Friday afternoon Uncle Barky noted that KXAS-Channel 5's made a new hire: reporter Ben Russell, fresh off a five-year stint at a CBS affiliate in Harrisburg, PA. His first day's today. But if reports out of New York today are true, Russell won't be the last hire made at the NBC owned-and-operated: Valari Staab, who oversees the 10 local stations owned by the network, said today that NBCUniversal is about to sink big money into beefing up its stations' local news coverage. As in:
"Our stations have a responsibility to deliver critical local news and information to viewers in their respective communities each and every day," said Staab. "By making these strategic investments in our stations, we will ensure we meet our viewers' high expectations."Among those investments: adding 130 reporters, producers and photographers spread amongst the 10 markets, including Dallas-Fort Worth. Per The Hollywood Reporter, there will also be consumer and investigative units launched in five markets, though it's unclear which ones. For those following along, this is precisely what