“KCEN has a deep connection to the Central Texas community, and I’m looking forward to being part of that,” Klein said. “Leading a newsroom can be challenging, but my goal is always the same: create meaningful journalism, grow engaged audiences and make our station the place audiences turn to first.”
The promotion marks the latest chapter in a more than 30-year career in local news for Klein, much of it spent in Houston.
Before joining KHOU, Klein worked for TEGNA’s WTSP-TV in Tampa, Florida, where he served as regional director of digital content and digital managing editor. He previously spent years at ABC13 KTRK-TV in Houston as digital manager and also worked as a senior producer for Cox Media Group in Orlando and a promotion producer for FOX Sports in Houston.
Klein, a University of Houston graduate, has also received an Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award for social media and is a four-time recipient of the Texas Association of Broadcasters’ Best Major Market Website honor. His work has also earned an Anson Jones Award for online and mixed-media content.
“Randy has a well-rounded set of skills that apply to multiple platforms,” KCEN President and General Manager Rob Dwyer said. “He understands how to deliver news and content that will resonate with our viewers across linear, digital and streaming platforms.”
Klein succeeds Jim Hice, who led the KCEN newsroom for more than a decade after taking over as news director in 2014.
Klein won’t be the only recent addition at KCEN. The station recently brought veteran Texas broadcaster Greg Kerr out of a brief retirement to join its morning team. Kerr signed off from NewsChannel 10 in Amarillo this summer after a 43-year broadcasting career.