KPRC-TV Honored with Prestigious duPont-Columbia Award for 'DRAINED' Series

KPRC’s investigative series, "DRAINED," has been awarded the esteemed duPont-Columbia Award, recognizing excellence in journalism. The series has been led by investigative reporter Amy Davis and the KPRC 2 Investigates team, which has delved into the issues of overbilling, faulty water meters, and mismanagement of city contracts.

"It's an incredible honor for our team, and it's all thanks to your trust in us to tell the stories that matter most to our community," said Davis, who received the award in New York City.

The "DRAINED" series brought to light the challenges faced by numerous Houstonians. KPRC’s reporting found they received inaccurate water bills, often amounting to thousands of dollars. The team not only highlighted individual hardships but also spurred significant changes within the city's water billing system. Since 2022, the KPRC 2 Investigates team has helped customers get more than $300,000 in refunds and credits. The reporting exposed contracts dealing with Houston water line repairs that led to the arrest of seven people.

“We are grateful for the recognition, but even more so for the Houstonians who trusted us to share their stories and be their advocate when the system failed them,” said KPRC 2 News Director Ana Lastra.

The duPont-Columbia Award is one of journalism's most prestigious honors, celebrating outstanding broadcast and digital reporting. This recognition underscores KPRC 2 Investigates' commitment to exposing problems and finding solutions that make Houston a better place to live.

For more information about the "DRAINED" series and to view the investigative reports, please visit Click2Houston.com.

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About Graham Media Group Graham Media Group is comprised of seven local media powerhouses, plus Graham Digital, Omne and Social News Desk – all delivering local news, programming, advertising solutions and digital media tools for television, online, mobile, streaming, podcasts and audio devices. We are dynamic, local brands that extend well beyond traditional broadcast television. Our work helps inform, celebrate, and knit together the communities we serve.

Headquartered in Detroit, GMG operates in four states: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando (CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local), and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW). Graham Digital is a digital media and technology development group widely recognized as a top industry innovator. Omne is a leader in results-driven marketing solutions. Social News Desk provides its 2500+ worldwide newsroom-customers with a single dashboard to publish, measure, curate and monetize local news content on social platforms. Website: https://www.grahammedia.com

KPRC 2 Names Keith Garvin Anchor of 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Newscasts

Native Texan Keith Garvin has been named anchor of KPRC 2 News at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Garvin will co-anchor with Lauren Freeman at 5 p.m. and Daniella Guzman at 6 & 10 p.m. effective June 20, 2022. 

Keith Garvin is an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist who joined KPRC 2 as an anchor/reporter in August of 2012. He has reported on both shooting tragedies at Fort Hood, the American Sniper Murder Trial, along with coverage from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and local contestants on NBC’s The Voice. Garvin won a regional Emmy as anchor of the Best Newscast in 2013 and an Edward R. Murrow award in 2021 for “George Floyd Continuing Coverage". 

“Keith is the perfect co-anchor for KPRC 2’s evening newscasts,” says KPRC 2 VP/General Manager Jerry Martin. “Over the last 10 years he has proven himself as a top-notch journalist with the local roots and knowledge of our community to bring the news into Houston homes.”

Garvin grew up in Bryan-College Station and is a proud graduate of Bryan High School. He attended the University of Nevada at Reno on a football scholarship, where he earned a broadcast journalism degree from the university’s Don Reynolds School of Journalism.

"I absolutely love Houston & consider it the highest of honors to be named as the evening anchor alongside Daniella & Lauren for KPRC 2,” says Keith Garvin. “It is a privilege to be allowed into the homes of our viewers and followers on a daily and nightly basis to deliver information that makes a difference in their lives."

Prior to KPRC 2, Garvin was an anchor/reporter at KTVT in Dallas-Fort Worth, as well as a correspondent for ABC serving as a member of the White House Press Corps, reporting from Iraq & covering Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Keith has also worked at WRC-TV in Washington D.C., WTVD in Raleigh, N.C. and KFSN in Fresno, California.

Keith says the favorite part of his job is being able to meet people and tell their stories and he is proudest of telling the stories of United States military members directly from Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Rwanda. He has interviewed former Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, Rev. Billy Graham, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and other notable figures.

When Keith isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four daughters. They are members of Houston's Second Baptist Church. Keith also enjoys traveling, running, reading, and dining at Mexican and Thai restaurants. His memberships include the Houston Association of Black Journalists & Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

KPRC 2, Texas Southern University celebrate Houston's Black history

KPRC 2 is partnering with Texas Southern University throughout the month of February 2021, when TSU students will curate the station’s Instagram and other social media accounts with a celebration of Houston Black history.

As part of KPRC 2’s decades-long mission of diversity and inclusion – and its ongoing commitment to spotlighting the triumphs, struggles and opinions of our city’s diverse communities -- students from TSU’s School of Communications and members of @KTSU_2 “The Voice” online team will provide 28 days of content for the @kprc2 Instagram account, and other station digital platforms, focusing on their personal visions of Houston Black history.

“I’m excited to be a part of a project that celebrates Houston’s Black history,” said Texas Southern University School of Communications Interim Assistant Dean Serbino Sandifer-Walker. “It’s a groundbreaking initiative that will shine a light on ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things. A unique thing about this project is Texas Southern University students are telling the stories. I applaud KPRC 2 for taking an innovative approach to telling stories that matter in our community.”

Texas Southern students will research and produce exclusive, original content including photography and writing, supervised by their School of Communications professors and the KPRC 2 digital team. Additional media including TSU student information along with social posts will be found at click2houston.com/blackhistory.

In addition, KPRC 2 will continue to celebrate and spotlight people in and around the Greater Houston area from all different backgrounds who are making a difference in our community through its ongoing “Voices of Houston” initiative.

“We welcome this partnership with TSU’s Assistant Dean Sandifer-Walker and the School of Communications students and look forward to sharing their visions of what Houston Black history means to them,” said KPRC 2 Vice President and General Manager Jerry Martin. “KPRC 2 will continue to strive to give voice to people from all walks of life and the unsung heroes who make us proud to call this city home.”

KPRC 2 joins Alex's Army, Alex Bregman to raise $2 million to feed Houston

KPRC 2 is joining Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman and his Alex’s Army effort to raise $2 million to help feed Houston-area residents experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis.

Proceeds raised through Bregman’s FEEDHOU campaign will directly benefit the Houston Food Bank, a nonprofit committed to feeding the hungry in the Houston area.

“By working together with KPRC 2 to benefit a great organization like the Houston Food Bank, we can all do our part to ensure Houston’s underserved children and families continue to get the support they need during these difficult times,” Bregman said.

Bregman’s FEEDHOU campaign recently reached his initial fundraising goal of $1 million in donations. At KPRC 2, the station had been working with its audience to "Help Feed Houston," raising more than $50,000. By working with Alex’s Army, KPRC can help make a greater impact for neighbors in need.

“The need throughout our community due to the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented,” said KPRC 2 Vice President and General Manager Jerry Martin. “Teaming with Alex Bregman and Alex’s Army, we hope to raise even more to feed Houston’s hungry.”

The FEEDHOU campaign, encouraging donations and volunteering, will begin airing this week across KPRC 2 and MeTV Houston airwaves and all digital platforms.

There are two ways people can help:

• Give. Every $1 donated can help provide three meals. Donations can be made by typing “FEEDHOU” in a text message to the number 41444 or by visiting click2houston.com.
• Volunteer. If you are healthy and want to make an impact, the Houston Food Bank needs you! Register at houstonfoodbank.org to see available volunteer shifts for individuals or small groups. Volunteer safety is a priority and appropriate safety measures will be taken, including social distancing.

Familiar Houstonians, including local entrepreneur Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, rapper Paul Wall and Bregman’s fiancé Reagan Howard, have also lent their support to the FEEDHOU campaign.

Kris Gutierrez joins KPRC 2 as evening news anchor

KPRC 2 welcomes back a familiar face. Kris Gutierrez will join Dominique Sachse, Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley and Sports Director Randy McIlvoy to anchor the station’s 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts beginning March 30.

Gutierrez will also anchor KPRC 2 News at 5 p.m. with Lauren Freeman.

Texas-born Gutierrez is a multiple Emmy- and Regional Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering news on the national, regional and local stages.

No stranger to Houston or Channel 2 News, Gutierrez served as a reporter and fill-in anchor at KPRC 2 from 2003 to 2007, where he was named Best Television Reporter in Texas by the Texas Association of Broadcasters, Top Television Journalist by the Houston Press Club, and awarded the Best Live Report from the Dallas Press Club.

In 2007, Kris left KPRC 2 for a position as national correspondent at Fox News Channel, based in the Dallas bureau, where he was sole reporter for all editorial content in a four-state region including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Gutierrez has since worked as a morning news anchor at WBBM-TV in Chicago, before joining Dallas’ KXAS-TV in March 2015, where he currently anchors the NBC 5 News at 5. He has previously worked at KVUE-TV in Austin, WKBN-TV in Youngstown, Ohio, and KXII-TV in Sherman, Texas.

“Kris is the quintessential Texan with a passion for storytelling and extensive experience in both national and local media. His positive energy and work ethic make Mr. Gutierrez a perfect fit for the KPRC 2 team especially during such an unprecedented time,” said Jerry Martin, KPRC 2 Vice President/General Manager.

Kris is dedicated to journalism, but his greatest love is his family. When Kris is not reporting on big stories or at the anchor desk, you can find him cheering on his two kids at sporting events with his wife, Krystle Gutierrez.

A graduate of Lewisville High School, Kris earned a BS in Broadcast Journalism at Texas Christian University. He remains active in the Horned Frog community, sitting on the Board of Volunteers at the Bob Schieffer College of Communications.

Graham Media Group is comprised of seven local media hubs, Graham Digital and Social News Desk, delivering local news, programming, advertising solutions and digital media tools for television, online, mobile, OTT, podcasts and audio devices. We are dynamic, local brands that extend well beyond the traditional TV set. Our work helps inform, celebrate and knit together the communities we serve.

KPRC-2 welcomes Graham coworkers as Houston hosts IRE 2019 conference

Some of the best journalists in the country gathered in Houston for this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors conference.

The event was held last week. KPRC-2, our Graham Media Group station in Houston, hosted a meetup for corporate employees along with a social event called Treat Yo’ Self at Grotto downtown.

The mission of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is to foster excellence in investigative journalism.

The team at KPRC welcomed the folks from Graham with some good old Southern hospitality and some truly excellent Texas BBQ.

The group had the chance to share its passion for investigative journalism with some of the other top reporters in the country. It was an opportunity to mix, mingle and more.

IRE was formed in 1975 to create a forum in which journalists throughout the world could help each other by sharing story ideas, newsgathering techniques and news sources.

IRE provides members access to thousands of reporting tip sheets and other materials through its resource center and hosts conferences and specialized training throughout the country.

David Arkin to lead Digital at KPRC 2, Click2Houston

KPRC 2/Click2Houston is pleased to announce the appointment of David Arkin as its new Director of Digital and Enterprise Content. In this newly revamped role previously known as our Digital Executive Producer, Arkin will lead the digital team in the newsroom and be responsible for all other digital efforts and strategies including Houston Life, station promotions and sales.

“We are pleased to have landed David Arkin in this new role," said Jerry Martin, vice president and general manager of KPRC. "He is a proven leader in audience development and innovative digital strategies, bringing more than 20 years of experience leading newsrooms and developing high-quality digital journalism."

“Arkin has held senior leadership positions for a variety of news organizations and helped companies grow their audiences, integrate creative storytelling, and develop digital newsroom cultures,” said David Strickland, news director of KPRC.

Most recently, Arkin led the launch of Rover, a news start-up in Nashville. The product focused on providing content readers could use to navigate the growing metropolitan area by delivering both a daily online dose of local news while providing a deeper dive in a monthly print edition. Prior to that, Arkin developed a content consulting business for the Local Media Association and created content partnerships with the Texas Tribune and NextDoor as Chief Content Officer at Community Impact Newspaper.

Arkin spent nearly 10 years at GateHouse Media. As Senior Vice President for Content, he launched the company's design and product center in Austin, Texas, which employed more than 200 people and provided print and digital services for internal and external clients across the country.

In 2016, Arkin was named the Digital News Innovator of the Year by the Local Media Association before joining their organization. He has led newsrooms to national journalism awards and has served on boards for local media associations including the Associated Press Media Editors and Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.

“I can’t wait to work with the incredibly talented team at KPRC," Arkin said. "Their journalism is top notch, and I’m thrilled to lend my experience to advance the work they’re doing for their growing digital audience. The opportunity to help take a respected brand’s digital product to the next level in a market like Houston is really an exciting opportunity."

Arkin will start in his role at KPRC later this month.

KPRC 2 celebrates diversity during Black History Month

During the month of February, KPRC 2 is honoring Black History Month by celebrating the multi-cultural diversity of Houston, the city the station calls home.

KPRC 2’s Black History Month on-air and social media campaigns will center around various renditions of, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” commonly referred to as the Negro National Anthem, including a spoken-word version featuring KPRC 2 on-air talent, a vocal version sung by the Imani School’s “Young Voices of Praise” choir, and an original solo piano performance by our very own KPRC 2 employee.

As part of the digital campaign, KPRC 2 will spotlight many of Houston’s high-profile African American power players, including gospel vocalist Yolanda Adams, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, and gold medal-winning Olympians Simone Biles and Carl Lewis, interviewed by anchor and Houston Newsmakers host Khambrel Marshall.

KPRC 2 also will solicit viewer nominations to spotlight everyday citizens doing amazing things in the community. Nominations can be made here.

Another digital component will be the just-launched “Tell It 2 Us” platform, featuring man-on-the-street-style interviews with everyday Houstonians speaking out on issues facing the African American community. Viewers will be encouraged to make their voices heard by recording their own thoughts on these issues on camera and then emailing them to tellit2us@kprc.com. Submissions should be 30 seconds or less, and files no larger than 30MB.

“Our KPRC 2 family is as diverse as the communities that we cover and the city we call home,” KPRC 2 Vice President/General Manager Jerry Martin said. “What better time to celebrate not only the high-profile, but the everyday citizens, neighbors and co-workers who inspire and define us?”

Throughout the month, KPRC 2 will share stories of why African American culture is Houston culture, and how so much of what makes our city great is based in black heritage, honoring these cultural contributions.

KSAT, KPRC take home Lone Star Emmy awards

Multimedia Journalist Erica Hernandez from KSAT-12.

Journalists from KSAT-12 and KPRC-2 were honored with Regional Emmy Awards at an event held in mid-November.

KSAT was recognized for its coverage of the Sutherland Springs church shooting and the aftermath that followed. Multimedia journalist Erica Hernandez was on the front lines as the story unfolded at the peaceful church in South Texas. She won the Regional Emmy for producing a special called “Sutherland Springs: One Month Later."

The KPRC-2 team took home nine big wins.

Below are the specifics. Congratulations, everyone!

KPRC2: Making Houston Stronger Through Service Jerry Martin, General Manager

KPRC2 In-Depth Reporting For Houston Dave Strickland, News Director Aaron Wische, Senior Executive Producer Dawn Campbell, Senior Executive Producer Mario Diaz, Investigative Reporter Bill Spencer, Investigative Reporter Jacob Rascon, Reporter/Anchor Amy Davis, Consumer Reporter

Hurricane Harvey's Unsung Heroes Sofia Ojeda, Reporter

Houston Film Commission: Sharon Sells Houston ... In Hollywood Mario Diaz, Producer Aaron Wische, Executive Producer William Carruthers, Producer Jon Hill, Photographer John Barone, Photographer

Inside MS 13 William Carruthers, Producer Jacob Rascon, Reporter Jeovany Luna, Photographer

Jim Murphy: At Over $312,000 A Year, Who Does He Represent? Mario Diaz, Producer William Carruthers, Producer Aaron Wische, Executive Producer Jon Hill, Photographer

Focus H1 Dash Cam: Changing Amber Alerts & Law Enforcement Mario Diaz, Reporter

On The Trail: Harvey And Irma Brandon Walker, Reporter

Mario Diaz: Channel 2 Investigates Mario Diaz, Reporter

KPRC 2 launches 'The Eyes of Texas' podcast

HOUSTON – Almost 50 years after it first launched, KPRC 2 is proud to announce the return of its iconic brand, "The Eyes of Texas" as a digital podcast.

Hosted by KPRC 2 news reporter Brandon Walker, "The Eyes of Texas" will once again be traveling Texas in search of the stories that define state pride and meeting up with a variety of Texans doing big things along the way.

“For many Houstonians, 'The Eyes of Texas' is synonymous with KPRC 2,” said Vice President/General Manager Jerry Martin. “We think this is the perfect vehicle to spotlight as a podcast on our digital platforms.”

Originally hosted by former KPRC-TV news director Ray Miller, and then KPRC anchor Ron Stone, "The Eyes of Texas" aired original episodes on Channel 2 from 1969 to 1999. A series of “best of” episodes aired in 2007, followed by new episodes hosted by KPRC anchors Bill Balleza and Dominique Sachse in 2009.

Subscribe to "The Eyes of Texas" podcast on: Google Play Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. Follow the podcast on Twitter: @eyesoftxpodcast and online here. You can enjoy a new episode every Tuesday.