The Longest-Running Independent TV Show in America Is About Texas
I remember my first apartment; there was no such thing as wifi, and I didn't have cable. If you had a good antenna, the only thing you could watch on TV in Lufkin was KTRE channel 9.
You might get other stations if you had a really good antenna, but KTRE was always perfect. If you were up late on a Saturday night and had the TV on, you were watching a Texas phenomenon.
Texas Country Reporter (TCR) comes on at 10:35 PM after the news. Bob Phillips' distinctive voice would come on, and we went on an adventure in the Lone Star State.
Every State Should Have A Show Like TCR
There were so many episodes that it wouldn't even matter if it was a re-run, you hadn't seen it. If there was a curiosity, festival, or interesting landscape to explore, Bob Phillips was reporting on it.
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It was a badge of honor for locals to have a visit from the Texas Country Reporter.
In September 2024, Bob and his wife, Kelli Phillips, stepped down from hosting the show.
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The show is still going, and now J.B Sauceda, physically based in Austin, has taken over hosting duties and is the executive producer of the show.
Texas Country Reporter Is Still Going Strong In Texas
Phillips started the show in 1972, and it continues to this day. I am proud that the longest-running independent TV show is not only from Texas, but it's all about Texas.
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