Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 15 > Entry
KVUE’s new anchor debuts tonight
Tonight’s the night, KVUE viewers.
After flying solo for nearly four months, Tyler Sieswerda will be joined by new co-anchor Terri Gruca on the station’s 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.
Gruca arrives from Minneapolis, where she was weekend anchor and consumer reporter at CBS-owned WCCO. Here, in addition to her anchor duties, she’ll be filing investigative stories as part of KVUE’s Defenders franchise. In fact, her blog — featuring tips galore for saving money — is already live on the station’s Web site.
Another anchor debut happens later this week, when Michelle Valles returns to the Central Texas airwaves.
Valles, who walked away from her evening gig at KXAN earlier this year, will be teamed with Austin veteran Fred Cantu on KEYE’s 5 a.m. newscast starting Wednesday.
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment Categories: Local news
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By Bones
December 17, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
Man... the news groupies here are harsh. Like it or not, there's a different standard for female anchors. They are expected to be gorgeous good readers. Bright is optional. Race is only slightly important. After that, it's charisma, baby, charisma. It just doesn't necessarily work to plug even a talented reporter into an anchor position. Fred once told me he had a face made for radio. His tv longevity is due not to his race or looks but because he's got more charisma and snap than most of the other anchors in this town combined. Finding a gorgeous female anchor with those traits is rare indeed. Terri did just fine. We'll see.
By Barbara Johnson
December 16, 2008 7:50 AM | Link to this
Saw Terri for the first time last night - very professional, reads the news well, has a good rapport with Tyler and Mark, sounds like she does some special in-depth reporting on occasion -- a big welcome to her. And, hey Terri, you didn't have to deal with that awful Arctic blast that others in Minneapolis are dealing with right now. Cold front here, are you kidding??
By m
December 15, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this
Maybe Quita is more interested in doing those corney wednesday does it work skits...
By HelYa
December 15, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
Good now everyone can shut up about Valles not being on tv anymore.
By bart waterloo
December 15, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this
andrea... michelle valles is a person of color and she just happens to be extremely beautiful. ms. gruca is very attractive as well. Quita.... while possibly a good reporter, (her consumer reports are very un interesting, uninformative, and not very professional) just doesn't fit the mold they seem to be looking for.
By chris
December 15, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
Andrea, if you are "pained" by the skin, eye, and hair color of a news anchor then you must have some serious issues.
By keith
December 15, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
Andrea - who says Quita was passed over? Ever stop to think that she didn't want the job and that's she's happy being the weekend morning anchor and regular reporter? Just cause you think she was passed over does not mean she was. If you are going to think that way, then I guess everyone at KVUE got passed over, not to mention everyone at KEYE...they weren't passed over, they probably never wanted it to begin with
By Nick
December 15, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
How petty. How inane. How shallow. Every time there's a story about the latest flavor of the month news chick and whether she's coming or going,the discussion revolves around everything that doesn't matter. Her race. Her hair. Her blue eyes. How hot she is. Her rack. Who got passed over. Who was dissed. This is par for the course in local TV news, here and around the country. What is this -- news reporting or a beauty pageant? The sad thing is you all report the same combo of three headlines and then fluff for the rest of the newscast. Which blonde or brunette I get it from is immaterial. LAME.
By Cycler
December 15, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Elizabeth Danheim gets chopped by KEYE along with others in a cost-cutting move and then KEYE hires Michelle Valles??? Her salary has to be more than Danheim's was. Looks like KEYE is talking out of both sides of their mouth.
By ron
December 15, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
Andrea... Fred Cantu isn't a person of color? Michelle Valles isn't a person of color? Olga Campos isn't a person of color? James Irby isn't a person of color? Loriana Hernandez isn't a person of color? By the way... Quita has an anchor position at KVUE...
By keith
December 15, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
It's all about demographics and presenting a news product that appeals to these demographics. According to Arbitron ratings service, there are now 1,309,500 million people in the Austin Metro area. Of these, 27.8% are Hispanic and 7.5% are black. You do the math.
By Frozen Lakes
December 15, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this
Good for her. We have a history of excellent reporting here in Mpls but when there is a high temperature of -6 with a wind chill of -30 degrees on a day like today...who can blame her?! I'm sure she's sunbathing in your 40 degrees. Ufdah!
By MFD
December 15, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Andrea, what makes you think Quita was passed over? And what about recognition for Olga Campos as a person of color? Why is this ever an issue? Maybe if you stopped looking at people by color and just looked at the person, you'd be less offended as you go about your day.
By Andrea
December 15, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
Does KVUE have something against having a person of color as a prime time news anchor? It pains me to know that a great reporter such as Quita Culpepper was passed over in favor of another caucasian, blond haired blue eyed anchor.
By Wow
December 15, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this
Mmmmm, Michele Valles. What a striking beauty!! And now Terri Gruca. Welcome to Austin.
By highlypissed
December 15, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this
Oh ya Minneapolis aye.
By rick perry
December 15, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this
hot chick reporting has returned!!