Reporter vs fish video, new WFAA hires and more

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Wolf Delkus and a disheveled Dale
The Pete 'n' Dale show, starring weathercaster Pete Delkus and sports anchor Dale Hansen, resumed in earnest Monday on the 6 p.m. edition.

WFAA8 gets Jobin Panicker from KSEE-TV
WFAA8 continues to replenish its reporting staff, adding Jobin Panicker from KSEE.

Jason Wheeler to Dallas
Jason Wheeler joins WFAA from KEYE.

Big Tex blaze makes page one
Big Tex burning was top news in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Reporters Banned From Dentist's Dallas Mansion
A dentist accused of Medicare fraud won a restraining order against the real estate reporter and Belo-owned television station that he claims have defamed him.
- UPDATE: Judge decides WFAA may not photograph dentist's house from air for 13 days
- Dentist Goes to War With Belo Station

NBC owned stations launching multicast channel
The new multicast channel featuring a mix of classic TV shows, movies and original programming will debut on the 10 NBC Owned Television Stations (like KXAS NBC 5) early next year and the group is looking for affiliates in other markets.

IHeartRadio Adds Local News Streams For 20 Cities
Repeating loop of news headlines, weather and traffic for the likes of Dallas and Houston.

Keep it classy, Houston
Ron Burgundy "joins" the KHOU 11 morning team on set.

TV news ready to pull out big guns for sweeps
While everyone gears up for the final stretch of the presidential race, S.A.'s TV-news teams are busy preparing for their own crucial contest - November sweeps.
- Who will you vote for – on local TV?

New GM for San Antonio cluster
Breeanna Malik upgrades from director of sales to market manager of Clear Channel’s seven-station San Antonio cluster.

Spotlighting Austin's Sports Directors: KVUE's Mike Barnes, the shy guy
KVUE's Mike Barnes claims that his on-air persona and off-camera demeanor are quite different.

Fox 7’s Dave Cody, the veteran guy
In the third of a five part series, the dean of Austin sportscasters, Dave Cody, talks about his many great experiences.

Longhorn Network is both blessing, curse for Brown
Texas coach Mack Brown said he is not comfortable with the amount of access the Longhorn Network has to his program.
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New owner of Fox affiliate serving Abilene taps general manager with local ties
Addison-based London Broadcasting Company, the new owner of several television stations in Texas, including Fox affiliates in Abilene and San Angelo, has tapped West Texas native Justin Riggan as vice president and general manager in charge of operations of the newly acquired stations.

Local TV personnel updates and Weekend TV Picks
Mornings and weekends are shaking up on the three major Amarillo newscasts.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Fox 26's Kristin Kane says goodbye
- The 88.7 KUHF NPR drinking game
- KPRC 2's Eric Braate returns to the green screen
- Houston TV anchors who were network stars
- Houston Press' Craig Hlavaty discusses the good and bad of dream jobs
- NBC5 KXAS names Deanna Dewberry Consumer/Investigative Reporter & anchor
- Fox 4 KDFW hires Latoya Silmon
- Dating scam reads like TV sweeps

KTRK 13's Casey Curry talks engagement & doggie tweets

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I’m teaming up with TXU Energy to help get the word out about the upcoming TXU Energy Turkey Trot benefiting Sheltering Arms Senior Services. The race takes place at Dillard’s near the Galleria on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2012.

That means I'm also promoting the Houston media turkey calling contest (The contest will be 10am, Saturday, November 10th at the Houston Zoo - Butterfly Stage in the Children’s Zoo).

The media winner will have the opportunity to designate a public place to have a tree planted by TXU Energy and the Texas Trees Foundation.

KTRK 13's popular morning meteorologist Casey Curry is a participant in the contest. Recently Curry got engaged so I had to get the scoop on that and find out about her dog's Twitter account.

Mike McGuff: The big news for you is that you were recently engaged! Did you see the proposal coming?

Casey Curry: I did not see Carl’s proposal coming at all! It was a total surprise! He’s been planning it for months and even flew to NYC twice to design my ring. Carl says he kept it a secret and didn't tell anyone, except (my dog) Nanook. Of course, Nanook gave her blessing! We’re both very smitten with him.

Carl and I were actually set up by Eyewitness News Reporter Kevin Quinn and his wife, Elizabeth. Needless to say, Elizabeth is very proud of her matchmaking skills! Their three girls are already lobbying to be flower girls at the wedding!

Anyone who follows you on Twitter knows that your dog also has a Twitter account (@NanookCurry). What's been the reaction to that?

Nanook does have a Twitter account. Some people think it’s strange, but she leads a very interesting life and I think it’s fun to be able to share that with people. She’s getting a doggie chiropractic adjustment this week…I’m sure she’ll have lots to tweet about that! My hope is that people will get a bit of joy out of her tweets. Plus, it’s another way to bring attention to some of the organizations helping our furry friends.

You are involved in a lot of animal issues? Why is that important to you?

I have always loved animals. I feel like it is our job to protect and care for those that are vulnerable, especially children and animals. I am so happy that I have a job that allows me to the time and the public platform to be able to bring awareness to issues that are close to my heart. I also really enjoy volunteering my time with groups like Red Collar Rescue (I have successfully fostered 7 dogs for Red Collar Rescue), Friends of BARC, SNAP, Barrio Dogs & CAP. Of course, my other passion is encouraging young people to pursue careers in math and science. I make many appearances each year at area schools to talk about the value of a solid, well-rounded education that focuses on math and science.

In addition to Curry, other Houston media participants include KHOU 11's Lily Jang, Fox 26 KRIV's Natalie Bomke, Houston Press' Craig Hlavaty, the Houston Chronicle/CBS Radio's Anna-Megan Raley and KUBE 57's Todd Freed.

Get all the details for the race and Sheltering Arms Senior Services at http://turkeytrot.shelteringarms.org/.

(This post has been sponsored by TXU Energy. Learn more about the company at txu.com.)

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Where is KTRK's Wayne Dolcefino and 13 Undercover?

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I know it's Halloween, but I can assure you this is no trick or treat.

Every TV sweeps period since I can remember, KTRK 13 Undercover's Wayne Dolcefino has been on the air with a big investigation. Not only that, the investigative reporter would have endless promotion the rest of the time when the news wasn't on the air.

This sweeps...crickets. No Wayne, no 13 Undercover. We're now almost a week in from what I understand.

Then I get emails from people in the TV biz asking me about rumors concerning his whereabouts. All I can tell you is that Dolcefino's bio is still on the station's website.

According to that bio, Dolcefino has been a staple at the ABC owned station since 1985. As I've blogged here over the years, Dolcefino has won a ton of awards such as 25 Emmys, three IRE medals, the 2012 Edward R. Murrow Best Investigation and a lot more.  Before KTRK, Dolcefino was in radio at 740 KTRH and 590 KLBJ Austin.

Maybe Dolcefino will show up before sweeps ends and all the current questions will be forgotten.

Looking through my blog's archives for Dolcefino mentions, I found a comment that former Houston city council member and current 740 KTRH talk show host Michael Berry left about the 13 investigator in 2010.

"I sat on City Council for 6 years, and I'll tell you that elected officials quaked when [Wayne] walked in," Berry commented on my blog. "There was fear that he had targeted you, because once he did he would lay it all bare.

"I've seen how he goes about investigating, the extent to which he chases down sources, and I admire how he weaves it all together. His multiple day pieces are good for ratings, and they're just good tv."

RELATED
KTRK 13 Undercover's Wayne Dolcefino says stop copying my work

Where's KHOU's Leigh Frillici?

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Yesterday I asked where KTRK 13 Undercover's Wayne Dolcefino has been. Now I'm looking for KHOU 11 reporter Leigh Frillici.

Two sources confirm to me Frillici's bio was removed from khou.com last week. When I asked a KHOU 11 representative about Frillici's departure, I was told she left the Belo Houston station months ago. In fact she officially left the CBS affiliate in February but filled in a few times during the spring.

According to her bio, Frillici joined KHOU 11 News as a general assignment reporter in 2007. She received several Lone Star Emmy nominations for her work. Before KHOU, Frillici anchored at WGGB in Springfield, Massachusetts. She also reported for WTNH and WFSB in Connecticut. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Frillici worked as an associate producer at CBS and MSNBC. She is married to a Rice University professor.

Frillici stated in her bio that her favorite part about working in television news is meeting incredible people every day.

"Often, we talk to people who are facing some of the toughest things they'll ever face in their lives," she wrote. "I can't tell you the countless people I've met who handle life's curve balls with such grace."

My favorite Frillici story was the sweeps piece where she interviewed my wife about too much plastic surgery. Paging Dr. Franklin Rose (he was interviewed too and what is wild is that I posted about it one year ago today - someone should do a sweeps piece on numerology because of this strange coincidence [or is it?]).

I reached out to Frillici via Facebook to find out what she's up to now, but did not hear back. Frillici's LinkedIn profile still lists her as a current KHOU reporter.

UPDATE
Frillici tells me she did not renew with KHOU because she has two young children and wants to concentrate on them for now. She did tell the station she's available for fill-in work.

TV's Alan Hemberger becomes radio DJ

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Tom Petty called Los Angeles radio man Jim Ladd The Last DJ. So now I'm calling newly minted radio disc jockey Alan Hemberger The Last DJ who worked as a Houston TV anchor.

Hemberger, who worked at places like KTRK 13, KIAH 39 and Entertainment Tonight left Houston for California last May. The former newsman is now retired and has traded in the anchor desk and IFB for a radio microphone.

"The Pacific Coast Highway is out one window, the ocean out the other," Hemberger told mikemcguff.com. "I'm returning to my first love and roots. Hope to do some high school play by play too."

Hemberger is returning to his roots at 93.5 KXRN which is billed as the non-commercial, FM community radio station of Laguna. The station plays Generational Alt Rock from the 1960s to today.

'The Laguna Beach Blues Boy' as Hemberger is now known, spins tunes from the likes of Howling' Wolf, Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters to Led Zeppelin, The Stones, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. I'm already requesting some Doors.

Aside from broadcasting, instead of driving the concrete jungles of Highway 59 or Loop 610, Hemberger tells me he now walks to play golf, go to the beach or the store. Sounds rough.

Catch Hemberger on the air or Internet Friday 9pm to 12am Pacific time or 11pm to 2am Central at kx935.com.

On another Houston note, I was listening to Hemberger's show and who did I discover is the voice of KXRN? Houston's own voice over magnate Dave Crockett!

Houston Chronicle puts FuelFix into paper's business section

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Just when you thought the only changes coming to the Houston Chronicle were on its newly launched website...think again.

Got word today from the Hearst owned paper that its award winning website FuelFix is going the paper route. That's right, a Chronicle representative tells me that FuelFix will now be printed in the physical newspaper each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the business section.

In addition to that, the paper is also bringing Harry Weber into the fold. Weber covered the Deepwater Horizon spill for the Associated Press.

“I’m pleased to welcome Harry to our energy staff,” Chronicle business editor Laura Goldberg said in a statement. “His tenacious reporting style and extensive experience covering the oil spill make him a valuable addition to our team of talented journalists who excel at providing comprehensive coverage of the energy industry from exploration and production to pipelines and refineries.”

The new FuelFix area of the business section will also feature reporting from award-winning columnist Loren Steffy, Washington-based Jennifer A. Dlouhy plus business reporters Jeannie Kever, Emily Pickrell, Simone Sebastian and Zain Shauk.

Old cartoon explains Astrodome's 'real' origins

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The Houston Asrodome is a sore subject right now. The aging and unused building has this city mixed - some want to restore it, others want to blow that sucker like Texas Stadium.

Truth is, after some really bizarre ideas of what to do with it that never get off the ground, the former Oilers and Astros home is supposedly falling apart. My guess, it's a bureaucratic waiting game...keep the ideas coming, deny them and let the place crumble all by itself. Problem solved and no hard feelings come election time.

Let's forget all of that for now.

It's time to watch an episode of the Super Chicken cartoon from the late 1960s, to learn how the so-called "Eighth Wonder of the World" really came into existence. Judge Hofheinz must be rolling in his grave right about now.

(Thanks to mega anchor Ray Peters)