Friday, July 11, 2014

Lynna Lai Named Channel 3 News Today Co-Anchor

Lynna Lai
WKYC weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter Lynna Lai has been named morning co-anchor of "Channel 3 News Today."

Lai will join John Anderson on our morning show weekdays from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m., along with morning meteorologist Hollie Giangreco and team of reporters who start your day off right with the information you need to know.

WKYC News Director Brennan Donnellan tells the Director's Cut Blog that "we have searched far and wide for the right morning co-anchor to join that team. We believe the right person was here all along."

"Lai is competitive and passionate about winning. She’s a great reporter who is not afraid to ask tough questions. She also celebrates all the positive momentum building in Northeast Ohio. I always appreciate Lynna’s leadership and the morning show will definitely be better for it," Donnellan added.

Lai brings 18 years of broadcasting experience in major markets across the country to the job. Her aggressive career pursuits began as a reporter at WMBD-TV in Peoria, Ill., which was quickly followed by a stint at KGW-TV in Portland, Ore. In 1994, she became the first Asian-American television reporter in Cleveland, but left to pursue anchoring and reporting jobs at WTSP-TV in Tampa, Fla. and WSB-TV in Atlanta, Ga. She has also served as a freelance correspondent for ABC News and the BBC. Lynna returned to Cleveland television in 2001 as an anchor for WOIO-TV.

Recognized for her energetic personality and storytelling abilities, Lai has received two Associated Press awards for Best News Writing and Feature Reporting. In 2004, she won an Emmy for Best Spot News Reporting.

Lai was born in Chicago and grew up in Louisiana before her family moved to Northeast Ohio. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she was the recipient of the LSU Honor Scholarship and a National Merit Scholarship Award. But home is where the heart is and Lai has called Northeast Ohio home since her parents moved to the area when she was a college freshman.

Lai will start her new duties on Monday, July 28th. No word on who will replace Lai on the weekend evening newscasts with co-anchor Chris Tye.

Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc