texas and close to Houston," proud papa Don Kobos told the mikemcguff.com blog.

The elder Kobos is no stranger to this blog. All the way back in 2006, I blogged about a lunch I had at Kahn's Deli in the Rice Village. In that post, I mentioned the fact that Don has a sandwich named after him there!

Don Nelson catches up with former KTRK abc13 anchors [PHOTOS]

Don Nelson's surprise birthday party became a KTRK abc13 reunion

I told you yesterday about former KTRK abc13 personality Don Nelson's big Galveson birthday bash.

There were a bunch of current and former Houston television stars in attendance. That meant a reunion for Nelson who got to catch up with the likes of Jan Carson, Jan Glenn, Shara Fryer, Debbie Johnson, Don Kobos and others.

The party was thrown by a group including Margaret O'Brien-Molina and Bob Martin aka "The Accountant to the Stars."

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS [MOBILE FRIENDLY]

KIII expands morning news to .2 digital channel

First Edition on MeTV expands news to KIII's 3.2

John-Thomas Kobos

John-Thomas Kobos, Jane Monreal and meteorologist Kristine Diaz of KIII-TV3 in Corpus Christi are anchoring an expansion of the ABC affiliate's morning show to its digital .2 channel.

 I am not sure of another TV station that is doing something like this.

The main channel broadcasts the morning show from 5 to 7am with the new hour of First Edition on MeTV coming on from 7 to 8am on 3.2. As you can tell by the show's name, KIII's .2 is a MeTV station.

From what I can tell on Facebook, the show's topics are a little lighter than a standard newscast.

Jane Monreal

As I've written before, Kobos, who came to the station in 2011, has been a part of two newscast expansions which have doubled the amount of the station's morning news presence.

Houston viewers might note Kobos' name sounds familiar. That's because his dad is former KTRK 13 reporter and current assistant news director Don Kobos.

Another Houston note, Fox 26 morning meteorologist Caitilin Espinosa joined KRIV after working at KIII.

Unique career path for former Houston TV reporter Darren Lyn

The guest post former abc13 KTRK assistant news director/reporter Don Kobos wrote for my blog was such a hit, he is back at it again!

Make sure to read his post: "The changing world of TV News - why not back to basics?"

This time, Kobos tells us the interesting career path former ESPN, WSB and abc13 KTRK reporter Darren Lyn has taken.

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

The Unique Career Path of Reporter

Darren Lyn

BY: Don Kobos

How does a Chinese-Jamaican-Canadian-American become a television and radio reporter for a Turkish radio and television network? 

Ask Houston resident and international correspondent Darren Lyn.

“I guess you have to have a map of the world to see the many television and radio jobs and stops I’ve made throughout my career,” says 52-year-old Lyn. 

These days Lyn lives in Houston with his family but finds himself as a freelance correspondent for Turkish Radio and Television news channel, TRT World, based in Istanbul, as well as a stay-at-home dad, caring for and home schooling his 11-year-old son, Logan. 

But how in world did Lyn who was born in Jamaica to Chinese parents who moved to Canada and later to Orlando, Florida earning citizenship in each country find work for a TV network based in Turkey? 

Lyn’s unique journey started after accepting a full scholarship to Tulane University, where he was bitten by the reporter bug while writing for the school newspaper and doing an internship at WWL in New Orleans.

“I knew after doing the internship, television reporting was what I wanted to do.”

As a college journalism graduate searching for a chance to be on television, Lyn’s career path made five TV stops—Florida, two Wisconsin stations, and a San Diego station before landing in Houston in 2001 at KTRK, Channel 13.

“KTRK was a wonderful opportunity for me,” says Lyn. It was a major market station that covered news stories all over Texas and the United States. “That’s what I wanted to do.”

But Lyn’s career adventure was just beginning. While covering Hurricane Katrina in 2005, an executive with ESPN called. He was watching his hurricane coverage and offered him a job. 

“To work for THE best sports network was an amazing opportunity. I was based out of Houston and covered major sports stories in Texas and the Southwest.”

However, the ESPN position lasted only three years, and he found himself again chasing news stories, this time in Atlanta at WSB-TV.

It was while reporting in Atlanta that his life path changed dramatically.

“My wife Lori, was pregnant with twins, when complications during pregnancy developed and we lost my daughter, Lilly, and my son Logan was born premature only weighing a pound and a half.”

“I left my job to be with my wife and son. It was a no brainer. I became a stay-at-home Dad caring for Logan as he grew.”

Eventually his wife went back to work as a teacher, and today, eleven years later, Lyn remains at home teaching his son and helping him navigate childhood. 

“I’m blessed to be at home with him. I am a stay-at-home teacher, and we are all doing well.”

Lyn’s reporting career, however, took a strange twist in 2017, giving him a second shot at a TV news reporting career. It’s all thanks to another hurricane, this time Hurricane Harvey.

Close friend and Texas “news blogger” Mike McGuff called Lyn during Harvey and said, “Darren, a TV network in Turkey is looking for a reporter to file stories about Hurricane Harvey, and I can’t do it because I’m working for another news service. Are you interested?”

It did not take Lyn long to respond. An opportunity to get back into reporting was too good not to consider. But a Turkish network? After discussing it with his wife, he accepted the job.

Lyn filed several reports for TRT World. Since then, the phone never stops ringing. He continues to get calls from TRT and is now one of its regular United States reporters.

“So many important stories originate in Houston and Texas that are of interest to people in Turkey,” says Lyn. “For example, Houston is the leader in the energy industry, aerospace technology, and the medical arena. Add to that the hurricanes, the border issues, and Covid-19, it’s not difficult to understand why TRT World requests stories from me.”

In addition to TRT, Lyn began working in 2022 as an international correspondent for the Anadolu Agency the oldest news organization in Turkey based in the capital city of Ankara.

Lyn finds he has the best of both worlds. He’s a stay-at-home dad helping his son, and he can continue pursuing his passion as a news reporter who covers and tells stories that impact audiences across the globe.

KIII's John-Thomas Kobos on the suit mullet

KIII Corpus Christi morning anchor and executive producer John-Thomas Kobos tells me he's wearing a "suit mullet" everyday while broadcasting from home.

"You know suit top, pajama bottoms for work," Kobos told mikemcguff.com. "That 100% cotton machine washable feel draped down my legs is a nice touch."

Speaking of fashion, Kobos says he is wearing this season's must-have accessory off the air - the face mask. It's his birthday this week, so he will have to at least take the mask down for a minute to blow out the candles.

"What's funny is so many people already thought I wore my suits with just a bathing suit underneath or shorts...but that was never the case," he explained. "Suits all the way for this job. I role out of bed like that. Now, I'm literally rolling out of bed and all I have to do is shave and style the hair and I'm good to go."

RELATED
Don Kobos honored in Lone Star EMMY Chapter Silver Circle

Houston TV & radio job moves

What went down in the Houston media job scene while I was on my blogging break

Qui West leaves 97.9 The Box KBXX
Qui West in his first interview since his departure from 97.9 The Box, he talks his new projects, his podcast “Qui West Uncut."

From WBRZ to KHOU
This actually just happened...WBRZ news producer Brittany Rivas Aucion is heading to KHOU for the same job she announced on Twitter.

Charlotte ND Returning to Houston, WWOR Station Manager to Help Out in Interim
WJZY-WMYT news director Geoff Roth has announced he’s leaving the Charlotte FOX owned station and going back to KRIV in Houston. Face it, Houston is better than anyplace else.

Michael Shiloh Named News Dir./Morning Drive At Salem Radio's Houston Cluster
MICHAEL SHILOH been named News Dir./morning drive for SALEM RADIO’s cluster of News-Talk KNTH (1070 THE ANSWER)/HOUSTON, Christian teaching KKHT (100.7)/HOUSTON and Business News KTEK (1110) /HOUSTON.

KPRC's Joe Campos retires
He was at KPRC 2 since 1974, and now photographer Joe Campos has retired.

The Houston Chronicle names a senior editor
Maria Carrillo has been named the Sunday senior editor and a senior editor of enterprise at the Houston Chronicle.

Jessica Holloway lands KTRK abc13 reporter gig
Former KVUE 24 reporter/fill-in anchor Jessica Holloway starts reporting at KTRK abc13.

James Starks

James Starks joins KPRC 2 as sports anchor/reporter
James Starks comes to KPRC 2 as a sports anchor/reporter from WLTX Columbia, South Carolina.

Don Kobos retires from KTRK abc13
Assistant news director and former reporter Don Kobos to retire from KTRK abc13.

Wendy Granato is KTRK abc13 news director
Wendy Granato gets newly expanded role of KTRK abc13 Vice President of News and Digital Content.

KTRK abc13 EP Jerry Vazquez to be KTMD news director
From KTRK to KTMD, executive producer Jerry Vazquez becomes Vice President of News.

Amanda Perez leaves KPRC 2 for Fort Bend ISD
KPRC 2 reporter Amanda Perez will graduate to the PIO world at FBISD.

Steve Fixx leaves Houston radio
Former 93.7 The Arrow and Rock 101 KLOL DJ Steve Fixx leaves radio world.

ABC13 photojournalist Mike Menchaca toasted by legendary anchors

Mike Menchaca, a photojournalist with ABC13 KTRK Houston for over three decades who just retired, was toasted by family and current and former Channel 13 colleagues Friday night.

Menchaca's wife, Traci, threw the party and told the crowd how she met Mike by calling the Channel 13 sports department!  Now you know KTRK is all about news, weather, sports...and love!

Retired KTRK photojournalist Jaime Zamora read a proclamation by Houston Mayor John Whitmire and emotionally recounted how he and Menchaca, friends for decades, helped each other through the Texas television landscape from Corpus Christi to KVUE Austin and KTRK.

In thanking everyone for coming to his retirement party, Menchaca remembered those who were important to him and who couldn't attend. He mentioned names like 13 Outdoorsman Thom Dickerson, Bob Allen, Tim Melton, and former KTRK general manager Jim Masucci.

Iconic anchors and reporters such as Shara Fryer, Tom Koch, Don Nelson, Don Kobos, Art Rascon, Deborah Wrigley, and Jeff McShan were there to honor Menchaca. 

I saw current KTRK staffers celebrating the legendary photographer, including Jessica Willey, Jeff Ehling, Pooja Lodhia, Mycah Hatfield, Joe Gleason, Chaz Miller, Courtney Fischer, Rosie Nguyen, Pat Tobin, Damion Smith, David Aguillard, John Carreon, and Doug Schurtz among others.

Menchaca and I reminisced about our trip to Central Texas to interview the legendary Cadet Don, AKA Al Eisenman, who entertained Channel 13's younger viewers on weekday mornings from 1959 to 1968. Now, before you ask, no, I can't remember if we got to "meet" his pal Seymour or not! The Houston Chronicle even mentions our Cadet Don story!

Tom Koch retiring from abc13 KTRK

Tom Koch is retiring from abc13 KTRK Houston anchor after 39 years with the station he announced this morning at the end of newscast. He will leave in May.

RELATED
Tom Koch officially signs off VIDEO

“For nearly 40 years, I’ve been honored and humbled that so many people welcomed me into their homes every day,” Koch said in a statement emailed to mikemcguff.com. “It’s been a dream come true for a small-town Wisconsin kid to be part of this incredible station and truly great city of Houston. But I’ve decided it’s time to step aside, turn off that early morning alarm and wake up to a new adventure.” 

The station tells me the week of May 24th, an on-air celebration featuring Koch and his many achievements will begin, with a final goodbye set for May 28, 2021.

And if you have watched the long-running popular anchor with his signature mustache, then you know he would probably appreciate the following:

"What do you get when you wake up on a workday and realize you ran out of coffee?

A depresso."

No longer will Koch have a 2:30am wake up, but I'm sure he will still bring his famous puns to the party.

 "Tom Koch is one of the finest morning anchormen and reporters in the country," former KTRK assistant news director and reporter Don Kobos told mikemcguff.com.  "Tom and I arrived at KTRK at the same time and worked together for my 32 years.   He’s a consummate professional.  Houston news viewers will miss waking up to him in the morning.  Congratulations on a great career Tom."

Thank you to everyone in this great city of Houston for giving me almost 39 years in a dream job! #abc13 pic.twitter.com/5u2OnEKfyC

— Tom Koch (@TomKochABC13) February 1, 2021

Tom Koch joins abc13 KTRK

Koch and Live at 5 anchor Melanie Lawson both started at channel 13 on September 13, 1982.

"This is the longest I've ever held a job," Koch told Ken Hoffman back in 2019.  "If you had told me in 1982 that I would spend my career here in Houston, or anywhere in Texas, I would have bet the farm against you. Luckily, I didn't own a farm. But it's been a great ride with great people."

In 1987, Koch moved from reporting to anchoring Eyewitness News at 7am.  The ratings and number of morning newscast hours produced certainly have risen over the years.  Now Koch anchors from 4:30am to 7am.

And speaking of ratings, Koch has really succeeded in that area.  The old legend was at times in his career, you could take the Houston television news morning ratings of the other stations, add them together and not quite reach, what KTRK was pulling in!

In his morning anchor role, Koch has had co-anchors over the years such as Samica Knight (current co-anchor), Sharron Melton, Minerva Perez, Cheryle Keck and Gina Gaston.

But in earnest, Koch probably spent more time over the years with traffic anchor Don Nelson and weathercaster Doug Brown.  

Koch and Nelson were, in my opinion, one of the greatest duos in Houston TV news.  Their chemistry was great on-air and off.

"Don liked to joke that if you can't be great, sit next to it," Koch wrote in 2015 when Nelson retired. "For nearly 30 years, I have sat next to greatness and I will miss him dearly."

 With these two, you not only got news and traffic, but viewers were also invited into the AM party.  Basically, with the puns, jokes and ad-libs, Houstonians never knew what was going to happen next. 

"Once, when we were interviewing Mike Ditka about Viagra or drugs for ED, Ditka said there was a warning on them, that if something lasted longer than four hours, you should call your doctor," Koch told Hoffman in 2019. "Don, without missing a beat said, ‘I'd call everybody.’ We all laughed so hard, we had to throw it to a break. And it’s the only time in my career that I almost couldn't go on with the newscast because we kept laughing."

"Such a fabulous person, and one of the funniest people I’ve ever met," former abc13 KTRK anchor Katie McCall commented on my LinkedIn post about Koch.  "Working with Tom was an ab workout, because I laughed so much!"

Of course as fun of an on-air presence as Koch is, that should never over shadow his reporting chops. According to his bio, he has covered everything from a dozen national political conventions, the Pope's new election at the Vatican and the 90s oil boom in the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan to NASA astronauts launching from Kazakhstan.

- NASA astronaut Scott Kelly watches Koch from space

On a personal note, I started working with Koch in 2001 when he started split-shifting the AM news and the new Eyewitness News at 4pm newscast alongside the recently returned Gina Gaston (later Ilona Carson).  

This meant for seven years or so until 2008, Koch was anchoring a two-and-a-half hour morning newscast, then returning for another round with the hour long 4pm show. Sometimes he would fill-in at 6pm for Dave Ward.

Even with the split shift, Koch has also anchored the station's live remotes from the annual Fourth of July Celebration Concert and Fireworks, Galveston Mardi Gras Parade, the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Parade (HLSR) and the Houston Marathon.

The latter landed him in Houston Marathon Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Koch has even finished the marathon.

Koch's Wisconsin early years in life and TV news

Koch has come a long way from his first gig hosting a cable show during college at the University of Wisconsin.  The bearded Koch's first guest was Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Daniels. While Daniels was a great first guest for sure, Koch eventually met and interviewed Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

After college, Koch was an anchor for WAEO Rhinelander, Wisconsin and WBAY Green Bay, Wisconsin.

It was at WBAY, where Koch met his wife Brenda, who was also a reporter. They are both from around that area.  Brenda took a job at KSAT San Antonio as an anchor/reporter for a few years before joining Tom in Houston.  

The Koch's now have two grown daughters - Emily and Chelsea. 

"Tom Spotting" and the family's love of travel

One of the family's passions is world-wide travel.  

“We’ve met a lot of wonderful people this way, and it's very cool,” Tom told The Buzz Magazines in 2020. “And you know, we've learned this ourselves coming from small towns: Travel really broadens your vistas and kind of eliminates biases, your prejudices. It shows you that everybody's really after the same things in life. They say that travel leaves you speechless, but you come back, and you're a storyteller.”

Considering Koch is such a familiar face to Houstonians, the family jokes there will usually be "Tom Spotting" moments no matter the country.  

The family told Houston travel writer Tracy L. Barnett the first "Tom Spotting" happened in Machu Picchu after running into some Sugar Land viewers. Tom's famous face even got them a great tour of Beijing from some Katy oil and gas expats.

Travel will no doubt be in the Koch family's future. Tom has already been to 34 countries

Tom Koch after abc13 and television news

And if any anchor is prepared for retirement, my guess it would be Tom Koch.  Not only did he anchor, but he also has extensively reported on financial matters. As a young channel 13 producer in 2001 or so, I remember going to the front station desk to grab a guest that Koch was going to interview for the 4pm news - it was Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos! 

In the last few years Koch has also been officiating weddings.  Besides that, you'll find Koch around Bellaire, hosting all kind of community events where he is the town emcee!

Tom and Brenda are also both active in many Houston charitable efforts from the ESCAPE Family Resource Center and Joyful Toyful Fiesta to Casa de Esperanza.

While born in a small Wisconsin town, Koch got to Houston as fast as he could and never left - even though he could have.

"In 1984, a fledgling outfit called CNN called me about being the Dallas bureau chief," Koch told Hoffman.  "But the pay was about the same as I was making, our assistant news director didn't think CNN would last, and I just loved Houston, so I stayed. I also had offers later on to be an anchor in Cleveland, Austin, and one other market, but nothing seemed right or as good as Houston."

Jerry Vazquez, Telemundo Houston ND, loses cancer battle

Jerry Vazquez in center with Ubaldo Martinez, Alejandro Mendoza, Crystal Ayala and Carlos Robles (2018 photo taken for mikemcguff.com courtesy of Telemundo Houston KTMD)

Gerardo “Jerry” Vazquez, 54, the Vice President of News for Telemundo Houston KTMD, has lost his battle with cancer over the weekend.

UPDATE JANUARY 2023
Freddy Oldenburg named Telemundo Houston KTMD VP of news

Crystal Ayala, Telemundo Houston evening anchor, posted the following about Vazquez's death on Facebook:

"He was the one who saw in me, as in so many of my colleagues, a special light, so I don't hesitate to further push my career at Telemundo Houston. I'm lucky to have earned his trust and had the blessing to work by his side, to learn from him... and growing up with him for almost eight years.

A boss who was always looking out for the well being of my two kids; that is valued even more.

Jerry Vazquez was a great connoisseur of journalism, leader by nature, passionate who lived enormously proud of his team, his mom and his brothers."

"Jerry was terrific Journalist, terrific manager and a great friend," former abc13 KTRK Vice President of News Dave Strickland told mikemcguff.com.  "My heart goes out to his family. I can't believe he's gone. He will be missed."

 "Jerry was was one of the best newsmen I ever worked with," former abc13 KTRK assistant news director Don Kobos told mikemcguff.com.  "He not only understood the English newscape but he was a top flight Spanish speaking newsman.  He will be missed. Prayers to his family. He was a wonderful friend."

"Jerry was a mentor to me and a news whisperer," KIII 3News Corpus Christi morning anchor John-Thomas Kobos told mikemcguff.com.  "When it came to guidance over the best way to deliver stories, how to dress professionally on-air or handle contract negations - his advice was always golden and spot on.  His legacy in the news business will outlast his time here on earth. He will be greatly missed as a mentor and a friend."

Vazquez joined KTMD in August 2014 where he rebuilt the station's news department after Comcast bought the NBCUniversal owned station from General Electric.

"When you have the right team in place together you can accomplish anything," Vazquez told me in 2018.  "In my opinion we have assembled a team of the best producers, anchors, reporters, photographers and assignments desk!"

Under the leadership of Vazquez, President and General Manager Tony Canales, Vice President of Marketing JC Perez and others, KTMD moved to the top of the ratings in Houston. 

Vazquez came to KTMD from abc13 KTRK (2001 to 2014) where he oversaw the 5, 6 and 10pm newscasts as executive producer when the newscasts were the number one shows in their timeslots.

He previously worked as:

- News Director KMID Odessa/Midland (1997 to 2001)

- Assignments Manager KMOL (Now News 4 San Antonio WOAI) (1993 to 1997)

- Assistant News Director/Assignments Telemundo San Antonio KVDA (1989 to 1993)

- Producer KGNS 8 Laredo (1986 to 1989)

"Hispanic TV in the past had been underrated and under served and not taken seriously in the field or by civic leaders," Vazquez told me in 2018.  "This has changed since when I first worked for Telemundo in the early 90’s. We had to wait for soundbites in Spanish until after the English station got everything they needed. Today the press conferences are held in English and Spanish Giving us us the same opportunity to run them live."

On a personal note, Jerry was one of my favorite bosses at channel 13.  He was always there with good advice on everything from scripts to how to handle various situations in the newsrooms.   Beyond being an amazing mentor, he was a great overall guy with a funny sense of humor that could always make the toughest newsroom situation a little better. Jerry was always a big supporter of my Alzheimer's disease advocacy work.  He certainly will be missed. 

KTRK photographer Jaime Zamora calls it a career after 38 years

He's covered Houston and the world for KTRK through three decades, now photographer Jaime Zamora announces retirement


After a career of covering everything from Super Bowls, hurricanes, presidential inaugurations and every local story in between, abc13 KTRK photographer Jaime Zamora is retiring from the Houston ABC station.

"I thank Channel 13 for thirty plus years of opportunity and excitement," Zamora told mikemcguff.com. "I wish my ABC colleagues nothing but the best.”

In his big announcement, Zamora looked back on his 38 year television news career which took him from KRIS and KZTV Corpus Christi, KVUE Austin, to finally KTRK Houston and said, "I’ve seen more pain and grief than anybody should ever see but have also witnessed great joy on many occasions."

One high-profile painful experience that Zamora recently risked his life to cover for the world took place near channel 13 in West University during an active shooting incident. KTRK's owner, The Disney ABC Television Group, commended Zamora for his live coverage.

On 9/11/2001, Zamora and anchor Tom Abrahams drove 24 hours straight to Washington DC to cover the Pentagon attack site.

Zamora and Kobos

"Those first few days were a blur," he wrote on Facebook. "We worked for weeks in the aftermath before seeing our families again."

"Jaime as one of the many super photographers to work at KTRK," former channel 13 assistant news director and reporter Don Kobos told mikemcguff.com. "A consummate professional who was always one step ahead of the competition. I worked with him on many assignments, he always made me a better reporter."

With camera on his shoulder, Zamora's KTRK career took him to places as far from Texas as Latin America, Europe, China, Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia.

However Zamora's lasting legacy will be right here in Harris County where he established the first ever courthouse broadcast bureau.

"To all the photographers, broadcast or print, who I’ve worked with, you are all the real warriors and I’m honored to have been a part of your fraternity," he added.

Steve Campion does weddings

Whoever thought love and TV news went together?

UPDATE APRIL 20, 2022

Steve Campion leaves abc13 KTRK

I've always heard stories the long and weird hours just led to divorce.

Turns out, one post about abc13 KTRK morning anchor Tom Koch officiating weddings has opened the door to more blog posts about television news and marriage.

Next, I found out that KIII Corpus Christi 3News First Edition Anchor John-Thomas Kobos is performing viewer weddings.

John-Thomas is the son of former KTRK assistant news director and reporter Don Kobos.

The channel 13 and wedding connection doesn't end there.

Then I found out abc13 multi-media journalist and top Houston social media star Steve Campion also officiates weddings!

"I've done three in fact," Campion posted on my Facebook page. "I like to say I'm retired now."

Campion joined abc13 KTRK as the station's first MMJ from WBBH Fort Myers way back in 2014.

VIDEO: KTRK 13 reporter Carlos Aguilar tackles suspect

UPDATE
The story behind the classic clip

Just the other day when I blogged about Seattle KOMO reporter Shomari Stone breaking up a fight, I tried to tie in a Houston event from years before. That story was about KTRK 13 reporter Carlos Aguilar trying to shoot a stand up in the field, but ending up chasing down a suspect running from Houston police.

Turns out I got it wrong.

After my post, that video magically appeared online. It's actually the first time I've ever seen it first-hand (only hearing about it before). That video, which took place somewhere between 1985 and 1990, actually had Aguilar confronting a wanted man on camera. When the suspect flees, Aguilar chases and tackles him. Aguilar then holds the man for police. WATCH ABOVE

Check out the anchor! It's current KTRK 13 assistant news director Don Kobos (and former KTRK reporter). The reporter on the story was Stephen Gauvain (1946 - 1996).

UPDATE
The story behind the classic clip

RELATED
- Former KTRK 13 reporter Carlos Aguilar debuts new TV show
- John Thomas Kobos lands anchor gig at KIII 3 Corpus Christi

Deborah Wrigley exits KTRK abc13

UPDATE AUGUST 2020
Deborah Wrigley to leave abc13 KTRK


UPDATE SEPTEMBER 06, 2016
Deborah Wrigley returns to KTRK abc13


Former bosses praise longtime channel 13 reporter Deborah Wrigley as she leaves the station

McGuff with Wayne Dolcefino & Deborah Wrigley (2015)

Longtime KTRK abc13 reporter Deborah Wrigley is no longer with the Disney/ABC Television Group station.

"We are disappointed she turned down our offer to maintain a relationship with us," KTRK VP of Creative Services David Lee told mikemcguff.com. "We wish her the very best and appreciate her years of service."

Thursday, Wrigley's bio was removed from the station's website. There has been no mention of any departure on her social media accounts.

After 37 years or so, you can call Wrigley two things, an amazing writer and survivor. Let's focus on the latter for a moment. She is the last standing reporter from when she started (this is excluding anchors). Can you imagine all of the big stories in that time she has covered?

"Every major city has that one person who is a great writer, knows the city inside and out and can turn stories that are compelling, hard hitting or will put a tear in your eye," former KTRK news director Dave Strickland told mikemcguff.com. "Deborah is that journalist and Houston is a lessor place without her on our streets reporting."

As far as reporting, Wrigley knows her storytelling. She understands how to get to the heart of a story.

TV staffers will understand this aspect about her writing. If you look at one of her scripts, it would not naturally be cut and pasted over to a web story. She knows how to write specifically for TV in a simple and clear way so it has natural flow for the TV audience. I think this is a style that has been lost over the years.

"She is one of the best news writers in the business," former KTRK assistant news director Don Kobos told mikemcguff.com. "There isn't a story in Houston that she hasn't covered and covered well. Deborah's departure negatively impacts KTRK."

And don't get me started on her institutional knowledge of Houston. Tie Wrigley's historical perspective with her love of history and you get one compelling story. I'd day almost untouchable in this aspect.

If you are talking about Wrigley, then you have to mention animals. Her love for our four-legged friends is so well known. Any KTRK producer or assignments editor knows to automatically assign Wrigley to animal stories because her passion will show through.

Where does her flair for reporting come from? It actually doesn't come from a journalism degree, but a University of Houston English degree and maybe even from Hollywood of all places.

Deborah's father, Dewey Wrigley, did visual effects and cinematography for the likes of Cecil B. Demille. He was under contract with Paramount his daughter once wrote.

Naturally, Wrigley had a following with the Houston television viewing audience. I have two personal experiences with this.

One time while working at channel 13, I was sent to interview a couple in Pasadena for a consumer segment. When we wrapped up the questions, all they wanted to talk with me about was Deborah Wrigley. She had apparently interviewed them many years before our meeting that day and they loved and followed her ever since. If I remember correctly, the couple had fled their burning apartment building all those years ago, but on that tragic day, were thrilled they got to meet Deborah Wrigley as a result.

When I was reporting for KIAH 39 years ago now, I was dispatched to a brutal convenience store robbery on the east side of the viewing area. Well, Wrigley had been there to cover the story the day before and the employees were still talking about it. After my interview, Wrigley was the topic of conversation, not the clean up after the crime. Once again, these people had just gone through a harrowing experience, but at least they were excited they got to meet Deborah Wrigley as a result.

Let me say from working in the industry and now blogging about it in my underwear, viewers are not usually this excited about meeting TV journalists these days from what I can tell.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 06, 2016
Deborah Wrigley returns to KTRK abc13

Dave Ward honored with street name next to abc13 Houston studios

Dave Ward is so beloved by the city of Houston for his 50 years of broadcasting service to the community, that he now has his own honorary named street next to the KTRK studios.

- The Dave Ward memoir

"I want to thank you all, I can't tell you what this means to me," Ward remarked to the crowd of family and friends gathered for the street sign unveiling. "I got my name on a building now, I got my name on a street. I guess a few people in Houston have heard of me."

As of Tuesday August, 8, 2023, the intersection of 3400 Bissonnet Street and 5200 Westchester has a blue marker on top of the red Upper Kirby district street sign that displays "Honorary Dave Ward Place." 

The abc13 studios are right there at 3310 Bissonnet. Ward's wife, Laura, helped orchestrate the big honor.

Channel 13 employees of past and present were in attendance to show their love for Houston's anchorman. 

"I sat next to Dave Ward for basically, 27 years, and he is more than just a colleague, he was family, he's my friend," former Ward co-anchor Shara Fryer told mikemcguff.com. "And the respect we had for each other, and the respect he showed me as a young person at the time when i came to work here, and now I'm seeing this culmination. There is a Crime Stoppers building named for him. And now a street corner named for him."

"Dave was part of the building and I guess now he's part of the street," joked retired abc13 traffic anchor and "Good Morning Houston" host Don Nelson to mikemcguff.com.

"Long overdue," former KTRK news director Dave Strickland told mikemcguff.com.  "Dave Ward is a legend and it's good to see his work as the 'Voice of Houston' immortalized next to the station where he dedicated his career."

"Well deserved, Dave is an icon in the community and a well respected journalist who always dealt with facts straight and forward," former KTRK assistant news director/reporter Don Kobos told mikemcguff.com.  "He is highly respected for what he did and what he brought to channel 13."

Right before the big unveiling, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Police Chief Troy Finner and KTRK General Manager Wendy Granato honored Ward. 

"For a long time, we've wanted to do something special to honor Dave's contribution to the community," Mayor Turner told the guests.  "And we thought an honorary street sign near Channel 13 made the most sense because he spent so much of his personal and professional life right here." 

Ward signed-off abc13 as evening anchor in May 2017.

- Dave Ward's honor saved by waitress and other radio stories
- Dave Ward announces new book 'Good Evening, Friends'
- Dave Ward's father did not want him working at KTRK and other stories
- How Dave Ward found love in charity
- Dave Ward traveled with the Houston Oilers for $15
- Dave Ward can captivate a room and a parade

Dave Ward's funeral service was a touching tribute to a Houston icon

ABC13 Houston KTRK Anchor Emeritus Dave Ward was laid to rest today, starting with his funeral service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church on Sage. 

Ward, 86, died Saturday evening after several years battling medical challenges culminating in a bout of pneumonia.

I was asked to be an honorary pallbearer for the service, which meant a lot to me.

Many in the crowd felt this day marked the end of an era for television news, but even amid the sadness, the palpable celebration of a man who had impacted Houston in so many ways was evident.

The touching ceremony began with biblical readings from his stepdaughters, Rachelle Rowe and Corey Flores, with an additional reading from his granddaughter, Sarah Heatley.

Three emotional eulogies were offered by friends of Ward's who all saw a different side of the iconic Houston journalist: Dave Strickland, his former producer and eventual news director; Jim McGrath, his biography's co-author; and restaurant magnate, Houston Rockets owner, and current United States Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta.

A surprise recording Ward made a year ago played through the church's speakers as the anchor's last goodbye. Hearing that familiar booming voice echo through the sanctuary was as close to an in-person goodbye as attendees could get.

The white gloved pallbearers were Dr. Mohammed Attar, Jim McGrath, Jeff Bagwell, Jim McInvale, Gary Becker, Dan Pastorini, Anthony Buzbee, Dave Strickland, Tilman Fertitta, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire.

Honorary pallbearers included Tom Abrahams, Ted Oberg, Mike McGuff, Elvin Bethea, John Mubarak, Wayne Dolcefino, Don Nelson, Tony Gracely, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Tim Heller, Dr. Tom Sawyer, Bob Jackson, Justin Sternberg, Don Kobos, Bob Slovak, and Tom Koch. 

The Rev. Dane E. Boston and The Rev. Lisa R. Neilson oversaw the funeral.

The funeral was aired live on Channel 13 and live-streamed on ABC13+. You can watch the service with the additional KTRK coverage here.

- Dave Ward honored at ABC13 and Crime Stoppers