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KXAN facing racial discrimination, libel lawsuits
Austin’s NBC affiliate has been hit with a pair of lawsuits.
Rhonda Lee
One accuses KXAN of racial discrimination; the other alleges the station aired a libelous report.
Eric Lassberg, president and general manager of KXAN, did not respond to a request for comment on the two cases.
Michael Fabac, who spent about five years as news director is, as of this week, no longer with the station, newsroom staffers said.
Former weekend morning weathercaster Rhonda Lee filed the discrimination suit in U.S. District Court in Austin.
Now at KTBS in Shreveport, La., Lee, who is black, says she was “terminated” in August after being “repeatedly subjected to crude and insensitive remarks about her race.”
She also claims, according to court documents, to have been left out of advertisements and station events, such as KXAN’s fall premiere party.
When Lee asked why, she was told “she was not marketable to the audience the company was trying to reach, which was Caucasian males,” the lawsuit alleges.
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KEYE ending ‘We Are Austin Live,’ adding 5 p.m. newscast
KEYE will tweak its afternoon lineup next month.
The station plans to scrap its 4 p.m. “We Are Austin Live” show and, at the same time, revive its 5 p.m. newscast, which was nixed about three years.
The changes take effect June 18.
News director Suzanne Black promises “KEYE TV News at 5 p.m.” will have “a focus on viewer advocacy, hard news stories and answering the questions viewers want to know,” and will feature the station’s Waste Watch reports.
It will be anchored by Judy Maggio and Ron Oliveira, who helm the CBS affiliate’s 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. Weather will come from chief meteorologist Troy Kimmel.
Senior reporter Jason Wheeler will be a featured player on the new newscast. He’ll “staff the Breaking News Desk and field-anchor stories and special reports, bringing viewers more in-depth coverage,” according to KEYE’s announcement.
In place of “We Are Austin Live,” the station will air “The Insider” at 4 p.m., followed by “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” at 4:30 p.m.
KEYE’s New afternoon lineup
Noon: “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”
12:30 p.m.: “Bold and the Beautiful”
1 p.m.: “The Talk”
2 p.m.: “Let’s Make a Deal”
3 p.m.: “The People’s Court”
4 p.m.: “The Insider”
4:30 p.m.: “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”
5 p.m.: “KEYE TV News at 5 p.m.”
5:30 p.m.: “CBS Evening News”
6 p.m.: “KEYE TV News at 6 p.m.”
6:30 p.m.: “Two and a Half Men”
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KGSR, KLBJ plan free lakeside concerts
Two Austin radio stations are serving up free concerts this summer on the shores of Lake Travis.
Carolyn Wonderland plays May 27
Corporate siblings KGSR-FM and KLBJ-FM will host the rooftop shows at Uncle Billy’s, 6550 Comanche Trail.
KGSR’s Lakeside Live happens Sundays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., while KLBJ’s Rock the Lake takes place Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m.
All the acts haven’t been announced just yet, so check each station’s website for updates.
KGSR-FM Lakeside Live lineup
May 27: Carolyn Wonderland
June 3: Sons and Fathers
June 10: Warren Hood
July 1: Akina Adderley and the Vintage Playboys
July 8: T Bird and the Breaks
KLBJ-FM Rock the Lake lineup
May 24: Soul Track Mind with KP and the Boom Boom
May 31: Eric Tessmer
June 14: English Beat and the Romantics
June 21: Soul Hat
June 28: Alpha Rev
July 12: Cody and Willie Braun of Reckless Kelly
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Most-played list: Another win for Gotye
Gotye’s still got it.
Usher’s ‘Scream’ is a hit
“Somebody That I Used to Know” is, for a second week, Austin’s most-played song, according to allaccess.com. It was heard 245 times on local stations May 14-20.
That’s up 12 spins from the previous week.
Second-place honors go to Flo Rida’s “Wild Ones” (231) and “We Are Young” (211) from Fun. snagged third.
Moving up the charts: Pitbull’s “Back In Time,” Ca$H Out’s “Cashin’ Out” and Usher’s “Scream.”
On the way down: Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” (“What Doesn’t Kill You”), Jennifer Lopez’s “Dance Again,” Katy Perry’s “Part of Me” and E-40’s “Function.”
Here are the top five songs played on a random sampling of local stations:
Mix 94.7
Fun., “We Are Young” - 58
Katy Perry, “Part of Me” - 49
Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger” (“What Doesn’t Kill You”) - 48
Gotye, “Somebody That I Used to Know” - 43
Andy Grammer, “Fine by Me” - 42
96.7 KISS-FM
Fun., “We Are Young” - 116
Gotye, “Somebody That I Used to Know” - 115
Flo Rida, “Wild Ones” - 114
The Wanted, “Glad You Came” - 87
Nicki Minaj, “Starships” - 82
93.3 KGSR
Alabama Shakes, “Hold On” - 40
Shins, “Simple Song” - 40
Gotye, “Somebody That I Used to Know” - 39
Of Monsters and Men, “Little Talks” - 39
Ryan Adams, “Chains of Love” - 37
98.1 KVET-FM
Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” - 20
Brantley Gilbert, “Country Must Be Country Wide” - 17
Eric Church, “Drink in My Hand” - 16
Tim McGraw, “Better Than I Used to Be” - 16
Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” - 16
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KUT raises $1 million in 5 days
A million bucks in five days?
Performance space at new KUT studios
No problem.
The folks over at 90.5 KUT-FM met their fundraising goal — and then some — during a weeklong pledge drive.
The money will help pay for the soon-to-open KUT Public Media Studios. The $9.8 million facility at the corner of Dean Keeton and Guadalupe streets on the University of Texas campus is set to open this summer.
“In the spirit of our new facility, this … campaign was a community-wide effort — from the individuals, families and businesses that contributed, to the artists and newsmakers who recorded campaign messages, to the volunteers who answered phones, to the vendors that donated food,” said Stewart Vanderwilt, the NPR affiliate’s director and general manager.
“KUT would not be preparing to move into a state-of-the-art facility were it not for the longtime, broad-based community support it receives on a daily basis.”
The station reports it received contributions — $25 up to $5,000 — from about 2,000 people and businesses.
Learn more about the KUT Public Media Studios at kut.org.
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KXAN’s news director no longer with the station
KXAN news director Michael Fabac is no longer with the station, newsroom staffers said today.
Details on his departure, which comes during the crucial May “sweeps” period, were not immediately available. Ratings during May and three other months — February, July and November — are used to set TV advertising rates.
Fabac was hired in late 2006, arriving from the Fox affiliate in Little Rock, Ark. At the time, he told the American-Statesman the move to KXAN was “an amazing opportunity.”
He had previously worked at stations in Detroit; St. Louis; Saginaw, Mich.; and Colorado Springs, Colo.
In announcing Fabac’s hiring, station general manager Eric Lassberg said, “Michael will bring a lot of positive energy to the newsroom. He comes across as a very passionate leader with a lot of integrity.”
KXAN’s 6 a.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts have ranked No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings in recent months. Ratings for May sweeps, which ends Wednesday, should be available by week’s end.
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Austin-filmed ‘The Lying Game’ gets second season
It’s no lie: ABC Family’s “The Lying Game,” filmed in Austin, will be back for a second season.
Cast of ‘The Lying Game’
Hooray!
Viewership for the fast-paced, addictive drama steadily grew during its first year — especially among young women, a group advertisers crave — helping persuade network execs to order more episodes.
Production will restart in a few weeks, and fresh episodes should hit the air this winter. Shooting happens at the Austin Studios complex on East 51st Street.
“A second season is always great, but the joy in any project is the people you get to work with, and Austin and Texas have the greatest people,” executive producer Charles Pratt Jr. told me. “It may be a little hot, but that’s probably why you find so many warm hearts down there in Texas.”
“The Lying Game” follows separated-at-birth twins Emma Becker and Sutton Mercer, who have reunited to find their birth mother. Predictably, there are plenty of misadventures along the way.
Read more in my column from Saturday’s American-Statesman.
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Most-played list: Gotye bumps Flo Rida from No. 1 spot
Go, go, Gotye.
Gotye
Wouter de Backer — that’s his real name, folks — has bumped Flo Rida from the No. 1 spot on Austin’s most-played list, according to allaccess.com.
It was an oh-so-close win. “Somebody That I Used to Know” was heard on local stations 232 times May 11-17, one more spin than “Wild Ones,” which had the top spot for four straight weeks.
Fun.’s “We Are Young” (216) was a respectable third.
Here are the top five songs played on a random sampling of local stations:
Moving up the charts: Shins’ Simple Song, Tyga’s Faded, Alabama Shakes’ Hold On and J. Cole’s Can’t Get Enough.
On the way down: Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg’s Young, Wild & Free, Fun.’s We Are Young, Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) and Jennifer Lopez’s Dance Again.
Here are the top five songs played on a random sampling of local stations:
Mega 103.5 HD2
Afrojack & Shermanology, Can’t Stop Me - 98 spins
Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know - 98
Morgan Page, Body Work - 77
Fun., We Are Young - 75
Ferry Corsten, Ain’t No Stoppin’ - 68
93.3 KGSR
Alabama Shakes, Hold On - 39 spins
Shins, Simple Song - 39
Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know - 38
Of Monsters And Men, Little Talks - 38
Ryan Adams, Chains Of Love - 36
KASE 101
Miranda Lambert, Over You - 47 spins
Kip Moore, Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck - 45
Eric Church, Springsteen - 44
Zac Brown Band, No Hurry - 43
Tim McGraw, Better Than I Used to Be - 43
Majic 95.5
Lionel Richie, Endless Love - 27 spins
Lady Antebellum, Just a Kiss - 26
Adele, Set Fire to the Rain - 26
Kelly Clarkson, Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) - 25
Kelly Clarkson, Mr. Know It All - 24
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KASE 101 becomes George 101 … for a day
By George, they’ve done it!
The folks over at KASE 101 have — for one day only — rechristened the station as George 101 to celebrate country legend George Strait’s 60th birthday.
Tune in all day today for a heapin’ helpin’ of tunes from Strait, who was born May 18, 1952, in Pearsall.
“Texas’ very own George Strait has made an incredible impact on country music and his 59 No. 1 hits are the songs our listeners love to hear,” said Joel Burke, the station’s program director. “We’re excited for George 101 to honor his name and celebrate his 60th birthday with great country music.”
Happy birthday, Georgie Boy!
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Melissa Gale leaving KVUE
Melissa Gale, anchor of KVUE’s morning and midday newscasts, revealed today she’s leaving the station after 14 years.
Gale posted this message on the station’s Facebook wall a short time ago: “I announced today at the Station that after many great years at KVUE, reporting to the wonderful people of Austin on things that I hope have been very important to them, I’ve decided to take some much needed time off, and explore some other opportunities. I want you all to know that I’ll miss you all. Thanks again, for welcoming me into your homes all these many years.”
An exact departure date hasn’t been announced just yet.
A University of Texas grad, Gale worked at TV stations in Amarillo, El Paso and Huntington, W. Va., before landing in Austin.
She anchors “KVUE News Daybreak” at 5 a.m. and “KVUE News Midday” at 11 a.m. weekdays alongside Bryan Mays and meteorologist Albert Ramon.
From the archives
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Austin-filmed ‘Texas Music Scene’ features homegrown acts
Texas bands are “flipping out” over the exposure they’re getting on a music-focused TV show produced right here in the Austin area.
Producer Tom Hoitsma and host Ray Benson
On the air since 2010, “Texas Music Scene” is back for another season with fresh episodes featuring “a new set, new graphics … new everything,” producer Tom Hoitsma said. Tapings happen at the Texas Music Theater in San Marcos.
The program is No. 1 or No. 2 in its time slot in several cities, according to Nielsen ratings, including Austin, where it airs at 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. Sundays on CBS affiliate KEYE-TV.
Other cities where it’s getting “monster numbers,” according to Hoitsma, include Abilene, Beaumont, Dallas and San Antonio.
In total, “Texas Music Scene” averages 360,000 viewers each weekend, and video clips from the show get about 125,000 monthly views on YouTube.
Each hour-long episode features performances by four bands with Texas ties, such as Carolyn Wonderland, Jack Ingram, Pat Green and Kevin Fowler.
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‘Bobby Bones Show’s producer sets new world record for fist pumping
“My arm hurts, but it was awesome!”
Ray, ‘Bobby Bones Show’ producer
That’s what Ray, producer of “The Bobby Bones Show,” had to say this afternoon after setting a new world record for fist pumping.
Yes, fist pumping.
Starting at 7 p.m. Monday and continuing until 12:15 p.m. today, Ray fist pumped for 17 hours and 15 minutes straight, breaking the previous record — 17 hours — set last week by an Ohio man.
The show taped every single second and plans to submit the video to the folks at the “Guinness Book of World Records.”
“Ray loves to fist pump outside of the show, so I thought he’d like to do it during the show,” Bones said. “As crazy as it sounds, this was quite the athletic achievement.”
The nationally syndicated “Bobby Bones Show” is based here in Austin, airing on No. 1-rated 96.7 KISS-FM.
Watch live video from bobbybonesshow on Justin.tv
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Latest comments
We always turned the channel if Rhonda Lee was on. She had an abrasive delivery. Her voice, her trying to be too witty, and even some of the outfits were just over the top. Catenya McHenry was fine as she had a nice delivery, not cutesy sounding and
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This city has issues with African Americans that do not speak accordingly. None of us are perfect and all should have the right to work to provide a living for ourselves, I can relate because I have a Speech impairment and it has caused me issues there
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