Changes at KABC
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KABC which has been doing a stellar job of covering the wildfires is adding some new players to its roster.
Here are the internal memo that went out to the staff from KABC GM Wendy Granato:
From: Granato, Wendy (KABC-TV)
Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 8:15 AM
To: #KABCTV Everyone
Subject: KABC additions to our team
Team.
First and foremost, once again – I want to thank you for your incredible work over the last two weeks covering these devastating fires. It has been a true honor to be in the trenches with all of you. Everyone here went above and beyond, mobilizing under the most difficult of circumstances to do work that was nothing short of astonishing.
As we double down on our commitment to covering the stories that will be critical to Los Angeles’ recovery, I’m pleased to announce that we will be bringing on two new members of the team.
ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston investigative reporter Kevin Ozebek and KTRK’s director of community engagement Brandon De Hoyos are both making the move to Los Angeles. Kevin – who has been here helping to cover the fires - will join our award-winning investigative team permanently effective immediately. Brandon will relocate in the next month and will fill the role that is being left vacant by our beloved vice president of community Teresa Samaniego, who as you all know, is retiring after 45 years.
There are many parallels between the Los Angeles and Houston markets – both have robust economies, layers of complex government oversight, communities defined by their rich cultural diversity and many of the same environmental challenges – drought, fires and intense windstorms, so both Kevin and Brandon have cut their teeth on many of the same issues as all of you. And of course, I know them both well and know they have a lot to offer this team.
Kevin has an impressive track record of uncovering significant news stories. Most recently, he reported on the deadly New Year's Eve terrorist attack in New Orleans, involving the Houston resident suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar. He also highlighted the environmental impact of orphan wells along the Texas coast, brought attention to chronically flooding homes in the Houston area, as well as the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey's destruction.
Before joining KTRK, Kevin worked as an investigative reporter at WSVN-TV in Miami. During his time there, he exposed how South Floridians were wrongly billed by local utilities and elder care facilities that were failing to meet state standards. He also investigated environmental hazards and how climate change impacted the South Florida landscape.
He has international experience as well, having worked as Europe Correspondent for Feature Story News in Brussels, Belgium, reporting on major stories that included terror attacks in France and Belgium, the refugee crisis from the Syrian Civil War, and NATO expansion.
Brandon has worked his way up from being a digital content producer to an indispensable member of my executive team as director of community engagement, working closely with the Eyewitness News team and local leaders to reflect and serve the diverse communities across 21 counties in southeast Texas.
This last year Brandon launched the station’s first new initiative in nearly 20 years: ABC13’s Share Your School Supplies Drive. This initiative helped more than 800 teachers begin the school year with the resources they needed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he established a virtual gathering place for the community and executive produced over 70 hours of long-form advocacy journalism through the Action 13 Town Hall series, facilitating important discussions on topics such as domestic violence, harassment against Asian Americans, healthcare disparities in Black and Hispanic communities, and violence against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly focusing on transgender women of color.
Prior to transitioning into community engagement, he was a digital content supervisor leading producers through some of Houston’s most pivotal events, including Hurricane Harvey, the second costliest storm in U.S. history; Tropical Storm Imelda; the historic Tax Day, Memorial and Independence Day floods; and the Santa Fe school shooting.
Additionally, he is well-versed in conceptualizing and producing content aligned with Disney cause campaigns and station priorities. Most recently, he collaborated with Disney to provide aid to Alvin, Texas, following a devastating EF-2 tornado that destroyed an elementary school, coincidentally named Walt Disney Elementary. ABC13 and Disney partnered to donate over $75,000 in school supplies. Other notable initiatives he led include the ABC13 Share Your Holidays Food Drive, the Pick Your Pet adoption drive, the Earth Day E-Cycle Drive, and the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive.
I think both will be tremendous additions to our team, and I know you will love working with them as much as I have.
Please join me in welcoming Kevin and Brandon!
Wendy
Here is the internal memo that went out to the staff at KTRK, from GM Mike Carr.
From: Carr, Michael B. (KTRK-TV)
Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 8:17 AM
To: #KTRKTV Everyone
Subject: FW: KABC additions to our team
Team,
What an incredible morning! The snowfall across the area is extraordinary, only to be matched by our extraordinary coverage during and leading up to today’s weather! Thank you for your hard work, and please continue to prioritize your safety if you are outside or traveling.
Please see below for an announcement Wendy just made re: Kevin Ozebek and Brandon DeHoyas joining the KABC team in Los Angeles. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to them both! Their contributions to KTRK are greatly appreciated and I know they will both do great things in LA.
Our KTRK team is exceptional, and I know we will fill these roles with equally talented individuals prepared to meet the diverse needs of the Houston community.
Mike
