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Wednesday's Bits and Pieces - 11/12/08

Here's our daily update of what's happening at the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center.

Tonight's WKYC Evening Programming Schedule:
6:00 PM: Channel 3 News at 6 PM
6:30 PM: NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams
7:00 PM: Channel 3 News at 7 PM
8:00 PM: Knight Rider
9:00 PM: Life
10:00 PM: Law & Order
11:00 PM: Channel 3 News at 11 PM
11:35 PM: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Check Out the New Channel 3 News Sponsor Tonight

Channel 3 News has a new sponsor starting tonight at 6 PM. Be sure to tune in to see another one of our really cool high definition opens. Most of these billboard opens are still created in house, then married to our new Gannett news opens. So far, our past sponsors have included Ford Flex, Ford Lincoln, Time Warner Cable and others.

Station History Updated on WKYC.COM

For those of your interested in WKYC's 60 years of on-air broadcasting, we have updated our station history page on wkyc.com including a look at some of our major accomplishments over the years, station slogans, news slogans and more. WKYC first signed on the air at WNBK-Channel 4 on October 31, 1948. To read more about our history, visit our website and click on "Station History" under the "About Us" tab or CLICK HERE

Half Way Through November Sweeps

Hard to believe, we are at the halfway point of November sweeps already. Numbers are looking good for Channel 3's 6 & 11 PM shows, despite the switch to Local People Meters (LPMs) which have been a little controversial since their launch on August 28th in Cleveland. With LPMs, demographics become more important than households as broadcast shares tend to decline, persons using TV (PUTs) go up and daily numbers tend to be volatile. The November book ends November 26th.

McCain a Winner On Leno Last Night

According to Nielsen, former Republican presidential candidate John McCain was a winner for Jay Leno and NBC last night, coming exactly one week after losing the election. McCain's first post-election interview gave Jay his best Nielsen household outing in 10 months, averaging a 4.9 rating/12 share.

Digital TV Doesn't Mean HD TV...Though Viewers Think So

A new study by Frank N. Magid Associates show that twenty-nine percent of respondents believe all TV programming will be presented in HD after the digital transition takes place in February 2009. A total of 96 percent of all consumers ages 21 and older say they have heard something about the pending digital transition. But not everyone has taken the steps necessary to be prepared for the upcoming change. The survey found that 59 percent of all consumers say they have what they need to receive local broadcast TV signals on Feb. 17, 2009. This proportion drops to 40 percent among households at greatest risk - those which rely solely on over-the-air signals for their TV programming.

For more on this study: http://www.magid.com/

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...

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...

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...

Job openings at WKYC Studios & TEGNA Media Ohio for 7/15/25

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 Current WBNS/Columbus Job Openings Account Executive Creative Marketing Producer Managing Editor Multi-Skilled Journalist Photojournalist Current WTOL/Toledo Job Openings Account Executive Broadcast Director/PT   Multiskilled Journalist Sales Coordinator **NEW** 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

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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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