Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers exits weather center

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June 1st has been a day of departures in the Houston media as we have already seen KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez announce departures from their respective stations.

Late Friday, we learned that Fox 26 KRIV morning and mid-day meteorologist Kristi Powers is leaving too. Here is what she posted on her station Facebook page:

"To my Facebook family, I am sad to inform you that I will no longer bring you the weather on FOX 26 Morning & Noon News ... we have parted ways. My contract came up on June 1st and a new one has not be signed. Thank you for your support and allowing me to bring you the weather over the past 4 years, from the destructive Hurricane Ike to our recent historic drought.

To the many great friends I've made at FOX, I will miss working alongside you and seeing your faces everyday.
To my weather colleagues (Jim, JD, & Mike), it's been a pleasure being a part of such a great team. I know you will continue to hold yourself to the highest standard and deliver the most accurate forecast possible for the viewers."

According to her bio, Powers returned to Houston to work at KRIV in 2008. You might remember her as the WB 39 Weekend Meteorologist from 2000 to 2003. After that she worked as a weekend meteorologist/reporter at WOFL-TV in Orlando, FL, another FOX owned and operated station. The award winning meteorologist also worked in Portland, Memphis and Gainesville.

KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

To contact us Click HERE
Friday night I blogged how at the end of the day, the Houston media lost three on-air folks - Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers, KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez.

Well, June 2nd we learn that KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Winston Dutchin is checking out too.

Dutchin announced the news on Twitter Saturday.

With mixed emotions, my family and I are leaving Houston and moving to Seattle. We are terribly excited to raise our two young boys closer to family, but Houston will always hold a special place in my heart.

This city and it's people welcomed us, and our kids will always be native Texans.

Special thanks to everyone at Local 2, especially @RandyMcIlvoy @adamclanton @Allen_Reid @DarylGeorge. I couldn't have been more blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful and talented people in the sports department.

Thank you, Houston!

According to his bio, Dutchin joined KPRC Local 2 as executive sports producer, reporter and anchor in December 2006. Before that, he spent eight years working at KMIR in Palm Springs, CA as a sports reporter. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

RELATED
KPRC 2 sports guy Winston Dutchin welcomes new son

KHOU 11's Courtney Zubowski joins the I-Team

To contact us Click HERE
The KHOU I-Team is adding a new reporter to its ranks and station management didn't have to go far to find her.

Current KHOU reporter Courtney Zubowski will step into the new slot a KHOU publicity representative has confirmed to me.

"I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," Zubowski told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU has some of the best talent around and I'm proud to be part of the team."

Zubowski joined KHOU 11 in January of 2008. She came from another Belo station, KTVK in Phoenix. Before that she anchored and reported at KFDM in Beaumont. She graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Houston's Bellaire High School.

I'm personally excited about Zubowski's promotion. Why? I think I might have mentioned before that Zubowski and I were in the same elementary class together!

The KHOU I-Team has gone through some changes over the last few years. We saw the unit add a bunch of reporters in 2010 (the unit's members were eventually dropped down to the original number). Then the award winning Mark Greenblatt left for ABC News to be replaced with Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis.

RELATED
- PICS: KTRK 13's Miya Shay & Gene Wu's engagement party
- Houston media members dress up as toys

Houston Rockets land on Sportstalk 790 KBME

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Clear Channel and The Houston Rockets have agreed to a multi-year agreement to make Sportstalk 790 KBME the new home of the Houston Rockets beginning with the 2012/13 NBA season.

“I’m elated with our new partnership with the Houston Rockets. Clear Channel Media &
Entertainment and the Houston Rockets both have track records of striving for excellence. The excitement will start Thursday with one of the most anticipated drafts in Rockets history. We look forward to providing Rockets fans with the highest quality game broadcasts as well as an incredible environment to voice their opinions on Houston’s new Home of the Rockets Sportstalk 790,” said Eddie Martiny, President/Market Manager, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Houston.

Under the new partnership agreement, Rockets fans will be able to hear all regular season and pre-season games in addition to pre-game, post game and other Rockets’ related programming on Sportstalk 790. Select games will also be broadcast on Newstalk 740 KTRH and Sunny 99.1 FM.

“We are very excited about our partnership with SportsTalk 790 and the Clear Channel family to bring Rockets games, as well as a broad range of shoulder programming, to fans throughout Houston and beyond,” said Rockets CEO Tad Brown. “With a great draft coming up, NBA All-Star ‘13 at Toyota Center and a talented young team looking to take the next step, the future is very bright for Rockets fans everywhere. We greatly appreciate the partnership with Clear Channel to deliver unique, compelling programming to our fans.”

The new era of Houston Rockets basketball on Sportstalk 790 launches Thursday, June 28 with live coverage of the 2012 NBA Draft. The special live broadcast from Toyota Center airs from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. and will feature SportsTalk 790 hosts joined by the Houston Rocket broadcast team as the Rockets make their 2012 draft selections.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with a team that has the championship legacy of the Rockets. We’re looking forward to bringing our listeners all of the action as the Rockets push for another championship this coming season and beyond,” said Bryan Erickson, Director of AM Operations, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Houston.

The KBME Sportstalk 790 programming line-up:
• The Big Show with Matt Jackson, Adam Wexler and Lance Zierlein from 6-10:00 a.m.
• In the Trenches with Koch & Kalu from 10-11:00 a.m.
• The Mighty Gwinn from 11:00 a.m. to noon
• Matt Thomas from noon to 3:00 p.m.
• Charlie Pallilo from 3-7:00 p.m.

(This post was from a Clear Channel Houston release sent to me)

KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

To contact us Click HERE
Friday night I blogged how at the end of the day, the Houston media lost three on-air folks - Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers, KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez.

Well, June 2nd we learn that KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Winston Dutchin is checking out too.

Dutchin announced the news on Twitter Saturday.

With mixed emotions, my family and I are leaving Houston and moving to Seattle. We are terribly excited to raise our two young boys closer to family, but Houston will always hold a special place in my heart.

This city and it's people welcomed us, and our kids will always be native Texans.

Special thanks to everyone at Local 2, especially @RandyMcIlvoy @adamclanton @Allen_Reid @DarylGeorge. I couldn't have been more blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful and talented people in the sports department.

Thank you, Houston!

According to his bio, Dutchin joined KPRC Local 2 as executive sports producer, reporter and anchor in December 2006. Before that, he spent eight years working at KMIR in Palm Springs, CA as a sports reporter. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

RELATED
KPRC 2 sports guy Winston Dutchin welcomes new son

KHOU 11's Courtney Zubowski joins the I-Team

To contact us Click HERE
The KHOU I-Team is adding a new reporter to its ranks and station management didn't have to go far to find her.

Current KHOU reporter Courtney Zubowski will step into the new slot a KHOU publicity representative has confirmed to me.

"I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," Zubowski told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU has some of the best talent around and I'm proud to be part of the team."

Zubowski joined KHOU 11 in January of 2008. She came from another Belo station, KTVK in Phoenix. Before that she anchored and reported at KFDM in Beaumont. She graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Houston's Bellaire High School.

I'm personally excited about Zubowski's promotion. Why? I think I might have mentioned before that Zubowski and I were in the same elementary class together!

The KHOU I-Team has gone through some changes over the last few years. We saw the unit add a bunch of reporters in 2010 (the unit's members were eventually dropped down to the original number). Then the award winning Mark Greenblatt left for ABC News to be replaced with Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis.

RELATED
- PICS: KTRK 13's Miya Shay & Gene Wu's engagement party
- Houston media members dress up as toys

740 KTRH's Samantha Jordan leaves for WDBO 96.5

To contact us Click HERE
Samantha Jordan, the on-air web reporter for 740 KTRH, is leaving the station after two years.

She's heading to WDBO 96.5 as a reporter and anchor in Orlando, FL.

"I’ve got all my friends and family there and it feels great to be able to have this opportunity to work with an amazing news station in the city I grew up in," Jordan told me in an email. "I appreciate all that KTRH has done for me. They brought me to a major market where I learned valuable lessons and I will miss the team that I’ve worked with every day."

It was reported in late May that Jordan was leaving Houston, but that was retracted. She says the deal was not "set in stone yet" at that point.

Jordan's last day will be June 26th.

New faces of Houston TV

To contact us Click HERE
The last year has been very busy around the Houston TV world. For me, it seems unusually busy with new television faces popping up across the dial at all of the stations (some more than others).

Here are all the new faces on Houston TV in the last year.

KPRC 2 grabs Mark Boyle from WFTV 9 Orlando

KHOU 11's Chita Johnson from KRCR can dance and rap
- PICS: KHOU 11's Chita Johnson with Texans cheerleaders
- VIDEO: KHOU 11's Chita Johnson dances with the Houston Texans cheerleaders

New KPRC 2 reporter Irika Sargent knows the law
- New KPRC 2 weekend anchor Irika Sargent has big debut

Fox 26 KRIV hires network correspondent Don Teague as main anchor
- Fox 26 KRIV anchor Don Teague answers 3 questions with Mike McGuff

KHOU 11 hires KABC's Lisa Hernandez as main anchor
- KHOU 11 welcomes KABC anchor Lisa Hernandez

KHOU 11 grabs reporter Larry Seward from KSHB Kansas City

Fox 26 KRIV grabs KCBS' Rita Garcia for weekend anchor
- Fox 26 KRIV adds new weekend newscasts

KHOU 11 grabs Rekha Muddaraj from KFMB San Diego

KHOU 11 puts Lily Jang in mornings from KCPQ Q13 Seattle

KHOU 11 hires Malini Basu as reporter

KTRK 13 taps David Nuno of Yahoo! Sports

KTRK 13 hires Pooja Lodhia from FOX 4 WFTX

KHOU 11 hires Andrew Horansky from KVUE Austin

KHOU 11 hires Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis

KPRC 2 hires anchor Phillip Mena from KTSM/KDBC El Paso

KHOU 11 hires Tim Wetzel from WTVF 5 Nashville

KTRK 13 hires Crystal Kobza, formerly of KOB

KPRC 2 grabs Gary Striewski from KGWN 5 Cheyenne, WY

KHOU 11 bets on Drew Karedes from KTNV Las Vegas

KPRC 2 scores Kyle Montgomery for weekend sports

KPRC 2 steals Nick Giovanni, the WJXT 4 utility guy

Mia Gradney to KHOU 11

To contact us Click HERE
What has been the number one question I've been getting asked regarding Houston TV? Where is former KIAH 39 anchor Mia Gradney going?

We have our answer as of today.

Multiple sources tell me she is going to KHOU 11 as a reporter starting July 2nd.

Gradney is from Houston and was an anchor of a station with billboards of her face all over town, I figured she would end up at a station around here. I'm sure she has a lot of viewer recognition behind her.

It was only the beginning of June when Gradney left KIAH 39 officially.  It sure didn't take long for the next gig.

I have reached out to Gradney for comment.

BTW, this could be the last post for a few days.  We just got back into town and my entire family is sick - including me.  Thanks to everyone who sent me news of a station change last Friday.  I am told I will have more info on that soon.

740 KTRH's Joe Gomez to 1080 KRLD

To contact us Click HERE
740 KTRH reporter Joe Gomez is leaving for NewsRadio 1080 KRLD in Dallas Fort-Worth. He will continue his role as a reporter for the CBS owned station.

"I had many great times at KTRH and got the opportunity to get my feet wet in a major market," Gomez told mikemcguff.com. "I'll take away some valuable lessons about the business from my time there and thank all the amazing people I worked with."

According to his bio, Gomez is a regular on the CBS and Fox Radio Networks. Some of the hightlights of his time on KTRH include going undercover in Juarez, Mexico and traveling into the pirate-infested waters of Falcon Lake.

Here is video of Gomez in action.

Gomez will be in Houston for a few more weeks.

"I'm looking ahead to KRLD in Dallas now and hope that I can help an already award winning radio station achieve further greatness," Gomez told me.

RELATED
740 KTRH's Lois Melkonian leaves Houston

KIAH 39's Mia Gradney exits the Tribune station

To contact us Click HERE

Mia Gradney

One of the last remaining on-air elements from KIAH 39's former newscast is no longer with the station. Former 39 News anchor Mia Gradney tells me she has left the station.

“For the past twelve years, I’ve been blessed with wonderful opportunities and achievements at CW 39," Gradney told mikemcguff.com. "It’s been quite the professional journey but it’s time for me to move on.“

Since the ending of KIAH's old news and the debut of NewsFix, Gradney has been anchoring Houston cut-ins on Tribune's syndicated Eye Opener show. Until a few months ago, Gradney was also apart of the show which originates from KDAF 33 in Dallas.

KIAH-TV’s vice president and general manager Roger Bare told me, the station is now re-branding those Eye Opener local cut-ins.

"We're re-branding the local news segments in Eye Opener as NewsFix Morning," Bare revealed.

The award-winning Gradney is a native Houstonian who returned home in 2000 to launch the last incarnation of 39's traditional news. She started as a reporter and was eventually promoted to the solo main anchor.

Gradney started in television behind the scenes at KTRK 13. She later became a reporter/anchor at KBMT in Beaumont before returning to Houston.

RELATED
KIAH 39 News: The last days in photo

This post has been updated with Gradney's comment.

Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers exits weather center

To contact us Click HERE
June 1st has been a day of departures in the Houston media as we have already seen KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez announce departures from their respective stations.

Late Friday, we learned that Fox 26 KRIV morning and mid-day meteorologist Kristi Powers is leaving too. Here is what she posted on her station Facebook page:

"To my Facebook family, I am sad to inform you that I will no longer bring you the weather on FOX 26 Morning & Noon News ... we have parted ways. My contract came up on June 1st and a new one has not be signed. Thank you for your support and allowing me to bring you the weather over the past 4 years, from the destructive Hurricane Ike to our recent historic drought.

To the many great friends I've made at FOX, I will miss working alongside you and seeing your faces everyday.
To my weather colleagues (Jim, JD, & Mike), it's been a pleasure being a part of such a great team. I know you will continue to hold yourself to the highest standard and deliver the most accurate forecast possible for the viewers."

According to her bio, Powers returned to Houston to work at KRIV in 2008. You might remember her as the WB 39 Weekend Meteorologist from 2000 to 2003. After that she worked as a weekend meteorologist/reporter at WOFL-TV in Orlando, FL, another FOX owned and operated station. The award winning meteorologist also worked in Portland, Memphis and Gainesville.

KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

To contact us Click HERE
Friday night I blogged how at the end of the day, the Houston media lost three on-air folks - Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers, KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez.

Well, June 2nd we learn that KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Winston Dutchin is checking out too.

Dutchin announced the news on Twitter Saturday.

With mixed emotions, my family and I are leaving Houston and moving to Seattle. We are terribly excited to raise our two young boys closer to family, but Houston will always hold a special place in my heart.

This city and it's people welcomed us, and our kids will always be native Texans.

Special thanks to everyone at Local 2, especially @RandyMcIlvoy @adamclanton @Allen_Reid @DarylGeorge. I couldn't have been more blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful and talented people in the sports department.

Thank you, Houston!

According to his bio, Dutchin joined KPRC Local 2 as executive sports producer, reporter and anchor in December 2006. Before that, he spent eight years working at KMIR in Palm Springs, CA as a sports reporter. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

RELATED
KPRC 2 sports guy Winston Dutchin welcomes new son

740 KTRH's Samantha Jordan leaves for WDBO 96.5

To contact us Click HERE
Samantha Jordan, the on-air web reporter for 740 KTRH, is leaving the station after two years.

She's heading to WDBO 96.5 as a reporter and anchor in Orlando, FL.

"I’ve got all my friends and family there and it feels great to be able to have this opportunity to work with an amazing news station in the city I grew up in," Jordan told me in an email. "I appreciate all that KTRH has done for me. They brought me to a major market where I learned valuable lessons and I will miss the team that I’ve worked with every day."

It was reported in late May that Jordan was leaving Houston, but that was retracted. She says the deal was not "set in stone yet" at that point.

Jordan's last day will be June 26th.

Sam Malone and Maria Todd together again? - photo proof

To contact us Click HERE

Houston radio's Sam Malone has been a very popular topic on this blog lately. You might have heard he was let go from 700 KSEV The Voice - replaced by The MACK Show with Richard Mack Machowicz a couple of weeks ago.

So then I bring you this...Doing my best impression of TMZ or the Gawker Stalker for the Houston radio royalty set, here is photographic evidence of Malone with his "radio wife" and former 104.1 KRBE partner, Maria Todd (current News92FM KROI weekend anchor).

"Had dinner [the other] night at Grotto with my radio wife Maria Todd," Malone told mikemcguff.com. "We sat there for 3 hours drinking Scotch and eating stuffed peppers! What a great evening."

No doubt it is Grotto from the unmistakable paint decorations on the wall.

So what's going on here? Is this just two friends catching up or are they teasing us with a possible radio reunion? We've been teased with this possibility before.






RELATED
- Should Sam Malone have stayed at 104.1 KRBE?
- Sam Malone on 700 KSEV mornings
- Sam Malone is back on KSEV 700
- Hear Houston radio's Sam Malone again
- Sam Malone of KRBE, KHMX talks to Mike McGuff

KIAH 39's Mia Gradney exits the Tribune station

To contact us Click HERE

Mia Gradney

One of the last remaining on-air elements from KIAH 39's former newscast is no longer with the station. Former 39 News anchor Mia Gradney tells me she has left the station.

“For the past twelve years, I’ve been blessed with wonderful opportunities and achievements at CW 39," Gradney told mikemcguff.com. "It’s been quite the professional journey but it’s time for me to move on.“

Since the ending of KIAH's old news and the debut of NewsFix, Gradney has been anchoring Houston cut-ins on Tribune's syndicated Eye Opener show. Until a few months ago, Gradney was also apart of the show which originates from KDAF 33 in Dallas.

KIAH-TV’s vice president and general manager Roger Bare told me, the station is now re-branding those Eye Opener local cut-ins.

"We're re-branding the local news segments in Eye Opener as NewsFix Morning," Bare revealed.

The award-winning Gradney is a native Houstonian who returned home in 2000 to launch the last incarnation of 39's traditional news. She started as a reporter and was eventually promoted to the solo main anchor.

Gradney started in television behind the scenes at KTRK 13. She later became a reporter/anchor at KBMT in Beaumont before returning to Houston.

RELATED
KIAH 39 News: The last days in photo

This post has been updated with Gradney's comment.

KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

To contact us Click HERE
Friday night I blogged how at the end of the day, the Houston media lost three on-air folks - Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers, KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez.

Well, June 2nd we learn that KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Winston Dutchin is checking out too.

Dutchin announced the news on Twitter Saturday.

With mixed emotions, my family and I are leaving Houston and moving to Seattle. We are terribly excited to raise our two young boys closer to family, but Houston will always hold a special place in my heart.

This city and it's people welcomed us, and our kids will always be native Texans.

Special thanks to everyone at Local 2, especially @RandyMcIlvoy @adamclanton @Allen_Reid @DarylGeorge. I couldn't have been more blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful and talented people in the sports department.

Thank you, Houston!

According to his bio, Dutchin joined KPRC Local 2 as executive sports producer, reporter and anchor in December 2006. Before that, he spent eight years working at KMIR in Palm Springs, CA as a sports reporter. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

RELATED
KPRC 2 sports guy Winston Dutchin welcomes new son

KHOU 11's Courtney Zubowski joins the I-Team

To contact us Click HERE
The KHOU I-Team is adding a new reporter to its ranks and station management didn't have to go far to find her.

Current KHOU reporter Courtney Zubowski will step into the new slot a KHOU publicity representative has confirmed to me.

"I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," Zubowski told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU has some of the best talent around and I'm proud to be part of the team."

Zubowski joined KHOU 11 in January of 2008. She came from another Belo station, KTVK in Phoenix. Before that she anchored and reported at KFDM in Beaumont. She graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Houston's Bellaire High School.

I'm personally excited about Zubowski's promotion. Why? I think I might have mentioned before that Zubowski and I were in the same elementary class together!

The KHOU I-Team has gone through some changes over the last few years. We saw the unit add a bunch of reporters in 2010 (the unit's members were eventually dropped down to the original number). Then the award winning Mark Greenblatt left for ABC News to be replaced with Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis.

RELATED
- PICS: KTRK 13's Miya Shay & Gene Wu's engagement party
- Houston media members dress up as toys

740 KTRH's Samantha Jordan leaves for WDBO 96.5

To contact us Click HERE
Samantha Jordan, the on-air web reporter for 740 KTRH, is leaving the station after two years.

She's heading to WDBO 96.5 as a reporter and anchor in Orlando, FL.

"I’ve got all my friends and family there and it feels great to be able to have this opportunity to work with an amazing news station in the city I grew up in," Jordan told me in an email. "I appreciate all that KTRH has done for me. They brought me to a major market where I learned valuable lessons and I will miss the team that I’ve worked with every day."

It was reported in late May that Jordan was leaving Houston, but that was retracted. She says the deal was not "set in stone yet" at that point.

Jordan's last day will be June 26th.

KHOU 11 and CultureMap team up

To contact us Click HERE
Previously CultureMap Houston teamed up with KTRK 13's website abc13.com in a content sharing agreement. However today, I received this release from KHOU 11 about teaming up with Culturemap:

KHOU 11, the CBS affiliate in Houston, and CultureMap, Houston’s daily digital magazine, announced today that they will embark on a content sharing partnership spanning television, web, digital and social media platforms.

“We are very excited to kick-off this collaboration with CultureMap,” said Susan McEldoon, KHOU 11 President and General Manager. “We are always looking for fresh, new ways to better serve our local audience. This relationship provides both of our organizations the opportunity to enhance our product with quality content that is relevant, unique and local.”

“CultureMap is pleased to work with KHOU 11 on such a dynamic partnership with such a great partner,” said Stephen Newman, CEO of CultureMap. “Our goal as Houston’s daily digital magazine is to provide the most up-to-date news and information on Houston culture, lifestyle and quality of life. As a result of this partnership, we will heighten our audience experience of the site, providing deeper insider intelligence and a platform for discussion.”
Starting immediately, KHOU 11 will feature CultureMap content in live programming, including the “CultureMap Moment” in newscasts and segments on its morning talk show Great Day Houston. KHOU 11 will also expand its digital offerings by linking to CultureMap content.

“KHOU 11 digital users will have immediate access to the latest information from CultureMap, including what’s hot on the social scene, the best in local cuisine, home & design, fashion – the list goes on. Headlines will be updated daily and available with a click on KHOU.com and by downloading the KHOU 11 app for smartphones and iPad,” added Christine DiStadio, KHOU 11 Director of Digital Media.
Likewise, CultureMap will feature the latest news and featured videos from KHOU 11 on its homepage and throughout the site. Plus, breaking news from KHOU 11 will be updated instantaneously on CultureMap as it happens. Culturally relevant content from the TV station will appear on the site in other areas such as fashion, art, sports and food/drink.

“Our highly regarded editorial team and contributors will work closely with KHOU 11’s award-winning news teams to report on stories, places and people that matter in the greater Houston area,” said Clifford Pugh, Editor-in-Chief of CultureMap. “Our goal is to establish a network of information sharing that is mutually beneficial to both news organizations.”

“We both know Houston and are dedicated to telling compelling stories about this great city,” said KHOU 11’s Executive News Director Philip Bruce. “It’s really like two old friends coming together to share things they’ve learned about a place they love. And the great thing about it is that we’ll never run out of stories to tell.”

KIAH 39's Mia Gradney exits the Tribune station

To contact us Click HERE

Mia Gradney

One of the last remaining on-air elements from KIAH 39's former newscast is no longer with the station. Former 39 News anchor Mia Gradney tells me she has left the station.

“For the past twelve years, I’ve been blessed with wonderful opportunities and achievements at CW 39," Gradney told mikemcguff.com. "It’s been quite the professional journey but it’s time for me to move on.“

Since the ending of KIAH's old news and the debut of NewsFix, Gradney has been anchoring Houston cut-ins on Tribune's syndicated Eye Opener show. Until a few months ago, Gradney was also apart of the show which originates from KDAF 33 in Dallas.

KIAH-TV’s vice president and general manager Roger Bare told me, the station is now re-branding those Eye Opener local cut-ins.

"We're re-branding the local news segments in Eye Opener as NewsFix Morning," Bare revealed.

The award-winning Gradney is a native Houstonian who returned home in 2000 to launch the last incarnation of 39's traditional news. She started as a reporter and was eventually promoted to the solo main anchor.

Gradney started in television behind the scenes at KTRK 13. She later became a reporter/anchor at KBMT in Beaumont before returning to Houston.

RELATED
KIAH 39 News: The last days in photo

This post has been updated with Gradney's comment.

KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

To contact us Click HERE
Friday night I blogged how at the end of the day, the Houston media lost three on-air folks - Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers, KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez.

Well, June 2nd we learn that KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Winston Dutchin is checking out too.

Dutchin announced the news on Twitter Saturday.

With mixed emotions, my family and I are leaving Houston and moving to Seattle. We are terribly excited to raise our two young boys closer to family, but Houston will always hold a special place in my heart.

This city and it's people welcomed us, and our kids will always be native Texans.

Special thanks to everyone at Local 2, especially @RandyMcIlvoy @adamclanton @Allen_Reid @DarylGeorge. I couldn't have been more blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful and talented people in the sports department.

Thank you, Houston!

According to his bio, Dutchin joined KPRC Local 2 as executive sports producer, reporter and anchor in December 2006. Before that, he spent eight years working at KMIR in Palm Springs, CA as a sports reporter. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

RELATED
KPRC 2 sports guy Winston Dutchin welcomes new son

KHOU 11's Courtney Zubowski joins the I-Team

To contact us Click HERE
The KHOU I-Team is adding a new reporter to its ranks and station management didn't have to go far to find her.

Current KHOU reporter Courtney Zubowski will step into the new slot a KHOU publicity representative has confirmed to me.

"I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," Zubowski told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU has some of the best talent around and I'm proud to be part of the team."

Zubowski joined KHOU 11 in January of 2008. She came from another Belo station, KTVK in Phoenix. Before that she anchored and reported at KFDM in Beaumont. She graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Houston's Bellaire High School.

I'm personally excited about Zubowski's promotion. Why? I think I might have mentioned before that Zubowski and I were in the same elementary class together!

The KHOU I-Team has gone through some changes over the last few years. We saw the unit add a bunch of reporters in 2010 (the unit's members were eventually dropped down to the original number). Then the award winning Mark Greenblatt left for ABC News to be replaced with Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis.

RELATED
- PICS: KTRK 13's Miya Shay & Gene Wu's engagement party
- Houston media members dress up as toys

KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

To contact us Click HERE
Friday night I blogged how at the end of the day, the Houston media lost three on-air folks - Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers, KIAH 39's Mia Gradney and 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez.

Well, June 2nd we learn that KPRC 2 weekend sports anchor Winston Dutchin is checking out too.

Dutchin announced the news on Twitter Saturday.

With mixed emotions, my family and I are leaving Houston and moving to Seattle. We are terribly excited to raise our two young boys closer to family, but Houston will always hold a special place in my heart.

This city and it's people welcomed us, and our kids will always be native Texans.

Special thanks to everyone at Local 2, especially @RandyMcIlvoy @adamclanton @Allen_Reid @DarylGeorge. I couldn't have been more blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful and talented people in the sports department.

Thank you, Houston!

According to his bio, Dutchin joined KPRC Local 2 as executive sports producer, reporter and anchor in December 2006. Before that, he spent eight years working at KMIR in Palm Springs, CA as a sports reporter. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

RELATED
KPRC 2 sports guy Winston Dutchin welcomes new son

First Houston TV tweet-up with KHOU 11

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Back in January I wrote, "Jang will blow up the Houston media social media scene." Yeah a little redundant in a way, but you get what I mean. And now KHOU 11 anchor Lily Jang is doing what I predicted. The morning anchor is throwing the first ever Houston TV station tweet-up in a few weeks (I don't remember a TV station ever throwing one in the past at least).

"June is Men's Health Awareness Month," Jang told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU is proud to partner with Hotel ZaZa to benefit Blue Cure Foundation. Our social media audience is just as important as our TV audience and this is another way for us to thank you and continue being a Houston news leader."

There will be a red carpet event where attendees can mingle with KHOU 11 news personalities like Jang, Lisa Hernandez, Gene Norman, Shern-Min Chow, Vicente Arenas, Malini Basu, Andrew Horansky, Courtney Zubowski and more. Staff members of CultureMap will be there teaming up with the KHOU folks, too.

Jang, who tweets at @KHOULily, has more than 20,000 followers (here is her Facebook account). She has to be one of the most followed - if not the most followed - person in Houston TV. I asked her how she pulls in those high numbers.

"I don't really have a secret," Jang told me. "I love meeting viewers in person and social media is just another way of fostering these relationships. I follow everyone who follows me and I'm accessible. I post breaking news, but I also post pictures, engage, interact, ask for opinions and give people a behind-the-scenes look at my job and my life. Who I am on Twitter and Facebook is who I am in real life. It's about being genuine."

Back to the tweet-up, 100% of the event proceeds will benefit the Blue Cure Foundation to raise awareness for prostate cancer.
WHEN: Friday, June 15, 2012
TIME: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
WHERE: Hotel ZaZa
5701 Main Street
Houston, Texas 77030

Organizers ask that you tweet using hashtag #KHOU4BlueCure during the event.

More info at bluecure.com and KHOU.

KHOU 11's Courtney Zubowski joins the I-Team

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The KHOU I-Team is adding a new reporter to its ranks and station management didn't have to go far to find her.

Current KHOU reporter Courtney Zubowski will step into the new slot a KHOU publicity representative has confirmed to me.

"I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," Zubowski told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU has some of the best talent around and I'm proud to be part of the team."

Zubowski joined KHOU 11 in January of 2008. She came from another Belo station, KTVK in Phoenix. Before that she anchored and reported at KFDM in Beaumont. She graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Houston's Bellaire High School.

I'm personally excited about Zubowski's promotion. Why? I think I might have mentioned before that Zubowski and I were in the same elementary class together!

The KHOU I-Team has gone through some changes over the last few years. We saw the unit add a bunch of reporters in 2010 (the unit's members were eventually dropped down to the original number). Then the award winning Mark Greenblatt left for ABC News to be replaced with Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis.

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- PICS: KTRK 13's Miya Shay & Gene Wu's engagement party
- Houston media members dress up as toys

740 KTRH's Samantha Jordan leaves for WDBO 96.5

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Samantha Jordan, the on-air web reporter for 740 KTRH, is leaving the station after two years.

She's heading to WDBO 96.5 as a reporter and anchor in Orlando, FL.

"I’ve got all my friends and family there and it feels great to be able to have this opportunity to work with an amazing news station in the city I grew up in," Jordan told me in an email. "I appreciate all that KTRH has done for me. They brought me to a major market where I learned valuable lessons and I will miss the team that I’ve worked with every day."

It was reported in late May that Jordan was leaving Houston, but that was retracted. She says the deal was not "set in stone yet" at that point.

Jordan's last day will be June 26th.

KPRC 2 lands Andy Cerota from KTRK 13

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I hear that Andy Cerota has joined the KPRC 2 news desk.

In fact, he could be at his new station as early as next week.

 Cerota will be both an anchor and a reporter for the Post-Newsweek station.

At the end of May, I reported how Cerota was leaving KTRK after nearly a decade and possibly going across the street to Houston's NBC affiliate. An apparent surprise to many of my readers.

Click here to see a list of other current Houston TV faces who have jumped ship to another local station.

RELATED
- KPRC 2 steals Nick Giovanni, the WJXT 4 utility guy
- KPRC 2 scores Kyle Montgomery for weekend sports
- KPRC 2 launches hurricane app
- KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle

TV reporter vs snake, Houston anchor departures and more

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MORE VIDEO
- TV reporter screams as a snake is placed on her shoulder
- News 8 Daybreak - "Sam Champion"
- Crazy morning LA show gets normal looking promo
- SHOOT THE SUN-LUXURATA

Houston TV anchor departures in the last days

- KIAH 39's Mia Gradney exits the Tribune station
- Fox 26 KRIV's Kristi Powers exits weather center
- KPRC 2's Winston Dutchin leaves for Seattle


Smelling the roses? Jane McGarry makes a move on her Facebook page
Readers of unclebarky.com and anchor Jane McGarry's Facebook friends keep inquiring about her status following a DWI arrest early this month.

Jon Matthews, Conservative Talk-Show Host & Sex Offender, Pulled from KPFT's Prison Show
Convicted talks show host Jon Matthews was brought on by host David Babb to The Prison Show, KPFT's weekly program about the criminal-justice system. That's when the drama started.

Ilona Carson returns
Ilona Carson returns to KTRK 13 Monday after maternity leave.

Wright ready for debut
It would be all too easy for Nick Wright to parachute into Houston in, say, mid-August with Texans hype in full preseason mode.
- SportsRadio 610 KILT hires Nick Wright for mornings

Univision To Launch AM Radio Network
Univision will launch a national, Spanish-language AM radio network featuring local, national and international news. Univision America will include AM stations in nine major Univision markets like Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.

Laura Reynolds and Her Sexy Traffic
Laura Reynolds wears a lot of hats for the various CBS-owned radio stations including 610 AM, 650 AM and 100.3 FM.

Dallas' "Soul 73" KKDA-AM cleans house
Radio-Info.com reported rumors of changes and now has confirmed that Service Broadcasting’s KKDA-AM (Soul 73) Dallas cleaned house last week.

Fox TVs, AccuWeather Partner Up
The weather service will provide 11 stations like KDFW Dallas and KTBC Austin with a 24/7 live streaming video weather channel.

Lawndale's Stellar Studio Show
In 1980 Hurricane Allen hit Brownsville, traveled west and spawned tornadoes in San Antonio. If you search YouTube, you can find a clip of a period San Antonio newscast about the storm from KENS TV Eyewitness News.

Every TV station's a winner in May ratings period
Austin TV stations pulled out all the stops to get you to tune in during May, serving up a dizzying mix of titillating stories focusing on everything from alleged government waste to companies accused of shady business practices.

KEYE ending 'We Are Austin Live,' adding 5 p.m. newscast
Austin television station KEYE says it plans to tweak its afternoon lineup later this month.
- KEYE-TV’s New 5 p.m. Newscast to Ramp up Austin’s News Competition

KGSR picks new morning show host
Kelly Brandt is set to slide into the seat Bryan Beck vacated back in March on 93.3 KGSR.

MOVING
The TV world will miss KPRC 2 local photographer Wally Crow who is heading to Texas Children's Hospital. The TV industry needs more guys like Crow.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- 740 KTRH's Lois Melkonian leaves Houston
- Houston TV anchors face off in challenge
- Sam Malone and Maria Todd together again? - photo proof
- KHOU 11 and CultureMap team up
- 740 KTRH's Joe Gomez to 1080 KRLD

KPRC 2 launches hurricane app

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All of the Houston TV stations have apps. Some have additional weather apps. Now KPRC 2 has launched a hurricane app. Apparently that makes the Post-Newsweek station the first in the market to have an app devoted to hurricane coverage.

I'm stealing this line, but from the old days of “tracking maps” to now “tracking apps.”

“We are excited to introduce a revolutionary weather tool to the Houston Market," KPRC digital and broadcast marketing specialist Hector Garcia said. "Designed by our Post Newsweek team the app also provides emergency preparedness and life saving information to millions of Gulf Coast Area residents.”

The app is available for both Android and Apple iOS platforms.

KPRC 2 scores Kyle Montgomery for weekend sports

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Kyle Montgomery

I know...I know...I just said this morning that I was taking time off from the blog and here I am already posting again.  Call me obsessed but it is not everyday that KPRC 2 hires a new weekend sports guy.

Just after former KPRC weekend sports dude Winston Dutchin moved to Seattle, the Post-Newsweek station has hired Kyle Montgomery to take his spot.

"I'm honored to be joining KPRC's talented staff and having the opportunity to work in such a great sports town," Montgomery told mikemcguff.com. "I'm a Midwest guy originally from Kansas City where Bar B Q and football is king so it should be an easy transition for me considering that the Texans are Super Bowl contenders and Texas has the second best ribs in the country!"

Montgomery comes from Raycom Sports' Atlantic Coast Conference channel where he's been since the fall of 2011. Before that Montgomery worked at NBA TV's GameTime and The Jump. From 2008-2011, he was with Turner Sports and hosted Cartoon Networks first sports show Run it Back. He also worked at WSFA 12 Montgomery, AL.

"I'm a homer what can I say," Montgomery told me. "I plan to provide viewers with a fun, exciting and enjoyable sports experience as much as possible and I'm anxious to become a part of the Houston community. If you see me out and about give me a shout or a glass of water if you see me struggling with the heat."

Montgomery tells me he starts next Wednesday, June 13th.

KHOU 11's Courtney Zubowski joins the I-Team

To contact us Click HERE
The KHOU I-Team is adding a new reporter to its ranks and station management didn't have to go far to find her.

Current KHOU reporter Courtney Zubowski will step into the new slot a KHOU publicity representative has confirmed to me.

"I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," Zubowski told mikemcguff.com. "KHOU has some of the best talent around and I'm proud to be part of the team."

Zubowski joined KHOU 11 in January of 2008. She came from another Belo station, KTVK in Phoenix. Before that she anchored and reported at KFDM in Beaumont. She graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Houston's Bellaire High School.

I'm personally excited about Zubowski's promotion. Why? I think I might have mentioned before that Zubowski and I were in the same elementary class together!

The KHOU I-Team has gone through some changes over the last few years. We saw the unit add a bunch of reporters in 2010 (the unit's members were eventually dropped down to the original number). Then the award winning Mark Greenblatt left for ABC News to be replaced with Scott Noll ‏from WREG Memphis.

RELATED
- PICS: KTRK 13's Miya Shay & Gene Wu's engagement party
- Houston media members dress up as toys

740 KTRH's Samantha Jordan leaves for WDBO 96.5

To contact us Click HERE
Samantha Jordan, the on-air web reporter for 740 KTRH, is leaving the station after two years.

She's heading to WDBO 96.5 as a reporter and anchor in Orlando, FL.

"I’ve got all my friends and family there and it feels great to be able to have this opportunity to work with an amazing news station in the city I grew up in," Jordan told me in an email. "I appreciate all that KTRH has done for me. They brought me to a major market where I learned valuable lessons and I will miss the team that I’ve worked with every day."

It was reported in late May that Jordan was leaving Houston, but that was retracted. She says the deal was not "set in stone yet" at that point.

Jordan's last day will be June 26th.

NBC5 KXAS Announces Construction Of State-of-the-Art Media Facility

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NBC 5 / KXAS-TV has finalized plans for construction of a state-of-the-art broadcasting and multimedia news facility to be located in The CentrePort Business Park, just south of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

The technologically advanced facility is being specifically designed to provide the resources for journalists to collect, interpret and report the news and information most relevant to North Texans 24-hours each day on multiple distribution platforms.

The 75,000-square-foot building will combine NBC 5 facilities currently located in east Fort Worth and Dallas to the 8.1 acre site in Fort Worth. The project developer, KDC, will commence construction at the end of June with completion slated for late 2013.

"We have a long history of local broadcasting firsts and have been operating from our original east Fort Worth studios for 64 years," said Tom Ehlmann, NBC 5 President and General Manager. "As the North Texas area grew, we added a facility in Dallas. Now we will combine operations into one first-class operation to better serve our viewers and advertisers via television, the internet, mobile and still developing technologies."

NBC 5 / KXAS-TV signed-on as WBAP-TV on September 27, 1948 as the first facility in the southwestern U.S. specifically designed for television. Amon G. Carter, Fort Worth Star-Telegram publisher, businessman and civic leader, dedicated the studios that expanded his media business into the exciting new technology of TV.

The new facility will be located at 4805 Amon Carter Boulevard in Fort Worth.

"It's fitting that the facility will be located on a street named in honor of our founder, Amon Carter," said Ehlmann. "We worked closely with the City of Fort Worth to remain in Fort Worth, yet locate in a more centralized location to better serve all the communities of North Texas."

"NBC 5's new facility will be an iconic, long-term institution at CentrePort," said Bill Guthrey, Senior Vice President, KDC. "The NBC Team will be able to take full advantage of the quick access to all parts of the Metroplex and enjoy the many amenities within walking distance."

As part of the agreement to build the new facility in Fort Worth, NBC 5 will convey its current 66,000-square-foot building and 26-acre site in east Fort Worth to the city.

In addition to NBC 5, the new facility will house Telemundo / KXTX-TV and several other smaller businesses associated with NBC Universal, the parent company of NBC 5. A total of approximately 300 people will work at the Amon Carter Boulevard location.

Gary Collett and Matt Heidelbaugh with Cushman & Wakefield were the real estate brokers. Corgan Associates, Inc. is the lead architectural firm.

The CentrePort Business Park is a 1,300 acre master-planned community with a "live-work-play" environment. It is home to more than 70 reputable companies including American Airlines, AT&T, and Mercedes-Benz, as well as 2,000 apartment units and three major hotels. CentrePort also includes 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurants in a pedestrian-friendly design with easy access to the commuter rail line.

ABOUT NBC 5 / KXAS-TVNBC 5 / KXAS-TV is the NBC-owned television station serving the communities of North Texas with quality news and entertainment programming on NBC 5, NBC 5 Nonstop and online at NBCDFW.com.

ABOUT KDCKDC, one of America's leading commercial real estate and investment companies, provides a full range of commercial real estate services including corporate build-to-suit development, acquisitions, corporate facility project/construction management, project financing, asset and land management, and marketing and leasing. KDC is headquartered in Dallas and has offices in Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; and Detroit. For more information, visit kdc.com.

(This post was taken from a press release sent to me by NBC Universal)