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The Most Popular Posts from the Director's Cut Blog

Big Changes Coming to WKYC: New Noon Newscast, Updated Morning Start, and Expanded Streaming Options Begin October 20

By Frank Macek Great things are happening at WKYC starting Monday (October 20), and viewers are going to notice. The station is rolling out a refreshed lineup, new faces in new time slots, and expanded streaming options — all designed to make it easier to stay connected with the stories that matter most to Northeast Ohio. The biggest headline is the debut of 3News at Noon, a brand-new midday newscast airing from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday on Channel 3 and streaming live on WKYC+. On Fridays, viewers can catch a shorter, half-hour version of the noon broadcast before the always-entertaining “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.”  Anchors Brissa Bradfield and David Greenberg will team up to bring viewers the latest news, weather, and stories happening around the community — the perfect way to get caught up in the middle of your day. This new addition fills a big gap in the local lineup and gives Clevelanders a fresh option for midday news. Whether you’re taking a lunch bre...
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Natalie Clydesdale Joins WKYC Studios and the 3News Team

By Frank Macek Natalie Clydesdale      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...
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Beloved Meteorologist Mark Johnson Joins WKYC, Returning to Cleveland Airwaves

By Frank Macek One of Northeast Ohio’s most familiar faces is returning to local television. Veteran meteorologist Mark Johnson will join WKYC Channel 3 as a meteorologist beginning Monday, Nov. 10, bringing his trusted voice, decades of forecasting experience, and deep connection to the community back to viewers across the region. Johnson will deliver weather updates weekdays during WKYC’s 5, 7, and 11 p.m. newscasts, adding his expertise to one of Cleveland’s most respected weather teams.  For those who grew up watching him interpret lake-effect snow, spring storms, or summer heat waves, his return marks the homecoming of a beloved broadcaster whose calm authority has guided viewers through some of Northeast Ohio’s most unpredictable weather moments. Mark Johnson is more than just a forecaster — he’s part of Cleveland’s television history. A lifelong Northeast Ohio resident, Johnson first stepped onto the Cleveland airwaves in 1993, launching a career at WEWS-TV that would span ...
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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 Ohio for 12/3/25

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   Multiskilled Journalist   Current WBNS/Columbus Job Openings Account Executive   Chief Meteorologist ***NEW*** Multi-Skilled Journalist  (2) Story Desk Editor Current WTOL/Toledo Job Openings Account Executive Multiskilled Journalist New Business Account Executive **NEW** Current Broadcast Director Jobs Tegna Openings Broadcast Director - KARE (Minneapolis, MN) Broadcast Director  - KMBT/KJAC (Beaumont, TX) Broadcast Director  - KSDK (St. Louis, MO) Broadcast Director  - KWES (Midland-Odessa, TX) Broadcast Director  - WGRZ (Buffalo, NY) Broadcast Director  - WTLV/WJXX (Jacksonville, FL) Broadcast Di...
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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: 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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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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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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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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