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Behind the Scenes: Who's the Real Cardboard Cut-Out?

Jay Leno returns tonight to NBC and WKYC as the host of the "Tonight Show" at 11:35 p.m.

To promote his show, Jay stopped by the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center today, or did he?

I'm not really sure by these pictures.. Can you tell who the cardboard cut-out is? AJ, Producer Carrie Young or Jay himself?

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The Most Popular Posts from the Director's Cut Blog

Natalie Clydesdale Joins WKYC Studios and the 3News Team

Natalie Clydesdale By Frank Macek A fresh, dynamic voice is joining the ranks of 3News, and her name is Natalie Clydesdale. Beginning Monday, May 19, Natalie steps into her new role as a multi-skilled journalist at WKYC Studios, bringing experience, passion, and a true love for storytelling to the Northeast Ohio community. Originally from Pittsburgh, Natalie is excited to return closer to her roots. With family already in Northeast Ohio, this move not only marks a professional milestone but also a personal one. Her familiarity with the region and its people gives her a unique perspective that will no doubt enhance her ability to tell the stories that matter most. Natalie arrives in Cleveland from KFOR-TV, the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City, where she worked as a morning anchor and reporter. During her time there, she became known for her calm presence during breaking news coverage and her ability to connect with viewers in meaningful ways. Before that, she worked in Fort Wayne, Indian...
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Where Are They Now? - Connie Dieken

Connie Dieken This month, we asked Connie Dieken to share with us some exclusive information on our Director's Cut Blog about what she has been up since leaving the WKYC family in our "Where Are They Now Feature?" We have video of Connie anchoring the 11 pm news at the end of the story. Connie spent 16 years broadcasting the news to Cleveland television viewers, beginning at Channel 3 in 1984. Her first duties at the station were as weekend anchor and consumer reporter. She quickly moved up and joined co-anchor Tom Sweeney on the anchor desk for the 5 PM broadcast...and became a main anchor of Channel 3 News at 6 & 11 PM. Her work garnered numerous high profile communication awards including Emmys, Tellys and being named Best TV Host by Cleveland Magazine. Viewers always loved Connie for her friendly & warm approach to bringing them the news of the day. Also during her stay at Channel 3, she married former Browns offensive lineman Doug Dieken. Her q...
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Where Are They Now: Sara Shookman Shines with Storyglow Studio and Spectrum News 1

by Frank Macek Sara Shookman For nearly a decade, viewers across Northeast Ohio welcomed Sara Shookman into their homes each evening as one of the trusted anchors of WKYC’s 3News. Her calm presence, journalistic integrity, and genuine connection with the Cleveland community made her a standout among local broadcasters. So, when Sara stepped away from her full-time role at WKYC in late 2022 to focus on family and new creative ventures, it left many wondering — what was next? As it turns out, plenty. Today, Sara Shookman is writing a compelling new chapter in her professional life — one that combines storytelling, community impact, and a continued connection to Ohio television. At the center of her current journey is Storyglow Studio , a creative content firm she founded with a mission to help nonprofits and purpose-driven organizations tell their stories with authenticity and heart. Storyglow Studio is built on the belief that powerful storytelling can inspire action. Sara and her t...
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Job openings at WKYC Studios & TEGNA Media Ohio for 7/4/25

By Frank Macek WKYC Studios has these job openings available if you are looking for a rewarding career experience with us at TEGNA Media's Cleveland location. We've also now added opportunities for our sister TEGNA stations in Columbus and Toledo, Ohio courtesy of the Director's Cut Blog. Current WKYC/Cleveland Job Openings Account Executive   Investigative Producer   Meteorologist Multi-Skilled Journalist News Director  **NEW** Current WBNS/Columbus Job Openings Account Executive Creative Marketing Producer Managing Editor Multi-Skilled Journalist Photojournalist Producer Current WTOL/Toledo Job Openings Account Executive Broadcast Director/PT   Multiskilled Journalist You can also find other jobs within our parent company on the  TEGNA Career Page . Please note, you must apply via the website. Mailed applications are not accepted. Follow Frank Macek for new postings on X  @MacekNewsNation  or on Facebook at  fb/frank.macek
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WKYC Studios Names Jeff Hoffman News Director

Jeff Hoffman, Courtesy: WKMG-TV CLEVELAND, OH (May 6, 2025) — WKYC Studios, TEGNA’s NBC affiliate serving Northeast Ohio, today announced that veteran broadcast executive Jeff Hoffman has been named news director, effective May 19, 2025. Hoffman will be responsible for overseeing the station’s news content across all platforms, including streaming, broadcast, and digital. Hoffman brings more than three decades of award-winning news and station leadership experience to the role, most recently serving as vice president and general manager of WKMG-TV in Orlando, where he led a dramatic turnaround of the station’s brand and performance, guiding the newsroom to #1 in late news and overseeing award-winning coverage. Before joining WKMG, Hoffman held news leadership roles in several top markets, including WAVE-TV in Louisville and WJZ-TV in Baltimore, WIS-TV in Columbia, and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. He is a multiple Edward R. Murrow Award and National Association of Broadcasters’ Service to Am...
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Frank's Take: Let Producers Produce - Why the Future of News Demands a Return to Editorial Focus

By Frank Macek Walk into any newsroom today like WKYC, and you’ll likely find a familiar scene: a news producer juggling scripts, timing out live elements, coordinating with reporters in the field, updating rundowns—and, increasingly, triggering automation commands, punching live shots, cueing graphics, and managing tech workflows in real-time. In many markets, the days of a dedicated director or technical director operating behind the glass are becoming rare, replaced by a one-size-fits-all philosophy: if the system can be automated, the producer can run it. But just because the technology can allow producers to control more of the technical process doesn't mean they should. We’re reaching a critical moment in broadcast news where we need to seriously re-evaluate the role of the producer. If the future of news is going to be faster, smarter, and more responsive, producers must be freed to focus on what they were hired to do: produce. Let’s be clear—producing is not just “stacking ...
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Where Are They Now: Amy Murphy (Hasten)

Former WKYC chief forecaster Amy Murphy (formerly Hasten) is our feature this time around on "Where Are They Now?". Amy was a very popular part of WKYC's weather forecasting team during the 1990s along with Mark Nolan and Eileen McShea. After leaving Cleveland, Amy headed to Miami - then finally onward to Los Angeles where we find her these days. Amy Murphy joined the FOX 11 and MY 13 News teams in April of 2006. You can see her regularly on FOX 11 News Saturday and Sunday editions doing the weather. She is also a general assignment reporter during the week, reporting for "FOX 11 News at 10PM," "My 13News at 11 PM" and "Good Day LA" on occasion. Most recently Amy worked in Phoenix as the morning and noon weather forecaster and entertainment reporter. It was there that she earned two Emmy nominations for her coverage for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Amy's career has spanned the country from KUSA-TV in Denver, where she was t...
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Where Are They Now?: Andrew Horansky

By Frank Macek If you watched WKYC during the mid-to-late 2010s, chances are you remember Andrew Horansky. With his thoughtful tone, strong on-air presence, and reporter’s instinct for the human side of the story, Horansky became a familiar face to viewers in Northeast Ohio. He joined Channel 3 in April 2015 after a long and well-traveled journalism career that took him across the country—and even overseas.  At WKYC, he served as both a general assignment reporter and weekend anchor, quickly making his mark with in-depth storytelling and a knack for covering both breaking news and community features with equal skill. Horansky brought a broad resume to Cleveland. Prior to arriving at WKYC, he had reported in Houston Austin, Chicago, Boston, Traverse City and Dubuque and was also known for his international reporting, including coverage from Iraq, Pakistan, Haiti and Sri Lanka. That global perspective, combined with a clear, calm delivery, made him a trusted presence on Cleveland air...
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GO! Goes Bigger: WKYC Launches Extended 7–9AM Streaming Show on WKYC+ June 9th

By Frank Macek WKYC Studios is taking your morning routine to the next level. Starting Monday, June 9th, Northeast Ohio viewers will be able to catch another two full hours of GO! from 7 to 9 a.m.—exclusively on WKYC+, our free streaming channel. It’s a first-of-its-kind move for the station, designed to deliver more of the content you love, wherever and whenever you want to watch. The new streaming edition of GO! brings the same trusted team of local personalities—Danita Harris, Dave Chudowsky, Matt Wintz, Brissa Bradfield, Candice Hare, David Greenberg and Monica Robins—to a platform that fits into your schedule and your screen of choice, whether that’s a smart TV in the kitchen, your phone on the go, or a tablet by the bedside. It’s everything you already count on from Channel 3 News—just a little later and a lot more accessible. What’s New About This GO!? The 7–9 a.m. block of GO! is not a repeat or a simulcast of the TV broadcast—it’s a fully live and locally produced show, offeri...
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Frank's Take: Do Local TV Stations Still Need Network Affiliations to Survive?

By Frank Macek For as long as I’ve worked in television, the network affiliation was sacred. It meant credibility, a pipeline to prime-time hits, and a symbiotic relationship that helped both national networks and hometown stations thrive. But as I look around today—at streaming growth, audience behavior shifts, and changes inside our own walls—I can’t help but wonder: Do local stations still need their network affiliations? Or are we inching closer to a time when we can—and maybe should—stand on our own? This isn’t just a hypothetical question. It’s one I hear more and more in hallways, control rooms, and editorial meetings. And it’s a conversation worth having. The Affiliate Model: What We Owe It To be clear, I’m not here to downplay the impact of affiliations. I’ve seen firsthand how NBC's reach, programming, and brand recognition can elevate a station like WKYC. From the Super Bowl to special coverage of breaking national news, the network gives us built-in content we could ne...
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