Brian Sanders (pictured), who currently anchors weekend mornings, is moving to weekdays. He replaces Robert Maxwell, who will move to sister station KNVA, Austin’s CW affiliate, as anchor of the 9 p.m. newscast. Maxwell joined KXAN in February from KTVX in Salt Lake City.

“I am excited to connect with our growing evening news audience,” Maxwell said in a statement. “I know there are many stories, both significant and relevant to Central Texans that we’ll be investigating in the coming months. And I’m proud to play a role in that process with the talented and dedicated team at KXAN and CW Austin.” continued…

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Chad Cross, who has been the news director at KWCH in Wichita since 2008, is joining the Austin NBC-affiliate.  He replaces Michael Fabac, who departed KXAN in May after five years leading the station’s newsroom.

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Cross joined KWCH in 2002.  Cross worked as a reporter, anchor, producer, and assignment editor there before being named news director.

As Austin media blogger Jim McNabb points out, Cross is much younger than many of the people he will manage at KXAN.

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The discrimination suit was brought by meteorologist Rhonda Lee (right), who says she was let go last August after being “repeatedly subjected to crude and insensitive remarks about her race.”

The libel suit was filed by a producer of the Austin Women’s Expo over a KXAN investigative report that alleged that the expo bilked sponsors out of promised advertising opportunities. continued…

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Although KXAN general manager Eric Lassberg was not immediately available for comment, Austin360 confirmed with newsroom staffers today that Fabac’s five-year tenure as the NBC-affiliate’s news director has come to an end.

Fabac’s departure comes a month after Austin media blogger Jim McNabb reported that newsroom morale was slipping amid the departures of a handful of reporters.

A tipster emailed this afternoon to report that “many in the newsroom are headed for celebratory drinks this evening.” continued…

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McNamara began her broadcasting career with CBS-affiliate KLBK in Lubbock, TX.  After a stint with KXAN in Austin, she joined WFTS in April 2009.

McNamara is the daughter of longtime CBS News correspondent Bob McNamara and her family has strong ties to the Twin Cities. Her parents met in Minnesota and her dad worked at local CBS-affiliate WCCO before joining CBS News.

“Although I’ve never lived there, my family has strong ties to the area,” McNamara said, mentioning that her sister currently lives in Minnesota. “I’m very excited.” continued…

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Michelle Valles

Valles most recently lived in Austin, where she anchored on KXAN from 2003-08 and on KEYE from 2008-10. For the past two years, she has been acting, appearing in musicals and writing for a local magazine, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

“Her experience as a broadcast journalist, along with her energy, wit and creativity, will greatly contribute to our newscast,” KNBC president Steve Carlston said in a statement announcing Valles’ hire. continued…

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In taking on the new role, Sanders, who has been with the Austin NBC-affiliate since 2006, will leave behind his previous post as weekend sports anchor.

“For the longevity of my career, I felt it was best to switch to news,” Sanders told The Listening Post. “Local TV sports is a tough business.  Several markets have stations that have downsized their sports departments.”

A Houston native, Sanders began his broadcasting career at KSAN in San Angelo, TX.

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Maxwell comes to KXAN from KTVX in Salt Lake City, where he served as the station’s primary evening anchor.  In addition to co-anchoring KXAN’s morning newscast, Maxwell will work as an investigative reporter.

“I’m pleased to welcome a journalist of Robert’s caliber to the KXAN team,” KXAN news director Michael Fabac said this week.  “Robert’s personality will help engage the a.m. news audience and serve as a terrific compliment to anchor Sally Hernandez.” continued…

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Rutherford, who was the morning and midday meteorologist, was last on the air Friday. His bio was reportedly removed from the station’s website hours after the newscast finished.

The abrupt departure is the latest in a string of exits from KXAN, including investigative reporter Nanci Wilson, meteorologist Rhonda Lee and weekend morning anchor Catenya McHenry, who told viewers on Facebook her contract had been terminated.

KXAN news director Michael Fabac did not respond to TVSpy’s request for comment.

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Willis has worked at KXAN as both a reporter and an anchor since joining the station in 1999. He currently co-anchors the morning newscast with Shannon Wolfson, but he will be leaving the anchor desk to focus on his investigative role full-time.

“His experiences in the field and from behind the anchor desk have allowed Chris the opportunity to develop unmatched relationships with our audience and the newsmakers of Austin,” KXAN news director Michael Fabac said in a statement.

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Wilson, who has has won a pair of local Emmys during her 22 years as a reporter, was wooed to KXAN in 2009 following seven years with crosstown rival KEYE.  And now she’s leaving.

“I’ll miss my friends at KXAN, and I wish them well,” Wilson told the Austin American-Statesman via email. “I’m proud to have had the opportunity to work on stories that revealed issues and led to positive changes.”

KXAN is currently searching for her replacement. continued…

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The Austin American-Statesmen profiles four meteorologists in the Austin market  — Scott Fisher (pictured) of KTBC, Mark Murray of KVUE, Troy Kimmel of KEYE and Jim Spencer of KXAN. The four of them agree: there’s no end in sight, and that fact alone makes forecasting close to impossible.

“I agonize over two or three degrees, because I want to be right 100 percent of the time,” Fisher said. All the meteorologists say they begin to prepare their forecasts hours before they go on the air — looking at maps, analyzing data and thinking of new ways to tell viewers that the weather will likely be hot and dry, again. (“Someone brought in a thesaurus the other day, and I said, ‘Hey, can I borrow that?’” Murray recalled.) continued…

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Riggs, who will leave his position as an anchor and senior producer at KTEN in Denison, TX, will be paired with current morning co-anchor Candyce Clifft. “The demands of the morning co-anchor position are many and unqiue, and it takes a special kind of person to handle them,” WDRB vice president Barry Fulmer said. “He’s knowledgeable, he’s personable and he’s really excited about the chance to explore an entirely new part of the country.”

Although Bernson is slated to retire in October, Riggs’s first day at the Fox affiliate will be August 19. Riggs, who has also worked at KXAN in Austin and KLST in San Angelo, took a four-year break from the news business in 2005 to be chief operating officer of a local development community in Destin, FL. He returned to television at KTEN, an NBC affiliate, in 2009.

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Net revenues for the station group was $104.1 million in the second quarter, compared to $99.5 million last year.

In announcing the financial results, LIN president and CEO Vincent Sadusky said that the boost was driven by an increase in digital revenues, which includes both internet advertising and retrans fees.

“Our growth in digital is a result of our interactive strategy and ability to secure higher retransmission fees from pay television service providers, which offset the slow economic recovery and auto supply issues,” Sadusky said.

In addition to reporting an uptick in revenue, LIN boasted that 77% of its ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations were ranked number one or two in their local markets for May sweeps, based on key demographics.

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Stepping in front of the cameras a half hour earlier is KXAN’s established morning team of anchors Chris Willis and Sally Hernandez (right), weathercaster Shawn Rutherford, and traffic reporter Debra Wynn.

“Our expanded morning show with our entire morning team will be poised and ready at 4:30 a.m. to provide our viewers the best in local news every morning,” said Eric Lassberg, KXAN’s president and general manager.

In Austin, KXAN follows ABC-affiliate KVUE and Fox O&O KTBC in expanding to 4:30.

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