Texas DA's Office Hires another Reporter

FTVLive FIRST told you that KHOU Reporter Jeff McShan was leaving the TV business and headed to work at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

But he isn't the only reporter the DA has hired.

Now comes word that KPRC's Camille Williams Hepola is leaving TV news and will join  McShan at the District Attorney’s Office.

In a release the DA's office says that McShan will primarily be the Public Information Officer, while Hepola will handle Public Relations and Outreach.

Which asks the question, how many PR people does the DA's office really need?  

RIP John Palmer

Former NBC Today Anchor and Correspondent John Palmer Palmer died after a brief illness Saturday.

Palmer joined NBC News in 1962 and stayed with the network through 1990. He rejoined in 1994 and was with the network until his retirement from journalism in 2002. He most recently served as a national news correspondent based in Washington, D.C. During his career, he served as Today news anchor from 1982-1989.  Before that, he was NBC’s White House correspondent during the Carter and Reagan administrations. Palmer earned a number of awards during his career, including an Emmy Award for his reporting on the African famine.

On  April 25, 1980, Palmer reported from the White House lawn to break the news of the aborted rescue attempt of American hostages held in Iran. That story and the following coverage made him the first broadcast journalist to earn the White House press corps' Merriman Memorial Award for Excellence in Presidential news coverage. Palmer also anchored the first hours of coverage of the Challenger Space Shuttle tragedy on January 28, 1986, and other special reports. 

“We are deeply saddened to share the news that we have lost a valued friend and colleague," NBC News said in a statement. “John was a brilliant, brave, and tireless journalist who guided viewers through many of the most significant events of the past half-century – from the early days of the civil rights movement through the tragedy of 9/11."

H/T Hollywood Reporter

Houston Anchor Returns with New Face

KPRC Houston Anchor Bill Balleza's took the entire month of July off for what he said was a long vacation (see we told you the July book means nothing).

But, when he came back there was something different about him. 

It appeared that during the time off the longtime Anchor had some work done? 

Mike McGuff went straight the Balleza and asked him if had plastic surgery?

Balleza confirmed that he had in an email:

"For reasons that are entirely personal I decided to do something about my appearance.

I am now 65 and a few years ago began noticing that my face and neck were sagging. Over the past 18 months or so I made some nutritional changes that resulted in my losing about 25 pounds.

The weight loss made the sagging in my face and neck even worse so I decided to have a lower face lift. I did not have any work done on my eyes, but the normal swelling that follows a lower face lift did make the area around my eyes puffy, and the swelling is taking longer than anticipated to abate.

I could have waited a few more weeks for the swelling to fully resolve but I really wanted to return to the job I love.

It is possible that the swelling will be around for a few more weeks and I am hoping that our viewers will indulge me during this period.

Years ago, Marvin Zindler told me that I would one day decide to have plastic surgery, and although I silently disagreed with him at the time, it turns out he was right.

For my part, I believe it was the right decision, and I truly hope that folks agree with me."

CBS Finally Pulled Time Warner Cable

The threats have been going on for weeks, it has now finally happen. CBS has been yanked from Time Warner Cable.

Now it is a question of who blinks first. 

Stay tuned...  

Lauer Shutout of Castro Interview

Matt Lauer wanted to sit down with Cleveland rapist Ariel Castro.

Lauer and his crew were turned away from interviewing the monster. 

TMZ reports the NBC crew showed up Friday morning at the Cuyahoga County justice center in Cleveland -- where Castro is being held -- but sheriff's deputies turned him away because the media was persona non grata.

It wasn't Castro's choice -- we're told Lauer's timing was just off.  In fact, sources at the jail tell TMZ ... when Lauer walked in to the jail, he made it seem as if the interview was prearranged -- something to the effect of, "I'm here to interview Ariel Castro."

It's the second time Lauer's been turned away from a major interview -- back in 2011, Lindsay Lohan shut Matt down at her front door.

A rep for the "Today" show declined comment.

Ax Swings at Gannett

While Gannett is going to shell out big bucks to purchase BELO stations, the company is cutting costs at their newspapers. 

Another sign that the newspaper industry is dying, Gannett is laying off 200+ staffers in the company's biggest round of cuts in years.

The layoffs are happening at Gannett owned newspapers around the country.  

The Forecast is Calling for a Full Moon

WTXF (Philly) Reporter Omari Fleming was reporting on car thefts when some jackass decided to moon the camera during his live shot. 

Selling Out at the Outlet Mall

Just another example of local news that brings a tear to your eye. 

This morning KSDK in St. Louis is field anchoring this morning show the new Chesterfield Outlet Mall.  

Really?!

Anchor Pat McGonagle was gushing about the great shopping deals.

It makes you feel a bit sick thinking that a once solid news operation is selling out. You wonder who is the Account Executive at the station assigned to the Chesterfield Outlet Mall account? They must be beaming ear to ear.

By the way, KSDK reported the breaking news that the first 1000 people get a $25 gift card when the outlets open at 9:15.

Excuse me...I just threw up in my mouth a little. 

Texas News Anchor is Busted by Police

KTSM (El Paso) News Anchor Adrienne Alvarez had the cuffs clamped on when police busted her after an incident at her home.

Cops have charged the Anchor with battery against a household member.

She was released on bond yesterday morning.  

You will be shocked to know that the station isn't talking (I know, hard to believe).  "We are aware of the arrest but will wait for more details before making any other comments," Gary Sotir, general manager for KTSM/KDBC said in a statement.

Alvarez came to El Paso in 2007 and has been a reporter and anchor for KTSM and KDBC for the past 6 years.

Pervert Newscast Director Gets a Decade Behind Bars

Former WPEC Newscast Director Christopher Siegert will not be punching anymore shows where he's headed.

Siegert is getting used to his new surroundings at a prison in central Florida. 

He was arrested and plead guilty of trying to hook up with a 15 year old boy. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.  

Gossip Extra reports that Siegert pleaded guilty to having an Internet relationship with a boy he believed was 15 then driving to a sex rendezvous.

The boy, however, was a Boynton Beach Police detective.

Siegert was nabbed by Homeland Security December 20 after six weeks of sexually-charged text messages and emails with the undercover cop. 

Among them, Siegert promised the “youth” he met on a gay hookup website to help him make a sex tape.

“I’ll be gentle with you,” one of Siegert’s texts read.

Judge Kenneth Ryskamp is the one who was gentle: Siegert received the most lenient sentence allowed by federal guidelines.

Siegert’s lawyer, Tama Beth Kudman, described him at his sentencing as “lonely” and socially-awkward, and living at his parents’ home in Jupiter. “He still sleeps in his childhood bed,” she said. 

BTW- don't look for the story on WPEC, they have yet to report on their Director's arrest, conviction or sentencing. 

Glenn Beck: Diane Sawyer is Biggest Bigot I've Ever Seen

Diane Sawyer is riding high after she passed Brian Williams in the demos last week.

But don't look for Glenn Beck to be sending any congratulations her way.

In fact, Beck used his radio show to call out DiSy and trash her image a bit. 

The NY Daily News writes that on his radio show Wednesday, Beck slammed his former ABC News co-worker. Apparently, during Beck's stint at ABC, his working relationship with Sawyer quickly grew sour.

"When ABC hired me, I was Diane Sawyer's little bitch," Beck, 49, said.

He claimed that Sawyer would call and email so frequently that his wife became suspicious about their relationship. "She would call me up. My wife was like, 'What's going on with Diane Sawyer?'" he said.

According to Beck, Sawyer cut ties with him after the Council on American-Islamic Relations threatened the network and its parent company Disney with a boycott if they didn't take Beck off the air. This turned Sawyer, in Beck's eyes, into a pro-Muslim "bigot."

"All of a sudden, I can't get Diane on the phone," he said. "Finally, about eight months later I have lunch with her, and she becomes the biggest bigot I've ever seen in my life."

So Glenn Beck's claims that Diane Sawyer is the biggest bigot he's ever seen, which tells me that Beck does not have a single mirror in his house.