TexasTVNews

A triple whammy of goodbyes courtesy of TVSpy. KTTV FOX 11's Carlos Amezcua is no longer the main anchor at the FOX O&O station. Amezcua leaves FOX 11 to start his own media and technology called "Carlos Media Group" in LA. His last day was last Friday. Amezcua's replacement has not yet been announced. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/carlos-amezcua-leaves-kttv-for-his-own-business_b110265 Kai Jackson is leaving Baltimore's WJZ CBS 13 after 20 years as anchor/reporter at 'JZ. Jackson will leave the station at the end of the year. Jackson's replacement on the 4 & 5pm News has not been announced. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/after-20-years-kai-jackson-leaving-wjz_b110216 Sonia Baghdady has left Hartford's WTNH ABC 8, Baghdady is now pursuing other interests and passions. Baghdady's replacement has not yet been announced. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/sonia-baghdady-leaves-wtnh_b110176

WCIA 3 anchor Dave Benton has been off the air the last few days, and the reason why is that he's in the Hospital. Doctors found a tumor in his brain and underwent brain surgery today. We are happy to say that the surgery went well and on his way to a full recovery. This is a statement from Benton's wife Teri on WICA 3 Facebook: A message from Dave's wife: Dave is out of surgery and is in recovery. He read everyone of your messages and really appreciated all of them. Thank you so much for your support. Terri We at TVNT offer and prayers and well wishes to WCIA 3's Dave Benton and wish him a full and speedy recovery, especially this Holiday season.

Courtesy of UncleBarky.com (Ed Bark) and MikeMcGuff.com (Houston): KTVT CBS 11 announced today that Ken Molestina of Washington DC's WUSA-TV is joining CBS 11 News as the stations weekend anchor/weekday reporter. Molestina's first day is on January 6, 2014.

All of us at TVNT are offering our prayers to KTTV FOX 11's Julie Chang. Chang has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The Tumor was found in a CT Scan that Chang had after a surfing accident a few months ago. Chang will have surgery this week. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/kttv-anchor-julie-chang-has-a-brain-tumor_b109303

KXAN NBC 36 has announced that Shannon Wolfson will succeed Leslie Cook-Rhode as evening anchor for KXAN News at 5, 6, & 10pm and 9pm on KNVA CW 54. http://www.austin360.com/weblogs/tv-radio-blog/2013/nov/12/shannon-wolfson-co-anchor-kxans-evening-newscasts/ And FOX 26 Anchor/Reporter Ned Hibbard is leaving KRIV for join WJZY FOX 46 as assistant news director. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/charlotte-fox-station-adds-houston-reporter-as-assistant-nd_b108827

They must have gotten the ABC World News treatment.

Another sad announcement just in to TVNT, this one out of Houston. Former KTRK, KMOL, KEYE, KTRK and KIAH anchor Alan Hemberger has died today. Cause of death is unknown for right now. Hemberger was 65 years old. All of us at TVNT sent our prayers and condolences to the Hemberger family. Rest In Peace, Alan. http://mikemcguff.blogspot.com/2013/10/alan-hemberger-has-died.html

Well here in Dallas, we're going to have to get used to the change on WFAA website in the near future, because once the FCC approves the merger and deal finalized... expect the change.

Sad news out of Milwaukee today, WTVJ's 15 year veteran Managing Editor Jim Cullen has died. Cullen passed away Wednesday after a two year battle with brain cancer. We at TVNT want to offer our prayers and condolences to Jim Cullen's family and to his extended family at Today's TMJ4. Rest in Peace, Jim. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/wtmj-managing-editor-jim-cullen-dies_b106887

Austin's KXAN NBC 36 anchor Leslie Cook-Rhode is leaving the station at the end of this year, news director Chad Cross is beginning a candidate search for the main anchor position. http://www.kxan.com/about-us/kxan-anchor-leslie-rhode-plans-to-sign-off

Breaking: WISH-TV 8 Anchor Debby Knox announces retirement. http://www.wishtv.com/home/debby-knox-announces-retirement

WBNS 10TV Sports Director Dom Tiberi return to air yesterday after the death of her daughter Maria, who died last week in a traffic accident. All of us at TVNT send their prayers and condolences to Dom and to his wife and family, and his extended family at WBNS 10TV. http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/09/26/dom-tiberi-takes-to-air-to-thank-central-ohio.html

I've already posted and mentioned that yesterday.

More comings and goings courtesy of TVSpy. Washington DC's WUSA CBS 9 has announced Jan Jeffcoat will join the CBS affiliate as co-anchor for the evening news. Jeffcoat left Chicago’s WFLD last year to co-host the Scripps nationally syndicated talk/news show “The List.” Jeffcoat was formerly the morning anchor of KRIV FOX 26 from 2004 to 2007. She will co-anchor the station’s 5:00, 7:00 and 11:00 p.m. news alongside Derek McGinty. Her first day on air will be Sunday, September 22, the night the station airs the Emmy Awards. Indianapolis WISH-TV CBS 8 has expanded its morning newscast, moving the broadcast’s start time up to 4:30 a.m. The weekday morning newscasts are anchored by Scott Sander and Lauren Lowrey, with meteorologist Randy Ollis and traffic reporter Julie Patterson. The newscasts now air from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WISH and 7 to 8 a.m. on sister station WNDY, Indianapolis’ MyNetworkTV affiliate. John Anderson has joined morning meteorologist Hollie Strano on the WKYC Channel 3 Morning News. Anderson, who replaces Chris Tye and Erin Kennedy, told his followers on facebook Saturday night, “Hi Everyone, tonight is my last show on the weekend working with Lynna Lai. Starting Monday, I’m going back to the morning show.” According to the Plain-Dealer WKYC’s 4:30 a.m. show has been trailing morning ratings leader FOX affiliate WJW. Anderson returned to WKYC in October 2012. He anchored the morning show between 2000 and 2007 before leaving to work at WTXF in Philadelphia.

Lots of news expansions, along with the coming and goings courtesy of our friends at TVSpy. After 14 years at Washington DC's WTTG FOX 5, Brian Bolter is saying goodbye. Bolter anchors the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts solo and the 10 p.m. newscast alongside Shawn Yancy. His last day at WTTG will be This Thursday. Bolter's replacement has not been announced. KING and KONG, Belo’s NBC affiliate and independent station in Seattle, are expanding their evening newscasts. Beginning tonight, KING will expand its 6:30 p.m. newscast from 30 minutes to an hour and KONG will present an hour long newscast at 9 p.m. Dennis Bounds and Jean Enersen will continue to helm KING’s 6:30 p.m. newscast as it expands to an hour. Rob Piercy will debut as the anchor of KONG’s 9 p.m. newscast. Wichita's ABC 10 KAKE has added two new newscasts, one on Sunday mornings and one at 4 p.m. on weekdays, to its lineup. The Sunday morning newscast, which debuted yesterday, is anchored by Annette Lawless with meteorologist Blake Smith. The 4 p.m. newscast, anchored by Larry Hatteberg and Deb Farris, will debut this afternoon. The station is currently searching for a replacement for Jeff Herndon, who signed off from the anchor desk last week. Bettina Boateng has moved from mornings to evenings at Birmingham's NBC 13 WVTM. She replaces Andrea Lindenberg, who departed from the station last month after her contract was not renewed, the Birmingham News reports. Boateng took over as co-anchor of the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts, alongside Mike Royer, last week. “Bettina has become a friend to me and my family over the years,” Royer said in a statement. “Now, I’m really excited to work with her every day." Boateng joined WVTM in 2007 as a weekend anchor and was promoted to morning anchor in 2010. Before moving to Birmingham, she was a weekend anchor at WCBD in Charleston, S.C. According to the Birmingham News, Lindenberg wrote on Facebook that she will seek a “more simple life” with her family. “Though this was not my decision, it is one I’ve wanted to make but was always too scared to do on my own,” she wrote.

Boston's WFTX FOX 25 is relaunching its 5:00PM Newscast, FOX 25 News at 5 will return to the air on October 7th. Maria Stephanos, Mark Ockerbloom, and Meteorologist Kevin Lemanowicz will anchor the 5PM Newshour in addition to their 6, 10, & 11PM duties. The newscast will bring the total hours of news produced on WFXT to 52 hours a week, the most of any station in Boston. “Dr. Oz,” which currently airs in the 5 p.m. hour, will move to 3 p.m., replacing “Anderson Live,” which was not renewed for a third season.

WGCL CBS Atlanta 46 has hired KPNX anchor Scott Light as the Evening Anchor for CBS Atlanta News. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/scott-light-joins-wgcl-as-evening-anchor_b102828

WXIA 11 Alive Sports Director Fred Kalil is stepping down. Kalil said that complications from brain surgery 13 years ago make it difficult for him to anchor sports on the evening newscasts, a role he has held for 22 years. “Reading the prompter has never been a lot of fun for me. Before I could remember what I was supposed to say. Now I can’t remember what I was supposed to say,” he said Tuesday on the evening newscast (video above). “It stinks. It stinks. It’s tough. It really is. I can’t tell you how hard it is to go out there and after every single show to think well, I did something — there’s something I can’t do now. I used to be able to do all this stuff in my sleep.” http://www.11alive.com/news/article/304310/40/Fred-Kalils-role-changes-at-11Alive-

KMID Big 2 News Update (1980s Opening)

Actually, Jeopardy! normally aired at 11am on CBS 11 is moved to KTXA 21, and it would be seen for a full hour from 5:30-6:30pm.

KTVT CBS 11 is bringing the midday news back next week, The station announced that CBS 11 News at 11am will start Monday August 12th. This is the first time KTVT relaunch the midday news since the station's noon newscasts were eventually cut in 2004.

Ashley Bridges has been promoted to weekend evening anchor for Augusta, GA, ABC affiliate WJBF NewsChannel 6. Before coming to WJBF in August 2012, she was a booker and field producer for ABC’s “20/20″ and “Good Morning America.” In addition to anchoring the 6:00, 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. weekend shows, Bridges will continue to report and act as South Carolina bureau chief during the week. After almost three decades at ABC 7 KMGH, Bertha Lynn will sign off this week. Lynn, who anchors the 11 a.m. newscast, has accepted a job as the executive director of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation at Denver. Her last day at the anchor desk will be August 9. Lynn has worked on-air in Denver since 1976. Before joining KMGH, she worked as an anchor and reporter at KBTV (now KUSA). She was inducted into the Broadcast Professionals Hall of Fame in 2010. Tulsa's FOX 23 KOKI is adding a 6:00 p.m. newscast to its lineup beginning in September. KOKI news director Suzanne Nadell told TVSpy, “We’re excited to offer another half hour of local news and weather to the Tulsa community. We’ll be the only Tulsa station to offer 90 minutes of local news in the early evening.” The newscast will be anchored by the 5:00, 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. news anchors, Clay Loney & Shae Rozzi.

Lots of Comings and Goings courtesy of our friends at TVSpy. Brandon Jones is joining Toledo's CBS 11 WTOL as a morning anchor and reporter. Jones will begin at WTOL August 12. Teresa Weakley is set to join Buffalo's CBS 4 WIVB as a morning anchor. Weakley will co-anchor the morning newscast with Jordan Williams and meteorologist Todd Santos, who joins WIVB from The Weather Channel. Diana Fairbanks, who shifted to mornings in January, will return to the 5:30 and 10 p.m. newscasts. Weakley moves to Buffalo from Youngstown, Ohio, where she anchors the evening newscasts at CBS affiliate WKBN. Mike Bennett is joining WTVT Fox 13 in Tampa, as the weekend evening meteorologist. Bennett joins the station from WTEN in Albany, where he has worked since 2011. He has also worked at WYSR in Syracuse and as an intern at WCBS in New York City. Another meteorologist is leaving WFOR, the CBS owned station in Miami. Jeff Berardelli is leaving the Miami CBS O&O to join WPEC CBS 12 in West Palm Beach. WPEC has also announced that chief meteorologist John Matthews has signed a new contract with the station. Gina Pitisci is adding the 5:30 p.m. newscast to her anchoring duties at WCTV, the CBS affiliate in Tallahassee. Pitisci joined the station in 2012 as the weekday morning anchor. Since December of last year, she has anchored the 11 p.m. newscast on WCTV and the 10 p.m. newscast on sister station WTLH. In her new role, Pitisci will continue to anchor the 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts. Pitisci replaces Angela Howard, who left WCTV in June, on the 5:30 p.m. newscast.

WJLA ABC 7 anchor Cynne Simpson named evening anchor for WAGA FOX 5 News at 5 & 10pm. Simpson replaces Amanda Davis who retired in April after extended leave of absence following a DUI arrest. Simpson will co-anchor at 5 p.m. alongside Tom Haynes and at 10 p.m. alongside Russ Spencer. Lisa Rayam, who currently anchors the 5 p.m. newscast, will shift to the 6 p.m. anchor desk alongside Spencer. She will continue to anchor the noon newscast solo. Allen Schauffler, a 20-year veteran of KING-TV 5 is leaving the NBC affiliate in Seattle and, according Puget Sound Radio, is joining Al Jazeera America as a regional correspondent.