BLAISE LABBE
San Antonio, Texas
Blaise Labbe currently oversees the news operations in 12 Sinclair markets in 5 states. He was previously Director of News for Sinclair’s duopoly in San Antonio. He began his career at the ABC affiliate in Lawton, Oklahoma as a studio cameraman in 1984 and was hired in 1986 as a photographer at the CBS affiliate in Wichita Falls, Texas. Within a year Blaise had become a reporter and weatherman for the station. In 1987 Blaise went back to his first love as a photographer and took a position with the NBC affiliate in Amarillo, TX.
In June 1988, Blaise was hired as a photographer by the Belo Corporation and went to work at KHOU-TV the CBS affiliate in Houston. After eight years as a photographer, Blaise moved into the role of Special projects producer where he and the Special projects team won many awards and helped change legislation in Texas. In 1998 Belo promoted Blaise to News Operations Manager at their CBS affiliate in San Antonio, TX. While there he helped in developing stories that won several Emmys and Regional Edward R. Murrow awards. After serving as News Operations Manager for three years Blaise was promoted to Assistant News Director in 2001.
In February 2003 Blaise became the News Director at KWTV the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. From 2003 to 2008, under Blaise’s leadership, KWTV excelled in ratings, the station finished as the number one late newscast in the country eight times. In March of 2009 Griffin Communications, the parent company for KWTV asked Blaise to lead their online content division.
Blaise was hired by the Meredith Corporation to head the newsroom at KCTV in Kansas City in February 2010. The station thrived under Blaise’s guidance. The newsroom was named the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year three consecutive years, won three Regional Edward R Murrow awards, and was voted the best newscast in the state of Missouri twice by the Missouri Broadcasters Association, and was voted the top broadcast website in the Kansas City Market. The station also won the prestigious Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism beating “CBS 60 Minutes” and “Jim Lehrer the News Hour” The station won 5 Emmys including the 2012 Emmy for News Excellence.
In 2024 Blaise was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. Blaise has been recognized by the United States Secretary of Commerce winning the National Minority Business Development Agency’s Cornerstone award. The award is given annually to a member of the media for outstanding community service, media coverage, and commitment to promoting diversity in businesses. He has won several Emmys, a Telly, and two National Awards of Excellence from the National Association of Black Journalists. One for a series he shot and helped produce on the plight of black males in America. The other Award of Excellence was a documentary he helped produce on the 30th Anniversary of the largest Martin Luther King march in the country. He also has several honors from the National Press Photographers Association and the Dallas Press Club.
Blaise attended Cameron University and majored in Criminal Justice. He is a member of the Board of Directors for RTDNA. Blaise is a 2002 graduate of the Carole Kneeland Project for Responsible Television Journalism and has served on its Board of Directors. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalist. Member of the San Antonio Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Press Photographers, and The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.