Demond Fernandez leaving KTRK Ch 13 for WFAA-TV ABC 8 Dallas-Fort Worth

[Blue Dogs]

Mike McGuff of McGuff Blog got confirmation from WFAA ABC 8 news director Carolyn Mungo that KTRK-TV Ch. 13 reporter Demond Fernandez is joining her legendary newsroom.

"I've enjoyed three awesome years in Houston," Fernandez told mikemcguff.com. "I'd like to thank the ABC 13 viewers, neighbors and community members across the area who trusted me to help tell their stories. I'm very excited about this new journey in my career."

Someone pointed out to McGuff on Facebook this is a case of KHOU-TV owner Gannett, stealing from the competition in Houston and moving it to its own station in DFW.

http://mikemcguff.blogspot.com/2014/05/demond-fernandez-wfaa-dallas-ktrk-abc13-houston.html?m=1

Reaction from anyone on this development?

[txn4art]

I wish Demond Fernandez well at his new job in Dallas.

 

KTRK CH.13 is my go-to station for TV news. However, I find it difficult to appreciate recently-hired news anchor Natasha Barrett's fashion sense. Yes, it's hot here and yes, the station wants to appeal to a younger demographic, but those sleeveless tank tops and long, flowing locks just don't come across as a polished, professional look.

 

 

[citykid09]

Why is everybody leaving abc13? for the past 1-2 years its been like a small town station where the people stay for a year or 2 and then leave. Is it the managment that they are not getting along with?

[Blue Dogs]

The one and done policy (see Kentucky basketball players) must be turning some reporters to leave Ch. 13 after 3-5 years because some are using this station as s stepping stone for bigger gigs in other places like WFAA Dallas-Fort Worth or Los Angeles.

[mollusk]

A stepping stone to LA or New York I could understand, but somehow I just don't think that DFW is that much of a bigger or more glamorous or whatever market than we are - instead, going there would seem to be more of a lateral move, unless it's to go another notch or two up the newsroom pecking order (i.e., reporter to weekend anchor, or weekend to weekday).

[citykid09]

A stepping stone to LA or New York I could understand, but somehow I just don't think that DFW is that much of a bigger or more glamorous or whatever market than we are - instead, going there would seem to be more of a lateral move, unless it's to go another notch or two up the newsroom pecking order (i.e., reporter to weekend anchor, or weekend to weekday).

 

Dallas is the 5th largest media market in the country, Houston is 10th. From the news clips that I have seen from the Dallas market, they seem to be more "big time" then the Houston market. The studio sets in DFW seem much more expensive to me, like what you would find in New York, Chicago or LA.

 

But you are right, usually when people in the business leave Houston its for one of the big 3 markets or national. Many times they have the goal of just being in a top 10 market.

 

 

Rank        Metropolitan Market Regions / Areas

1               New York

2               Los Angeles

3               Chicago

4               Philadelphia

5               Dallas-Ft. Worth

6               San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

7               Boston

8               Atlanta

9               Washington, DC

10             Houston

[ChannelTwoNews]

It's a basically lateral move, but with a catch or two.

 

Three of the "Big Four" english stations are owned by their respective networks in that market. It could, in fact, be a stepping stone to a higher level position a bit quicker as a result. The exception to the rule was WFAA, which was the flagship station of it's station group (Belo), but it's position will likely change as a result of the acquisition by Gannett.

 

This might also be why there is some percieved extra "flash" in the presentation, but really, I don't think it's all that discernible. The industry is fairly incestuous, so the sets, music, graphics, etc... are going to resemble one another for the most part, with a tweak or two to "individualize" or "localize" for any particular market.

 

What's interesting is that the reverse is generally true on the spanish language side in Houston anyway. The primary evening anchors on both KXLN and KTMD made it to the network level, but are now heading the local news. KXLN has Raul Peimbert, who has a farily impressive professional pedigree and most recent stint was in Los Angeles. KTMD has Martin Berlanga, who actually started at 45, then became a reporter and anchor for Univision's national weekend newscasts before returning to Telemundo in Houston. There are cases of this happening on the english side (see Sylvan Rodriguez, Gina Gaston) but I'm thinking not as often.

[Blue Dogs]

I do remember Sylvan going to ABC News for a brief time before going back to Houston and working for KHOU-TV, where he was the 12pm and 6pm anchor until his death.