Surprising moves at Texas TV stations in August 2026 include layoffs at CBS Austin and KRIS 6, as well as a departure from ValleyCentral.
Courtesy of CBS Austin, Bryan and Michelle Hofmann, Lauren Sierra
Another month, another wave of moments at TV stations across the state that shocked Texas viewers. From layoffs to exits and new welcomes, here’s what you may have missed in August.
Sarah Acosta makes surprise exit from KSAT 12
In early August, longtime KSAT 12 personality Sarah Acosta announced her departure from the station. She spent eight years at the station and said goodbye during her last Good Morning San Antonio broadcast on August 8. She said, “It’s been a really special ride here at KSAT, and I am so grateful to all our viewers and everyone you see behind the scenes that just makes coming to work so special, especially when it can be really tough getting up early in the morning on the weekend.”
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As for what’s next, Acosta said she is leaving journalism after 17 years, but storytelling will be a part of her future. On August 25, Acosta shared on LinkedIn that she has joined FirstDay Foundation as Director of Media Relations.
Andy Meade exits NewsWest 9 for mysterious new TV job
KWES News West 9 meteorologist Andy Meade exited the station after two years in Odessa. He made the announcement on Instagram on August 4, saying, “It has been an incredible honor to forecast for the Permian Basin, Big Country, and Concho Valley over the past two years (Biggest regional show across Texas!). Thank you for trusting me through severe storms, winter weather, dust storms, and the West Texas heat. Your support and encouragement have meant more than you know.”
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The Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi graduate said his next move will be a TV job in a place with “COMPLETELY different weather from West Texas.”
WFAA adds new meteorologist Drew Davis in Dallas
In Dallas, WFAA welcomed a Texan back to the Lone Star State. Meteorologist Drew Davis started at the station on August 17, and in an announcement, he said he’s “grew up almost exclusively watching the legendary team at WFAA, and I am honored to work at such a storied news institution.” He added, “Importantly, this also brings my wife and I closer to family. We’re both from DFW, just different sides of town.”
Davis most recently spent three years at Hawaii News Now after graduating from Texas A&M University.
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Jasmin Caldwell says goodbye to KCEN in Temple after 9 years
After almost a decade at KCEN in Temple, anchor Jasmin Caldwell is saying goodbye. In an Instagram announcement ahead of her last day on August 11, she wrote, “For me, journalism has never just been about being on television. It has always been about people and making an impact on Waco, Temple, Belton, Killeen, and all the communities in between.”
She reminisced on covering national stories, the military community and moments with viewers who “invited me to your birthday parties, family reunions, community celebrations—and even when I ran into you at the grocery store.” In another post, she said she isn’t moving away from Central Texas or hanging up the mic, but didn’t say what’s next.
“Whenever you needed me, Central Texas, I was there,” Caldwell wrote. “Because I’ve always believed journalism requires more than a camera and a microphone. It requires a connection to the community you serve. You have to know the people behind the headlines. You have to understand their history, their struggles, their victories, and what matters to them.”
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CBS Austin ‘This Morning’ anchors laid off
In a sudden move, CBS Austin This Morning anchors John-Carlos Estrada and Jenna Wilson were laid off on August 6. Sinclair Broadcast Group confirmed the news to MySA, saying the station will debut an updated version of This Morning in mid-September that eliminates the two positions. Sinclair called it “a refreshed format for CBS Austin This Morning, designed to better serve our audience while continuing to deliver the local journalism and community coverage our viewers expect.”
Estrada spent seven years at CBS Austin, while Wilson arrived just last year.
Shortly after the news dropped, Estrada spoke out on social media, saying he’s finally able to sleep in. He wrote, “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to tell stories across Central Texas and, most importantly, to connect with all of you. Thank you for every message, story tip, interview, and word of encouragement along the way.” In the meantime, he’ll be finishing his book on Barbette, a forgotten LGBTQ+ icon from Round Rock.
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Departures pour from ValleyCentral, Miss USA contestant signs on
Changes took shape in the Rio Grande Valley as well. Reporter Lauren Sierra signed off from ValleyCentral (CBS 4/NBC 23) after less than a year at the twin Nexstar Media Group stations. She spent five years around the industry — in the RGV and Abilene, and as press secretary for U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro in Washington, D.C. — but said on social media that her dreams have changed. She told MySA she plans to attend law school.
Meanwhile, ValleyCentral added Miss Mississippi USA Victoria Cantu as its weekend anchor. “I am beyond honored and incredibly grateful to officially join the CBS 4 & NBC 23 family as the Weekend News Anchor, serving the entire Rio Grande Valley,” Cantu said on social media.
These shake-ups come on the heels of longtime anchors Derick Garcia and Rudy Mireles saying goodbye in recent months, as well as the departure of sportscaster Blake Holland, who then joined KXAN in Austin. Noah Gulley was later welcomed to the sports team.
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Shake-ups at KRIS 6 in Corpus Christi: Sweeping layoffs, role shifts
Corpus Christi’s KRIS 6 saw a whirlwind of changes in August, beginning with the layoffs of more than a dozen on-air and behind-the-scenes people at the TV station. KRIS 6 is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company, which is reportedly transforming its local newsrooms with AI automation in order to minimize revenue loss, according to Variety. More than 260 E.W. Scripps employees were laid off nationwide as the company shifts to a 24/7, AI-powered streaming model.
Former KRIS 6 News Director Jim Bob Brezeale, who left the station earlier this year, was the first to publicly mention the “gut-wrenching” layoffs in the Coastal Bend. He said on Facebook, “There are a lot of really good people at KRIS 6 News who lost their jobs today. There are also a lot of good people who remain — some of whom were tasked with letting all those good people go. And they will be tasked with leading those who remain into a new, somewhat scary reality.”
Then, married morning anchors Michelle and Bryan Hofmann confirmed the layoffs on August 7, saying they were also impacted. Their last day on air was August 18. The couple wrote in a joint statement, “Serving the Coastal Bend has been one of the greatest honors of our careers. You welcomed us into your homes, trusted us with your stories, celebrated life’s biggest moments with us, and allowed us to be a part of your mornings.”
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It seems that some KRIS 6 staffers were able to stay on board. Meteorologist Chris Malave said on Facebook on August 19 that while his position at KRIS wasn’t eliminated, “lots of things are changing in the newsroom around me, including the use of automation and AI technology.” He continued, saying that “my mission as a broadcast meteorologist doesn’t change. It’s my job to empower you with accurate, reliable, & timely forecasts that help you protect life & plan your day.”
Additionally, former producer Matthew Roberts, who came to the station six months ago, transitioned into a neighborhood reporter role. In an announcement on August 18, the station said, “We couldn’t be more excited to see him take on this new challenge. His dedication, talent, and passion for storytelling make him the perfect fit to connect with our community and bring you the stories that matter most!”