Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

Are you looking to do a little spring cleaning? Why not help the local Goodwill by donating your clothing and household items at any Cleveland or Canton store this Saturday, April 30th. Donated items help the Goodwill continue to operate critical programs for those most in need. Your donation can help you win a $4,000 window makeover.

As you probably know from our earlier posting, WKYC's Romona Robinson was only one of four reporters in the nation who were invited to the White House on Tuesday to sit down and talk with President Obama. Our field producer, Amanda Subler, was with Romona and had the flipcam in hand. She set us back some video that we thought we share "behind the scenes." Romona in Washington, D.C. for her interview with the President Romona & Producer Amanda leaving the White House This is where reporters from like NBC News stand outside the White House and give their live reports on NBC Nightly News, MSNBC

Romona interviewing President Obama at the White House Channel 3’s Romona Robinson will sit down with President Barack Obama at the White House tomorrow morning, April 26th. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to ask him the questions that are important to all of us here in Northeast Ohio,” said Ms. Robinson. “Channel 3 viewers want to understand the issues and hear what’s being done about jobs creation in Ohio, the price of gas and the impact of Senate Bill 5. Romona will have a special three camera interview with the President in the morning and anchor live shots from the White House for the early evening shows. The interview will then air during the 6pm, 7pm and 11pm newscasts tomorrow night. “I’m looking forward to speaking directly with President Obama and discussing the issues that face our region,” added Ms. Robinson. The Emmy Award winning anchor has lead WKYC’s 6pm and 11pm newscasts since 1997.

Time Warner says changes made to its system Tuesday night have impacted some viewers ability to see the Channel 3 signal. According to Time Warner the changes impact the HD signal on sets connected directly to cable. The company recommends that impacted viewers re-scan to make sure they are receiving the 3.1 HD signal. The analog signal for Channel 3 has not been impacted by the system changes.

Jennifer Lindgren By Frank Macek In this "Get to Know Team 3" feature, we finally had the chance to sit down with WKYC Multimedia Journalist Jennifer Lindgren who joined Channel 3 in August 2010 from WTLV in Jacksonville, Florida, and WLTX in Columbia, South Carolina . As a multimedia journalist, Jennifer is a one woman band who shoots, edits and fronts her own packages as television continues to move in this new direction of journalism. Her stories have received recognition along the way. She's been the recipient of a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for writing. In the past couple of years, the South Carolina Associated Press has honored her work for general assignment reporting, as well as the Florida Society of Professional Journalists for feature reporting. Here is what Jennifer had to say during a recent conversation with the Director's Cut Blog: Question: Tell us about some of the positions you held at your earlier stations. Jennifer: I...

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and Channel 3 are teaming up to help "Pack the Bus" with several ways you can help the Harvest for Hunger campaign now through Friday, April 15th. RTA will be collecting non-perishable food items along with cash donations for Harvest for Hunger through Thursday at Tower City. Rapid customers who pass through Tower City on their daily commute can drop of items in the morning on their way to work on all three days. RTA representatives will be on hand to collect food items and cash from 6 – 9 am. This customer drive is in addition to what RTA’s employees are already doing throughout the organization, at all garages and offices, to help those in need through the Harvest for Hunger campaign. Organizers say the most needed food items are: peanut butter, tuna fish, canned vegetables, beef stew, canned soup and cereal. In addition, cash goes even farther; with each dollar providing food for four nutritious meals. On Frida...

The Cleveland Browns' 2011 preseason opponents were announced, and the list features matchups against three teams that qualified for the 2010 playoffs, including the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. For the third consecutive year, the Browns will open their preseason campaign against Green Bay as they host the Packers on the weekend of August 11-15. For the 10th consecutive season, the Browns will face Detroit in preseason action, when they welcome the Lions to Cleveland Browns Stadium during the weekend of August 18-22. Cleveland then travels to Lincoln Financial Field to face the Philadelphia Eagles on the weekend of August 25-29. It will be the first preseason meeting between the two clubs since 2006. The Browns will conclude the preseason September 1-2, when they travel to Chicago to meet the Bears. The contest marks the eighth straight year that Cleveland and Chicago have met in the preseason finale Here are the games you will see exclusively on WKYC an...

By Frank Macek It's time for another behind the scenes look at what's happening at the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. Your blogger has plenty of news to report in this exciting edition...although some of it is not good. As you have been reading in the Plain Dealer and elsewhere on-line, WKYC has announced some on-air changes including the departure of long-time Channel 3 News weekend anchor Jeff Maynor and WKYC Meteorologist AJ Colby. Jeff joined WKYC in 1993 after spending seven years at WEWS/TV and eight years at WJW/TV in Cleveland. Most recently, Jeff anchored the weekend 6 & 11 PM editions of Channel 3 News, although much of his time was spent on the weekend morning show with co-anchor Kim Wheeler before the great recession forced WKYC to move to one anchor show formats in most dayparts. Jeff's last day at WKYC was Sunday, April 6th. Meteorologist AJ Colby will also be leaving Channel 3 at the end of May. AJ first worked at Channel 3 as a freelancer begin...

The game didn't end up as we wished, but it was a fun day at Progressive Field for everyone. Here are some videos we shot during today's Opening Day Special on Channel 3: In the control booth as the end of Tribe Talk draws to a close. Al Wohl calls it like a conductor. Take a look at what went on behind Amanda Barren's live shot: At look at what Caitlin is doing as the field producer at the party deck: Romona is joined by Matt Underwood and Rick Manning: Producer Caitlin shows you some of the prep work before the home opener special, out on the party deck: Romona goes one on one with Indians Chairman and CEO Paul Dolan: Jimmy and Romona getting ready for the Channel 3 pre-game show from Progressive Field: