Former Austin News Rivals Team Up to Deliver Good News

Judy Maggio and Leslie Rhode, once competitors, now collaborate on uplifting social media content.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Two former television news anchors in Austin, Texas, who were once rivals at competing stations, have now joined forces to create and share uplifting, "good news" content on social media platforms.

Why it matters

The partnership between Maggio and Rhode demonstrates how former competitors can put aside differences and collaborate to provide the community with positive, inspiring stories - a welcome change from the often negative and divisive nature of much of today's news coverage.

The details

Judy Maggio and Leslie Rhode, who were once the lead anchors at rival Austin news stations, have now teamed up to produce and share "good news" content on their respective social media channels. The two women, who have decades of experience in local television news, decided to join forces after recognizing a need for more uplifting and inspirational stories in the current media landscape.

  • Maggio and Rhode were once lead anchors at competing Austin news stations.
  • The two women have now joined forces to create and share "good news" content on social media.

The players

Judy Maggio

A veteran television news anchor who previously worked at a rival station to Leslie Rhode in Austin.

Leslie Rhode

A longtime television news anchor in Austin who was once a competitor of Judy Maggio at a rival station.

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What they’re saying

“We realized there was a real hunger out there for good news, for uplifting stories that bring people together instead of divide them.”

— Judy Maggio (kvue.com)

“It's been so rewarding to team up with Judy and use our platform to shine a light on the positive things happening in our community.”

— Leslie Rhode (kvue.com)

What’s next

Maggio and Rhode plan to continue collaborating on their social media "good news" project, with the goal of expanding their reach and impact within the Austin community.

The takeaway

The partnership between these two former news rivals demonstrates the power of setting aside differences and working together to provide the public with uplifting, community-focused content - a model that could be replicated by other media professionals to combat the prevalence of negative and divisive news coverage.