Texas Border Business
Dallas, TX – Spectrum Networks today announced its award-winning format for high-quality, hyperlocal news, politics, weather and original local content will launch to Spectrum customers across Texas October 16. With the expansion, Spectrum News 1 will serve Dallas-Fort Worth/Wichita Falls and the Southern and Western regions in Texas, in addition to its existing coverage of Austin and San Antonio. Additionally, the network announced the hiring of veteran Dallas reporter Brett Shipp and Texas native Charles Divins as weekday anchors.
“Spectrum News has been covering the Austin and San Antonio regions since 1999, and we are excited to bring our award-winning hyperlocal news and content to our customers across the state,” said Cater Lee, Vice President News and Content for Spectrum News 1. “Our journalists do more than report on the news; they live, work and are actively engaged in the communities they serve. This deeper understanding allows us to better cover the stories that take place every day in Texas neighborhoods.”
Spectrum News 1, which is available exclusively to Spectrum customers, is dedicated to providing compelling, objective and hyperlocal content tailored specifically for Texans. Consistent with Spectrum Networks’ approach to investing in more ‘boots on the ground’ local reporting, Spectrum News 1 will have more than three dozen journalists embedded in communities in San Antonio, Austin/Waco, Dallas-Ft. Worth/Wichita Falls, Harlingen, Corpus Christi, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley, assigned to cover specific beats that address the deeper needs and interests of Texans. And, since what happens in local and state government impacts schools, healthcare and the economy in communities around Texas, Spectrum News 1 Political Anchor Karina Kling and Political Reporter Reena Diamante will be on the ground in Austin to cover the state capitol, and D.C. Bureau Reporter Margaret Chadbourn will cover the congressional delegation and Capitol Hill in Washington.
“I am glad to congratulate Spectrum News on its expansion into the DFW area,” said Texas State Senator Kelly Hancock. “Now, more than ever, it is critical for citizens to have options for reliable local news.”
Spectrum News 1’s programming will feature a robust lineup of local news and headlines, in-depth coverage of politics and public affairs, targeted, hyperlocal community news and general-interest content, as well as area-specific weather reports and sports coverage. The Network’s political programming will include the nightly political show, “Capital Tonight,” with Anchor Karina Kling, at 7 p.m., and its exclusive weekly public affairs program, “In Focus,” hosted by Dr. Nicole Cross, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
Every Monday through Friday starting at 5 a.m., viewers will be able to tune in to “Your Morning on Spectrum News 1” for the top stories of the day with Divins and anchor Alex Stockwell, and weather reports from meteorologists Ricky Cody and Dan Robertson. Anchor Dr. Nicole Cross will deliver a refreshed look at the day’s news weekdays on “Your Afternoon on Spectrum News 1” at Noon, with meteorologists Mary Wasson and Adrienne Vonn providing midday forecasts. Veteran anchor Shipp will join Dr. Nicole Cross as co-anchor of “Your Evening on Spectrum News 1” to deliver Texans the top local news and hyperlocal content of the day, every weekday at 5 p.m. Shipp also will anchor the 9 p.m. newscast. Providing local weather reports at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. will be Chief Meteorologist Burton Fitzsimmons and meteorologist Emily Borchard. The network also will provide coverage of local high school, college and professional sports with sports anchor Travis Recek.
Todd Boatwright will recap the top news of the week on Saturdays and Sundays on “Your Weekend on Spectrum News 1” at 7 a.m., while Stef Manisero will deliver the evening news on Saturdays and Agustin Garfias will anchor on Sundays at 5 p.m. Meteorologist Lauren Due will deliver the weather reports on Saturdays and Sundays.
A veteran journalist, Shipp has more than 30 years of experience in local news, including 22 years as an investigative reporter with WFAA-TV in Dallas. One of the most decorated television reporters in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, his investigative reporting has earned him several career accolades including three Peabody Awards and multiple regional Emmy Awards. Shipp left WFAA in 2017 to make a brief run for Congress before starting his own media company, Brett Shipp Media.
Divins, a Dallas native, returns to his Texas roots and joins Spectrum News 1 after six years as morning anchor at WDSU-TV in New Orleans. Prior to WDSU, he was the host of NBC’s LXTV “1st Look” and KNBC’s “YourLA” in Los Angeles, and he also served as a co-host of the nationally syndicated morning show, “Daily Buzz.”
Spectrum News 1 will be available exclusively to Spectrum video customers on channel 1. Spectrum’s award-winning local news and original content also is available on the recently launched Spectrum News App, available to all Spectrum residential customers including internet-only. The Spectrum News App combines reporting from existing newsrooms, original content by dedicated digital journalists, and curated content from partner news organizations. The app also showcases the linear feeds of all Spectrum News networks, giving customers the ability to read, watch or listen anytime, anywhere, based on their geographic preferences.
About Spectrum Networks
Spectrum Networks is a series of 24/7 news and sports networks owned and operated by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 30 million customers in 41 states. Spectrum Networks carry distinct, comprehensive, and exclusive local programming on over 30 networks across Charter’s footprint.
More information on Spectrum Networks is available at spectrumlocalnews.com.
