After 26 years as KTRK‘s lead investigative reporter, Wayne Dolcefino has left the ABC O&O in Houston.

The station said in a statement that Dolcefino “elected to leave” the station. Houston media blogger Mike McGuff, who first noted Dolcefino’s disappearance earlier this month, reports KTRK announced the news of the reporter’s exit on the 5 p.m. newscast last Wednesday.

In a statement issued to the Houston Chronicle, Dolcefino said he had “fought hard to honor the long tradition of Eyewitness News.”

“I thank the people at Channel 13 who have helped me expose those who betray the public trust and who waste the public’s money,” the statement reads. “After 26 years you are like family. Telling the truth can sometimes be controversial. I hope I have honored the viewers I care about so much.”

After more than a year of planning and promoting, Katie Couric‘s syndicated talk show, “Katie,” debuts this afternoon.

“Katie” will air at 3 p.m. in all but two of the top 10 markets. The exceptions are Dallas and Washington, DC,  where ABC affiliates WFAA and WJLA will run “Katie” in the 4 p.m. timeslot, which was vacated by daytime fixture Oprah Winfrey last June.

• Related, TVNewser: Katie Couric, Anderson Cooper Facing Serious Challenges in Crowded Syndie Marketplace
  

The eight ABC O&Os — WABC in New York, KABC in Los Angeles, WLS in Chicago, WPVI in Philadelphia, KGO in San Francisco, KTRK in Houston, WTVD in Raleigh-Durham and KFSN in Fresno — are sticking with a commitment to local newscasts, some of which launched in the wake of Winfrey’s departure, in the 4 p.m. time slot.

Reporter Pooja Lodhia, who joined KTRK in April, was set to do a live shot at the top of the ABC O&O’s 10 p.m. newscast when a technical hiccup caused her to be unable to hear her colleagues at the station. The result was half a minute of Lodhia standing in front of the camera, not knowing that she was on the air (video above). Read more

Greg Bailey has been named sports director at KTRK, the ABC O&O in Houston, media blogger Mike McGuff reports.

Bailey, a Texas native, will succeed Bob Allen, who is leaving KTRK at the end of the year. He will remain on staff as sports director emeritus until then.

“I’m thrilled to come home to Texas and join the team at KTRK,” Bailey told McGuff. “I look forward to working alongside Bob Allen and the great group he’s assembled in the sports office.”

Bailey has been the sports director at WCNC, the NBC-affiliate in Charlotte, since 2007. Prior to that, spent six years as the weekend sports anchor at KING in Seattle.

Mia Gradney is joining Houston CBS-affiliate KHOU, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Until June, Gradney was the weekday evening anchor at crosstown rival KIAH, the CW-affiliate. She spent 12 years at the station. Gradney began her television career at another Houston station, ABC O&O KTRK.

KHOU news director Philip Bruce told the Chronicle that Gradney will work as a general assignment reporter beginning July 2.

Andy Cerota is joining KPRC, the NBC-affiliate in Houston, media blogger Mike McGuff has confirmed.

After Cerota announced his departure from rival KTRK, the ABC O&O in Houston, rumors swirled that he would be joining KPRC. He spent nine years as a reporter for KTRK.

McGuff reports that he will be an anchor and reporter at KPRC. Cerota said on Twitter that he will be anchoring the midday newscast starting Monday.

Dan Rather will anchor the 5 p.m. newscast tomorrow on KCTV, the CBS-affiliate in Kansas City.

Rather is on a promotion tour for his memoir, “Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News.” In addition to spending some time at the anchor desk, he will also do an extended interview with KCTV during the station’s 4 p.m. newscast tomorrow.

Rather began his television career at KTRK in Houston and eventually went on to anchor the “CBS Evening News” for 24 years. For more on Rather’s career, watch mediabistro’s “My First Big Break” interview with him after the jump.

>Update: Rather will not be anchoring the 5 p.m. newscast, KCTV told TVSpy this afternoon. “As it turned out, his schedule of events is making it tough for him to do the interview and try and do the show at 5 p.m.,” a spokesperson for the station said. “He will appear on KCTV5 News at 4 p.m. for an extended interview.” Read more

Jim Rosenfield, a veteran anchor who made his mark in New York with WNBC and WCBS, is joining WRC in Washington, D.C. The NBC-owned station announced today that Rosenfield is coming on board as a weekend anchor.

“Jim is a talented anchor and reporter, but more importantly, he’s an all-around good guy,” said Camille Edwards, WRC’s vice president of news, announcing the move. “I’ve known him for almost 20 years, and I am so happy to be working with him again. He is a perfect addition to our winning news team.”

Rosenfield spent a decade working as a reporter and anchor in New York, first at WCBS, then at WNBC, then back at WCBS, where he replaced Ernie Anastos on the station’s evening newscasts. He signed off from WCBS for good in May of 2008. Read more

Andy Cerota has left KTRK after nine years as a general assignment reporter for the ABC O&O.  Cerota’s contract with KTRK expired recently and a source close to him indicates that he considered staying but the station couldn’t offer him an anchor position.

Houston media blogger Mike McGuff floats the rumor that Cerota “could end up behind the anchor desk down the freeway at KPRC.”

Sources describe Cerota’s departure from KTRK as an amicable split.

Cerota has spent most of his career in Texas, working in Abilene and Austin before eventually joining KTRK in May 2003. Read more

Now, when ABC O&Os tell viewers to “wake up with us,” they won’t necessarily be referring to watching their morning newscasts.

ABC is now rolling out an iPhone alarm clock app for its station group, beginning today with KTRK in Houston.  In addition to serving as an alarm clock, the free app features local weather and news, and also offers users the ability to wake up to the voice of their favorite local news personality.

Viewers in Houston can now wake up to the voices of KTRK’s morning team, including Tom Koch, Sharron Melton, Casey Curry, Don Nelson, as well as the station’s breaking news music. Read more