east-tx-tv

Three recent departure announcements in Dallas-Fort Worth: * Lexie Houghtaling, a KXAS reporter, is leaving after 2 years. * MaryAnn Martinez, a KTVT reporter, is leaving after less than 2 years. * Edward Egros, sports reporter/anchor at KDFW, is leaving after 5 1/2 years. None of the reports reveal where any of the talent is going, to another station or to do something else.

I read this in the last couple of days on one of the major soap news sites. Most comments I've seen since are either yeah-right or I'll-know-it-when-I-see-it, or similar. It's been a while since their broadcast finales (All My Children in 2011, One Life to Live in 2012) so there would be some storyline catching-up to do. Who from the casts would be available? Good question. Is Susan Lucci wanting a regular acting grind again? Or Erika Slezak? Would it be on TV, online, or both? The big *big* question: production costs. Will they have to resort to the mass improvising that Guiding Light had to do before it was cancelled (taping shows with small non-studio-traditional cameras, using offices and basement storage space at CBS as sets, taping on location in a small hamlet like Peapack, NJ, etc.)? It would be nice to see a cancelled soap come back (there are at least 2 I'd like to see again, but, oh well....), but a lot of moving parts would have to come together and Disney (because ABC owns the rights to the 2 soaps) would want to see revenue. There are many soap fans out there that want those 2 and other cancelled soaps back. Too bad there aren't some good writers out there that can write AMC or OLTL or soaps in general, past this cliffhanger. "And now, the continuing story of....."

Are there any big-market (O/O, or otherwise) Fox stations left that aren't 6 hours for their morning show, or knocking on it?

This after-newscast/party was posted online, it includes brief chats with John McCaa, his wife, his father, as well as past WFAA veterans Tracy Rowlett, Troy Dungan, Gloria Campos, and Byron Harris. Also interviewed were GM Carolyn Mungo, current anchors Cynthia Izaguirre and Dale Hansen (who cleared up a misunderstanding). Cake and wine were served, and McCaa sliced the cake. All who spoke were heartfelt about having worked with and known McCaa. I didn't realize it would be tonight for John McCaa's last newscast. Best wishes and happy trails, John. Cheers!

....and then, no sooner that the rear monitor is impacted, he goes and sits down on his tablet! Is he really trying for 2-in-a-row? Glad I don't have to replace that monitor.

A full 5 months after the driver of a pickup decided to ram into the side of the building at KDFW in downtown Dallas, the impact spots have had nothing but the plywood treatment. No word on what will be done, nor any new stories about the man.

I just checked KETK's and KAMR's sites, and it must be a thing. No change in the dumb website domain names, though.

I either missed it or forgot, what's the story?

I've been reading this same kind of explanation on Uncle Barky's site about how WFAA still has Good Morning Texas even though it never wins its timeslot. Apparently the paying-for-play outshines any amount of ratings the show might be getting.

KDFW has posted on their Facebook page that longtime reporter Brandon Todd has been given a co-anchor role. He will anchor the 4am-6am portion of "Good Day" with Hanna Battah, while longtime "Good Day" anchors Tim Ryan and Lauren Pryzybl will come along for the 6am-10am part. Congrats to Brandon. He's a good reporter, but he'll have to put his alarm clock on for a lot earlier now.

Todd Unger, a reporter at WFAA, has decided not to renew. He doesn't say whether he has another job lined up or not. Unger has been with WFAA for 6 years. https://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/tv/article224022135.html

KYTX's set is essentially the same, other than the graphics change. After 14 years, they could stand to have something different, preferably no Tegna-sister hand-me-downs.

I guess every media empire has to start somewhere. This looks very blink-and-miss-it. NewsNet definitely needs to * beef up its affiliate list and coverage * do more to make themselves look more polished and less "cable-access" * eventually have more staff * work on a broader list of advertisers I know most of the above is a takes-time thing; hopefully they can make it.

Cheers to Out & About! Happy New Year and happy permanent forum placement! Meanwhile, longtime KDFW reporter Fil Alvarado is calling it a career this week. He has been at KDFW for 33 years. Alvarado also did radio news, including a stint at KRLD 1080 in Dallas. Happy trails, Fil! https://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-column/2018/12/31/hello-cynthia-izaguirre-bye-fil-alvarado-hotel-awards-dallas-bars-new-officers-authornnedi-okorafor-comes-highland-park

Bobbie Wygant, the KXAS fixture that has out-tenured all other on-camera reporters/anchors/hosts in DFW, has come out with a new book called "Talking to the Stars". She has interviewed countless actors and celebrities (many if not most are surely in the book), as well as working in other roles while at Channel 5. Several years ago, a website was launched to digitally archive many of her recent and past interviews. The ones I've seen aren't always edited, so there's less of a TV-polished look to some of the videos. Amazing that Bobbie Wygant is 92, and is still at it. The forward to the book was written by longtime CBS newsman (and veteran of WBAP/KXAS) Bob Schieffer. http://www.bobbiewygant.com/ https://www.dallasnews.com/life/life/2018/12/28/92-nbc5-celebrity-reporter-bobbie-wygant-still-reaches-stars https://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/tv/article222611905.html https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/the-scene/Bobbie-Wygants-Memoir-Covers-70-Years-in-Television-501823832.html

I wondered how well the 1A-to-6A thing was going. I'd probably be out of breath if I had to dodge traffic and run across a plaza, and then find the red light and correct camera--and look like I just walked across a hall. The audience thing IMO has worn thin with me. I think it's because GMA has done it to death. Going outside and seeing the fans is one thing, but the oh-now-we-let-you-inside-here's-a-chair-while-we-entertain-you version, >ugh!<, I can't. The shiny-and-sterile look is getting old to me also. I miss the homey, comfy-couch morning show sets, but I know those won't be back anytime soon.

They wasted no time relaunching the website, either: www.courttv.com

The "CT40" special celebrating Clarice Tinsley's 40th anniversary with KDFW has been posted online.

Any possible asset sales, or will Nexstar keep most of Tribune? https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/02/nexstar-said-to-reach-deal-to-buy-tribune-media-for-4point1-billion.html

Congrats, Clarice! I met her years ago while working for a bookstore, she ended up doing several children's storytimes there, as well as a charity gift-wrapping appearance one night. But that's just a drop in the bucket to the countless appearances, speaking engagements, and charitable work she has done in north TX over the years. Hard to believe it's been 40 years. The only on-camera talent with more tenure in DFW are the late/great Harold Taft (41 years), David Finfrock (still on-air, and has surpassed Harold's length of tenure), and Bobbie Wygant (*still* doing work for KXAS, ever since the station's beginning as WBAP).

Now that the redo-refresh is on and live, are there any plans at all for tweaking/adding sections?

The front of the building (Griffin St. side) would have more room for bollards, but the Patterson and San Jacinto sides are pretty much flush with the street. One thing they could do along Patterson (the side where the pickup smashed the windows) is rebuild similar to the way the San Jacinto side is with a solid wall, but have windows just along the upper part of the wall so light could still get in. BTW, the parking lot across Patterson is a public lot (but historically related--it was the last location for the former Dallas Times Herald (KDFW's originally co-owned newspaper) before it gave up in 1991); all of KDFW & KDFI employees and company vehicles park within the east side of the building.

http://www.fox4news.com/news/suspicious-package-left-outside-fox-4-studio#

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/megyn-kelly-expected-to-leave-today-show-at-the-end-of-season-in-december-source/ar-BBORyUI https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/nbc-airs-%E2%80%98megyn-kelly-today%E2%80%99-repeat-as-tensions-with-anchor-rise/ar-BBOSp5w?li=BBnb2gh

Nothing new about the man who made a mess of KDFW's downtown Dallas building several weeks ago, but a quick pass by the building in recent days shows plywood on the windows, but no work beyond that. No new facade/siding, no bollards.