TexasTVNews

Chris Stanford joins KMOV in St. Louis as weekend anchor. He comes from WCCO in Minneapolis. Debroah Linz moves to WKEF in Dayton, OH, as co-anchor. She comes from WCHS in Charleston, WV.

Sad news to report from Phoenix. Bill Close, a longtime anchor at KSAZ (then KOOL & KTSP) in Phoenix, died Sunday at 91. Close, who KSAZ calls “the Walter Cronkite of Phoenix,” was best known for an on-air incident in 1982 when a gunman entered the KOOL studios and held Close and his camera man, Louie Villa, hostage for five hours. Close negotiated with the gunman and read a “rambling” statement from him. The gunman eventually surrendered. We here at TVNT offer our prayers and condolences to Bill's family, and Bill's colleagues at FOX 10. And as Bill always say when closing the evening newscast, "And brings us right up to date on the news, so for the KOOL (TV10) news team, Good Night." http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/20740763/2013/01/28/remembering-bill-close

Besides Rochester's WHAM ABC 13 being operated by Sinclair Broadcasting, long time 13 WHAM News anchor Don Alhart has signed a multi-year contract. Alhart anchors the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts and serves at the station’s associate news director. He has worked at WHAM for almost 50 years. “When you think of news in Rochester, you think of Don Alhart,” WHAM general manager Chuck Samuells said in a statement. “The passion he has for his job and this community is evident every day. We are thrilled to let the viewers know that he will be behind the anchor desk for many years to come.”

Hartford's WTIC FOX 61 (FOX-CT), will debut a one hour 5:00 p.m. news starting next Monday, January 28. Currently WTIC’s weekday evening news lineup includes a 4:00, 10:00, and an 11:00 p.m. show. The new 5:00 p.m. show will be anchored by Alison Morris, Al Terzi, Rich Coppola and Rachel Frank. The station has a snazzy promo for the added newscast you can watch after the jump. Click here to view the promo for the show.

It's a very sad, yet difficult day for many in the Houston area, and for the people at ABC 13 Eyewitness News. In sad KTRK 13 related news, the day sportscaster Bob Allen is to sign off the station for good, we learn that former morning weatherman, Doug Brown, died last night according to an Ed Brandon Facebook post. He was 79 the station reported. Brown worked in the broadcasting business for 50 years. Stops included KWTX Waco, KRGV Weslaco, KHOU 11 and then of course a long career at KTRK. He was a heck of a nice guy. What you saw on TV is was what you got in real life. He had a very calming presence. When I worked with him at KTRK, we would talk about Baylor University football. Brown retired from channel 13 in February 2008. Casey Curry replaced Brown at the station. We at TVNewsTalk offer our prayers and condolences to Doug Brown's family and the staff of KTRK ABC 13. RIP Doug and Godspeed. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8957655

Some familiar faces are on the move. Wendy Corona moves from Dallas to Atlanta as she becomes WSB’s weekend evening anchor. In Dallas, Corona was a freelance reporter at WFAA. George Smith joins WOIO in Cleveland from ESPN. Smith will anchor WOIO’s weeknight newscasts. David Solano joins WXYZ in Detroit as weekend sports anchor. He was previously a news and sports reporter and anchor at KRIV in Houston. Chris Miller joins KUTV in Salt Lake City as an anchor and reporter. He comes from Seattle, where he was the weekend sports anchor at KOMO. Meteorologist Mark Monstrola joins KXAN in Austin from WFMJ in Youngstown, Ohio. Vanessa Bezic is the new morning and midday meteorologist at KFMB in San Diego. She was previously a meteorologist at AccuWeather. Iris Perez joins KMSP in Minneapolis from WJBK in Detroit, where she was a producer and reporter. WTVQ Chief Meteorologist Jennifer Schack is joining Cincinnati's NBC 5 WLWT, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Katie Nordeen has been named evening co-anchor at Winston-Salem's FOX 8 WGHP. Nordeen joined the Fox affiliate in 2010 and was promoted to morning anchor in 2011. Her first night on the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts alongside Neill McNeill is Thursday. Before joining WGHP, Nordeen worked at WDIO in Duluth, Minn., as an anchor and reporter. She replaces Julie Luck, who left WGHP in September. Sports anchor Matt Barrie is leaving KXAS to join ESPN, according to Dallas media blogger Ed Bark. Barrie joined the NBC-owned station in Dallas in 2008. His final day at KXAS will be March 3. “Matt is a terrific journalist who brought fantastic energy to the NBC5 sports team,” VP of news Susan Tully said. “We’re sorry to see Matt leave, but wish him success in his new network job.” Erin Logan has been named weekend evening anchor at Hartford's ABC station WTNH. Logan joined the station in 2011 as a general assignment reporter. “In her time here she has proven to be an aggressive reporter and one our leaders in carrying out the brand on-air,” news director Erik Schrader wrote in a memo to WTNH staffers Tuesday. “Before coming to this station, Erin was a weekday anchor earlier in her career, so the combo position accents many of her strengths.” Two departures over at Spokane's ABC 4 KXLY, Mike Gonzalez, co-anchor for KXLY 4 News, is no longer with the station. The station was going with a single anchor for the 5 and 6 p.m. news. Gonzalez, who was also the host of KXLY’s Latin cultural and cooking show, “En La Cocina,” came to the station from Omaha, NE where he was an anchor and reporter. He previously worked at KOLN-KGIN in Lincoln, NE and KOMU in Columbia, MO. KXLY has cut a second anchor from its lineup. Sports director Ben Kaplan is the latest to get the ax. “We’re restructuring the sports staff between our TV & radio properties, as we also own the local ESPN radio affiliate,” news director Jerry Post.“Ben has done a tremendous job for us as Sports Director, but this move made the best strategic and financial sense going forward.” The station was looking to Dennis Patchin to lead the sports team for both KXLY and ESPN radio affiliate KXLX. Kaplan joined KXLY from WWSB in Sarasota, FL. He started his career with KFBB in Great Falls, MT.

Omaha NBC station WOWT Channel 6 Chief Meteorologist Jim Flowers will not have his contract renewed when it expires next week. WOWT, announced the move on its facebook page saying: "WOWT has informed Jim Flowers that it does not intend to enter into a new agreement for his services when his current agreement expires on December 31, 2012. WOWT appreciates Jim’s contributions to WOWT and thanks him for his many years of service." Flowers has been a meteorologist in Omaha for nearly 30 years. He previously worked for Omaha ABC affiliate KETV. And this is a very difficult out and about to report, if you grew up watching Salt Lake City's KSL 5 over the years, you properly know his name Dick Norse. Norse, who retired as news anchor at KSL-TV in 2007, has recently been diagnosed with throat cancer. “(My family’s) support, including that shown by members of my extended “TV family,” was key to my recovery during my first battles with cancer, and it is a great source of strength for me now,” Nourse said in a statement posted to the station’s website. “My wife, Deb, and I are extremely grateful. We know we’ll get through this.” This is the third battle with cancer for the retired anchor who left the NBC affiliate in 2007. He overcame non-Hodgkins lymphoma in the early 1980s and later survived a bout with prostate cancer. The station said Nourse will soon begin radiation treatment and chemotherapy. We here at TVNT ask that you keep Dick Norse and his family in your prayers. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=23499279

Antonio Mora is out at the Miami's CBS 4 WFOR after his contract was not renewed. According to sfltv.com, the move was no surprise,Tipsters told us he may be on the way out but that his contract was into its third year and past the ’out clause’ period so WFOR had to wait for it to run out, which just happened. Mora joined WFOR from Chicago CBS owned station WBBM in 2008. Before working for WBBM, he was on the news desk for “Good Morning America.” Mora had been the solo anchor for WFOR’s 6 p.m. newscast.

WISH-TV 8 Chief Meteorologist Steve Bray is now officially named News Director. “Steve’s varied and experienced background in news and weather, as well as his dedication to being a first informer with digital and on-air, makes him the ideal candidate to lead our news department,” said WISH president and general manager Jeff White. “Steve has made a tremendous positive impact in every one of his many roles at WISH-TV. I look forward to this success continuing as news director.” Bray has been interim news director for the Indianapolis CBS affiliate since the departure of Patti McGettigan in August. He joined WISH in 1995, working his way up the ranks after being promoted chief meteorologist in 1999, then news operations manager in 2009 and assistant news director in 2011. However, (I think) while Bray continues to do the weather at 5:30pm, there is still no word on who will take Bray's place as Chief Meteorologist. http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/about_us/steve-bray-named-news-director

KWTV CBS 9 morning anchor Robin Marsh is moving to the Afternoons. After 12 years on the morning anchor desk, Marsh announced she will anchor the 4 pm. news for the Oklahoma City CBS affiliate beginning in January. The station announced that Bobbie Miller will take Marsh’s slot on the morning anchor desk in January. http://www.news9.com...s-to-afternoons

Maryellen Pann has been promoted to chief meteorologist at WPMT FOX 43 in Harrisburg-Lancaster, Penn. Pann has worked as a meteorologist at WPMT since 1990, when she began as the station’s weekend weathercaster. She handles the forecasts on the 6, 6:30, 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts Pann received her certificate in meteorology from Mississippi State University. She has also worked atWBFF in Baltimore and WMDT in Salisbury, Md. And on a difficult note, All of us at TVNewsTalk want to offer our prayers and hopefully a full recovery to WJW FOX 8 News Morning anchor Stacey Frey. Stacey announced on the air this morning that she has been diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. “This will be my last day working at Fox 8 for a little while,” she said, sitting between her husband and her son on the WJW set (video above). “I discovered a lump a couple months ago, and it turns out that I have breast cancer.” Frey, a general assignment reporter at the Cleveland Fox affiliate since 2002, said she will undergo surgery tomorrow and will be off the air for four to six weeks while she recovers. http://fox8.com/2012/10/23/fox-8s-stacey-frey-announces-breast-cancer/

I've uploaded WPLG special tribute to Ann Bishop from 1997. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_wem1eB6xA&feature=g-hist

All of us at TVNewsTalk want to wish KWTV News 9 Chief Meteorologist Gary England a very happy 40th Anniversary of broadcasing OKC Weather and here's to many more. http://www.news9.com/story/19836387/news-9s-gary-england-celebrates-40-years-of-service http://www.news9.com...0th-anniversary

Sad news to report to you. WCIA-3 Meteorologist Robert Reese passed away Tuesday night at a hospital in Chicago. He'd been battling pneumonia recently and dealing with cancer for many years. Robert began his career at WCIA 3 in 1998 and served as the station's chief meteorologist for nearly four years. All of us at TVNewsTalk send our prayers condolences to the staff of WCIA 3 News and to Reese family at this difficult time.

Jack Atherton is leaving Cincinnati’s WLWT to join WKEF-WRGT in Dayton as the main anchor, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. The move comes eight months after Atherton left the 11 p.m. anchor desk at WLWT, a shift which was said to allow him to “dig into the elections during this critical political year.” He was replaced by Mike Dardis, who joined the station from KOMO in April. Atherton’s last day at WLWT is today. He will make his debut in Dayton October 17. WPXI morning news co-anchor and former WCBS Alum Todd McDermott will have the luxury of sleeping in when he takes a new job beginning next week at WPBF ABC 25, the Hearst television station in West Palm Beach, Fla. Mr. McDermott, whose last day with WPXI's 4:30 a.m. morning news show is Friday, will anchor the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. broadcasts. His WPXI co-anchor, Jennifer Abney, has a new colleague at the desk with the Oct. 22 arrival of Joe Arena. Mr. Arena has been a news anchor and reporter at CBS affiliate WIVB in Buffalo, N.Y., for the past five years.

WKCF/WCPX (WKMG) 10pm News - 10/4/1995

There are changes coming to the anchor lineup at WTTG, the Fox O&O in Washington, DC. Will Thomas is stepping into the role of weeknight 5 p.m. anchor alongside Shawn Yancy. Thomas, currently the station’s weekend evening anchor, will also report for the 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts in his new role. Thomas replaces Laura Evans, who will step into the role of weekend evening anchor alongside Maureen Umeh. Evans will expand her reporting duties at WTTG, contributing to the weekday newscasts as the consumer reporter.

Vince DeMentri out at WPIX, now lands at WICS/Springfield. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/vince-dementri-lands-at-wics-i-dont-think-you-can-judge-anybodys-character-by-an-incident-or-two_b62068

John Discepolo begins next week as the primary anchor at WPEC, the CBS affiliate in West Palm Beach. Discepolo comes from KOMO, the ABC affiliate in Seattle, where he has been a weekend anchor and weekday reporter since 2010. Prior to his time in Seattle, Discepolo also worked at WCBS and WNYW in New York and KDFW in Dallas. At WPEC, Discepolo will anchor the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts alongside Liz Quirantes. His first broadcast will be September 24. Julie Luck, anchor at WGHP in Greensboro, NC, is leaving the station. While there’s no word on where she’s headed, the station’s website posted a statement from the FOX affiliate’s president and general manager Karen Adams saying Luck was leaving to “explore other opportunities.”Adams went on to say, “We appreciate Julie’s contributions to the FOX8 News team over the past 7 years, and wish her all the best in pursuing other options. She is a professional and classy lady”. Luck who anchors the 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. newscasts said, “It’s been a privilege bringing you the news nightly. Although I’ve decided to move on to explore new opportunities, the FOX8 family will always be near and dear to my heart.” Maria Antonia has signed off from KMBC after 28 years with the Kansas City ABC affiliate. “As I said at the end of my last KMBC broadcast Friday, I thank the people of our community,” Antonia told Bottom Line Communications. “For 28 years so many families were willing to share their stories, even when it wasn’t easy.” Antonia will be taking on an expanded role at The Bishop Sullivan Center, where she has been a volunteer for several years. Her husband, KMBC photojournalist Tim Twyman, will remain at the station, according to Bottom Line.

Deanna Dewberry is coming back to D/FW and will join Dallas NBC O&O KXAS next month. Dewberry will be a consumer and investigative reporter for NBC 5. She comes to the station from WISH in Indianapolis, where she co-anchors the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts. It is a return to Dallas for the Texas native, who used to be an anchor and reporter at WFAA in Dallas. She has also worked at KLBK and KCBD in Lubbock, Tex., and KTHV in Little Rock.

WEWS New Graphics/Music/Set debut - 9/09/12 (SD)

Nexstar has renewed affiliation agreements with CBS for eight of its stations, the company announced today. The long-term extensions are at KLBK in Lubbock, TX, KLST in San Angelo, TX, KTAB in Abilene, TX, WCIA in Decatur, IL, WFRV in Green Bay, WJMN in Marquette, WMBD in Peoria and WROC in Rochester. Mission Broadcasting has also renewed an affiliation agreement with CBS for KOLR in Springfield, MO, which Nexstar operates under a local marketing agreement. WSBT, The South Bend CBS affiliate, has added Rick Schutt and Jennifer Copeland to a three anchor rotation that includes longtime anchor Cindy Ward. Ward’s previous co-anchor at 5 and 6 p.m., Dustin Grove, retired from TV news on Friday. The lineup looks something like this: Schutt and Copeland will anchor the 5 p.m., Copeland and Ward will take the 5:30 while Schutt and and Copeland will again anchor the 6. Schutt will take the 10 pm. and will be joined by Ward for the 11.

KAMR/Amarillo 1986 10pm Open with a future now former WPXI sports director.

Seattle ABC-affiliate KOMO has announced that anchor Kathi Goertzen is back in the hospital as a result of her ongoing battle with brain tumors. “She has had a bit of a setback and is in the hospital again,” a statement on KOMO’s website reads. “As you know, Kathi believes very strongly in the power of prayer and how your love and support give her strength. We know right now Kathi would appreciate your thoughts and prayers.” Goertzen developed pneumonia while undergoing treatment for her brain tumors, which she has been fighting for 12 years. She last underwent surgery in April. http://www.komonews....-165872886.html