 |
| Matt Granite |
The latest addition to the Channel 3 News staff is Matt Granite who joined us in February from our Gannett sister station in Buffalo. Matt is our "Ways to Save" guru and produces the weekday 4:30 a.m. morning show on Channel 3.
We recently sat down with Matt over a delicious cup of coffee and asked him a few questions that will help you get to know Matt better. Here is what Matt had to say to the Director's Cut Blog in our "Get to Know Team 3" feature.
Question: What stations have you worked for during your career so far?
Matt: In grad school I worked for WYCC-TV, a PBS Station in Chicago and went on from there to work as a Washington D.C. Capitol Hill Correspondent for WCAX-TV (Burlington, VT). Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cold enough for me so I relocated to Minnesota and worked for KXJB-TV and KVLY-TV (Fargo, ND) as the morning show producer and live reporter. I then moved to Buffalo (WGRZ-TV) where I developed "Ways 2 Save" as a consumer reporter for our sister station and became the lead producer of their morning show before landing my dream job here in Cleveland.
Question: Having worked in Buffalo most recently and now having experienced your first Cleveland winter, which city can handle the snow better?
Matt: When it comes to side-streets, I'd say both cities have their issues but it seems Cleveland has a much better handle on the major routes and plows that actually go out while the snow is still falling.
Question: What's the craziest "Ways To Save" deal you found for viewers?
Matt: The most amazing deal I came across was a brand new $200 Bluetooth Headset from Blackberry completely free with a mail-in rebate. That was about a year and a half ago and deals sites across the country were reposting my deal for weeks. I ran in to people who ordered for every single person at their office.
Question: Why do you like covering consumer news?
Matt: I live off viewer feedback and getting people products and services they otherwise wouldn't be able to afford drives me every day. I've been told that once the economy improves, I'm going to be out of a job. But I truly believe that no matter how much money one has and regardless of the country's overall economic stability, we all want a deal.
Question: Tell us the funniest that has happened to you while you were live "on the air."
Matt: I've had a few embarrassing moments but favorites include a sneezing attack during a story about cold recall medicine, and inadvertently strangling myself on-air with a microphone cable that got stuck under my collar and attached to a chair that was being wheeled away during my live hit. You could see my face turning red and my shortness of breath between sentences.
Question: How do you deal with never seeing the daylight since you work the really, really early morning shift?
Matt: I take a lot of Vitamin D and essentially pull my equivalent of an "all-nighter" once a week so I can stay up all day and enjoy the simple pleasures of life: daylight, stores that are actually open, restaurants serving food other than breakfast, and associating with people. I've been working overnights for five years now and I think it's a privilege to be a part of some one's morning routine.
Question: What is the best place you have found in Cleveland to eat?
Matt: I've found better restaurants in a week here than living for months in any other city in which I've ever worked. I think the restaurants in Cleveland could rival the best restaurants in any city, anywhere. I have too many favorites to mention, but I've really enjoyed eating in Tremont, on East 4th, The Warehouse District and Little Italy. I'm hoping to explore more spots very soon.
Question: If you ever find the time to get away for that "once in a life time" vacation, where would you go?
Matt: My dream vacation would be would be scuba diving in Sydney using only coupons to pay for my equipment, using suite upgrade vouchers to enjoy some presidential accommodations, redeeming credit card points for flights and hotel perks programs to enjoy room service whenever I want. I love room service.
Question: In your opinion, who has a better chance reaching the next championship in Cleveland sports - The Browns, Cavs or Indians?
Matt: If I had to put my money on one of them (which wouldn't be a lot because I'm extremely cheap), I'd go with the Browns
Question: Can you share with us one thing that very few people know about you?
Matt: I've been playing piano my whole life. I considered going to the Julliard School of music instead of pursuing a career in journalism.
