Micki Byrnes Named President And General Manager Of WKYC

Micki Byrnes

“I am pleased to announce that Micki Byrnes has been named President and General Manager of WKYC-Cleveland,” announced Dave Lougee, president of Broadcasting for Gannett Co. Inc. “Micki is the perfect leader for our Cleveland operation. She is a natural leader who knows all facets of our business, and she has a passion for everyone at the station, and for that matter, everyone in Northeast Ohio.”

Brooke Spectorsky will continue in his role as a Senior Vice President for Gannett Broadcasting managing all syndicated programming efforts for the combined Gannett/Belo television group. Spectorsky also oversees three additional Gannett television station markets.

Byrnes joined Gannett Broadcasting in October of 1997 as Director of Marketing and Promotion for WKYC, NBC in Cleveland, Ohio. She was named Vice President, Advertising and Promotion in 2000, responsible for the branding, graphics, media creation and placement, community engagement and sales promotion efforts of Channel 3. In March of 2014, she was named VP and Station Manager, overseeing the daily operations of the station.

“It will be an exciting and challenging role, one that I’ve spent the last 17 years building towards,” said Byrnes. “Northeast Ohio is a dynamic television market and I plan to keep WKYC in the forefront of winning news coverage with a strong brand tied to our growth as a region, and world class customer service.”

Prior to joining Gannett, Byrnes worked as Corporate Marketing Director for First Media based in Orlando, FL and has had promotion management positions in San Francisco, Atlanta and Boston.

She is a past Chair and Director of PROMAX, International, the industry's premiere marketing and promotion association. Byrnes has also served on the promotion advisory boards of CBS Television, ABC Television and Fox Broadcasting and is the past Chairperson of the NBC Affiliate Promotion Committee. Micki was a member of the 2005 class of Leadership Cleveland, and also served as a Board member of the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center. She helped create the US Marshal of Northern Ohio’s Posse for Community Outreach, and was a member of the FBI Citizen’s Academy class of 2012. She currently serves as a Trustee of the Cleveland Food Bank and is a Board Member of Cuyahoga Community College Foundation and the FBI Citizen’s Academy Foundation.

WKYC 'Adopts' A Family This Holiday Season

Special to the Director's Cut Blog

By Jeff Reidel

CLEVELAND - Now is the season of giving and family.

But some are struggling to enjoy a holidays. One woman is working to meet that need head on, after facing her own hardship. Now, area children will experience a brighter holiday.

WKYC employees are helping spread holiday joy. The station is working with the Adopt a Family Association, a non-profit that matches companies that want to reach out to local families facing tough times.

"Either they are working a low income job, they are disabled or recently laid off and there fore they can not provide for their family due to the expense" said Madeline Medley, Executive Director of the Adopt a Family Association.

Back when she worked at a local bank, Medley took it upon herself to to get fellow employees to adopt needy families during the holidays.

But when she lost her job, she made giving back her full-time job.

"My focus was to help the children. It was my great passion to go ahead and make it a non-profit and make it my own" said Medley.

The giving spirit continues to grow.

Petitti Garden Center donated and delivered Christmas trees to the families WKYC adopted.

"It means a lot because I've been quit ill for the past couple of years. And this year I was not able to get a Christmas tree. So now I will have a Christmas tree in my home and it just makes me very happy. And it's going to make my daughter happy when she gets home too" said Kanika Nunn.

"This is going to help out a lot for the holidays helping out with the family. Having a safe warm holiday" said Larry Dixon.

The need isn't just during the holiday season, and that's why Adopt a Family also has a family needs program.

"Which helps families that are transitioning from a shelter environment and needs help with house hold items, furniture and beds for the children" said Medley.

Medley is truly living her passion by giving back.

"That is my blessing. That is my Christmas" said Medley.

The Adopt a Family Christmas program has grown from supporting 70 families to over 200 families this year.

And it's not to late to help.

You can donate to the organization online at www.adoptafamilynow.org

WKYC News & Notes: 12/15/14

By Frank Macek

It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center.

WKYC's new Sony ELC Production System

Tomorrow night, December 16th, Channel 3 will launch our brand new Sony ELC Live Assist Production System that will be a new way we bring you Channel 3 News.

The system is an all computerized one and will run most aspects of our newscasts. For the first time ever, the control room will no longer have a technical director or audio engineer. The Director will be the solo operator who programs the system to control video, graphics and audio mixing.

This is one of the biggest changes technically since Channel 3 signed on October 31, 1948.

In other news, WKYC has plenty of new faces floating around the building that we'd like to recognize.

*Justin Gutschmidt, who is a Cleveland native, comes to us from Living Social as Channel 3's new Digital Sales Director.
*Alyssa Raymond joins the Channel 3 News department as a Multimedia Journalist from our Gannett sister station KTVK-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas.
*Roselyn Muniz is our newest production assistant. Muniz is a Columbia University graduate with a master's degree in journalism.
*Anna Avelar is our new Human Resources Business Partner for WKYC.

Channel 3 also has several familiar faces around the Broadcast Center who are hanging up their gear and heading into retirement this month.

*Master Control Operator Jim Dungey is leaving the station after 40 years of service. Jim was once an evening technical director for Channel 3 News and also worked at the transmitter location for WKYC in Parma over the years.
*Satellite Operator and Photojournalist Dan Medsker ends his tenure at the station, also with 40 years on the job.
*Engineer Dan Keefe hangs up his camera and gear after 21 years.
*Our morning TD/Director Jerry Albert put his headset away for the final time on December 9th after 35 years. Jerry was a staple of the WKYC morning team having been technical director for "Today in Cleveland" with the late Del Donahoo and Tom Haley during its entire run 16 year run.
*And, my evening control room partner and audio specialist Bruce McLaurin will end his run at WKYC this Thursday after 32 years.

Congratulations to everyone and happy retirement. We'll miss you all.

WKYC News & Notes: 11/19/14

By Frank Macek

It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center.

This November has been quite a busy time for all of us at WKYC. In addition to November sweeps, we are right in the middle of our installation of a new production system that will allow us to bring you Channel 3 more efficiently. The system, called Sony ELC (Enhanced Live Production Control System), will go online before Christmas.

Photo Courtesy: David Hrvatin

Last Tuesday was an exciting day at WKYC as the station hosted a company wide video presentation looking forward to our goals and aspirations for 2015. Gannett Broadcasting President Dave Lougee hosted the discussion that was fed via satellite to our 46 Gannett stations.

In a previous posting, we mentioned WKYC will begin airing a brand new television channel called Justice Network starting in January on subchannel 3.2 replacing our current weather programming.

The Justice Network programming will include series such as Body of Evidence, Masterminds, The Investigators, Psychic Detectives, I, Detective, LA Forensics, Missing Persons Unit, Murder by the Book, Parco P.I., Locked Up Abroad, Alaska State Troopers, Extreme Evidence, North Mission Road, Haunting Evidence, Over the Limit and Dominick Dunne’s Power Privilege and Justice.

Mike O'Mara returns to WKYC. Courtesy: Kris Pickel

As many of you know, Kim Wheeler left us back in October to pursue a position with the Cleveland Municipal School District. Kim's love of education made it the perfect fit for her.

Former Channel 3 Reporter Mike O' Mara has returned to the station temporarily while the station searches for Kim's replacement.

Also, Abbie Murphy joins the WKYC family as a Production Assistant. She is a recent graduate of the E.W. Scripts School of Journalism at Ohio University.

New WKYC News App

Our new WKYC News App also launched last month and features an all new re-design to bring you more news, weather, traffic, sports and more.

If you haven't downloaded our app, just text WKYC to 25543 on your smartphone for a link. We'll also be getting a major upgrade to our WKYC Weather App coming soon.

Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

WKYC To Launch New "Justice Network" on Subchannel 3.2 in January

WKYC announced on Tuesday the station will begin carrying a new digital subchannel on WKYC 3.2 called the "Justice Network" beginning in January.

The new network will launch as a partnership between WKYC's parent company, Gannett Broadcasting, and other television executives. The new network will immediately reach a third of the nation's television audience at launch with the power of Gannett's 46 television stations.

Justice Network will replace our existing weather radar on 3.2 and some children's programming right after the first of the year. WKYC Station Manager Micki Byrnes, says the station is working hard on other options to bring viewers the weather information they depend on that keep you "Weather Ready" at all times.

Here is more information from today's announcement...

Veteran television executives are joining forces to launch Justice Network, a free over-the-air multicast network with carriage on MSO’s, featuring gripping stories of true crime and aiming to make communities safer by empowering viewers to take action. Working in partnership with Crime Stoppers USA, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and other law enforcement agencies, the Justice Network will dedicate 90 seconds to public service every hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This includes: 30 seconds to “Bad Person of the Week”, :30 seconds to help locate missing children, and :30 seconds to providing viewers with invaluable safety tips.

The Senior Leadership Team includes founder Lonnie Cooper, a seasoned player in the multicast space and a founder of Bounce TV, one of the most successful multicast networks. Industry leaders from some of cable’s largest networks include CEO Steve Schiffman, former president of National Geographic Channels; Head of Distribution Barry Wallach, former president of NBCUniversal Domestic TV Distribution; and Head of Programming John Ford, award-winning programmer and former president of Discovery Channel. Wendy Brown, formerly of CSE, will serve as Justice Network COO.

“Recognizing that by 2013, half of the top 50-rated prime shows on television were justice-oriented programming, our management team saw the need to satisfy America’s obsession with justice. We are proud to be a part of this unique multicast network’s efforts to make a difference in people’s lives, fight crime and to keep communities safer,” said Justice Network CEO Steve Schiffman.

The Justice Network will be partnering with Gannett Broadcasting to launch the network in approximately one-third of the country beginning January 2015. Gannett Broadcasting will make Justice Network’s television content available in virtually all of the markets in their U.S. footprint.

"The Justice Network team has a great programming strategy as well as a great lineup,” said Dave Lougee, president of Gannett Broadcasting. “We are pleased to be their launch partner and look forward to introducing the network to a third of America's viewers within months."​

Justice Network programming will include series such as, Body of Evidence, Masterminds, The Investigators, Psychic Detectives, I, Detective, LA Forensics, Missing Persons Unit, Murder by the Book, Parco P.I., Locked Up Abroad, Alaska State Troopers, Extreme Evidence, North Mission Road, Haunting Evidence, Over the Limit and Dominick Dunne’s Power Privilege and Justice.

For more information, please visit www.justicenetworktv.com.

WKYC Celebrates A Successful "Make A Difference Day"

WKYC Station Manager Micki Byrnes painting

More than 1200 volunteers participated in 'Make A Difference Day' in Northeast Ohio on Saturday, October 25, 2014.

This day of service began more than twenty years ago by WKYC's parent company, Gannett. Channel 3 News employees rolled up their sleeves to paint rooms at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland's Broadway and Heights Youth Club locations.

"When you think about the kids that we work with 90 percent of our kids are at or near poverty, 74 percent come from single parent families they're probably not living in the best of locations," says Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland President, Ron Soeder.

"We want to make sure they have a fresh place, a place that's vibrant and colorful and brings them to life so that when they come in they have a different experience than they may have day to day or it's added to the experience that they have."

In Akron, nearly 150 people joined in the fight to end hunger by repackaging more than 50,000lbs of meat for the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank.

BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence, helped facilitate several volunteer opportunities throughout the area.

WKYC Partners With LeBron James Family Foundation

(Photo: LJFF)

WKYC is proud to partner with the LeBron James Family Foundation to help positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education.

Over the next few years, we'll bring you special stories, news coverage, events and projects that showcase the impactful work the Foundation is doing in Akron. And we'll explore how everyone in Northeast Ohio can be involved.

Our special coverage kicks off next Monday, October 27th at 6 p.m., and continues to opening night of the Cleveland Cavaliers season.

Please join us for a very special Akron Watch Party in support of the LeBron James Family Foundation on Thursday, October 30th at Ray's Place of Fairlawn, 25 Ghent Road. Great prizes, great food and what's sure to be a GREAT GAME!! All are welcome and there is a unique auction featuring one of a kind items for bid.

And join WKYC for extended news coverage Thursday 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. live from Cleveland and Akron.

For more information on the LeBron James Family Foundation, visit LeBronJamesFamilyFoundation.org

8 Reasons To Get The NEW WKYC News App!

WKYC has released an update to our mobile news app.

The new app is much different than our old version.

You'll get the same great news and weather coverage from all over northeast Ohio… but much more of it!

The app is available now for iPhone or Android users.

We have also updated our mobile website as well.

Our digital team has compiled a list of 8 reasons why you need to get the new app right now.

1. It's free. So why not? 
2. Enhanced scrolling navigation. It's easier than ever to stay informed… and you'll have the ability to see more of the important headlines from across the region.
3. More local news than ever before! Find news headlines from your community. We've introduced more local news section for the city our county you live in.
4. Real time traffic map featuring crash reports, delays, and construction alerts. And Tweets from Danielle Wiggins!
5. Live streaming. Watch live streaming coverage when breaking news happens. You can ALSO watch WKYC news during our regularly scheduled broadcast times. Now works for ANDROID users too!
6. Introducing YOUR TAKE – See news happening? Take a picture with your phone and easily upload the picture or video using the all new YOUR TAKE function within the news app. Look for other fun and exciting ways to share the sights and sounds from northeast Ohio with YOUR TAKE.
7. Enhanced navigation control. You can decide the order of the news and information that's most important to you. Visit the settings area to customize your app.
8. Customize news alerts that fit your schedule. We've included new features that allow you to take control of the news alerts you receive. You can use the clock to set silent times or choose specific categories that you want to receive important alerts from.

DOWNLOAD: Get the WKYC news app

WKYC Is Gearing Up For Make a Difference Day 2014!

It's an event where WKYC and Gannett-owned media properties across the country team up to make our communities better.

Hundreds of employees and volunteers work together to make a difference.

Learn more in the highlights below.

You can also find out how you can join in to MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

• This year, Make A Difference Day takes place on Oct. 25th. Always held on the fourth Saturday of October, it is the nation's largest day of volunteering.
• USA WEEKEND Magazine conceived the idea more than 20 years ago and has mobilized millions of people across the U.S. for this National Day of Doing Good.
• Pitching in to spread the word are the 46 TV stations and hundreds of newspapers owned by Gannett, plus longstanding partners Points of Light and Newman's Own.
• As the Gannett-owned media property in the Cleveland market, WKYC takes the lead here in organizing local activities.
• We partner with BVU, The Center for Nonprofit Excellence to offer a variety of activities on Make a Difference Day, from sorting donated clothing for Coats for Kids, to planting trees in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
• You can sign up for a Make a Difference Day activity with your family, your co-workers or by yourself.

Join us! Everyone can make a difference on Oct. 25. Sign up at www.bvuvolunteers.org/volunteer or call 216-736-7711.

Behind The Scenes: Time Lapse of Channel 3 News at 6

Check out a time lapse from behind the scenes of our 6 pm newscast that I directed tonight. A lot happens in just 30 minutes! Thanks to David Hrvatin for putting this ditty together and Floor Director Jessica Dickard for recording it.

Post by WKYC Channel 3 - Cleveland.

Man With Northeast Ohio Ties Advances On 'The Voice'

Ricky Manning (Courtesy: NBC)

A contestant with Northeast Ohio ties has survived the blind auditions on "The Voice" and will be competing on team Pharrell.

Ricky Manning, 19, said he took a year after high school to concentrate on music and has been performing on the streets of New York City.

He told judges he is currently living with his father in New Jersey and before that had lived in Cape Coral, Fla., with his mother.

Manning told WKYC he was born at an Akron hospital and was raised in Medina.

Even thought his family moved to Florida when he was in the third grade, Manning said he still has strong family ties to Northeast Ohio. Both of his grandmothers still live in Medina.

Click to see our 11 p.m. live interview:

Health & Wellness Expo serves more than 15,000 in Northeast Ohio

The WKYC Health and Wellness Expo is back at the Cleveland Convention Center on Saturday, September 6th – bigger and better than ever.

Thousands of Northeast Ohio residents will get the opportunity to get free health screenings and learn important information about living a healthier lifestyle from over 120 exhibitors at the 40,000 square foot exhibit.

Visitors will enjoy presentations on three stages that will include health and wellness information, the latest trends in healthy cooking and exercise, tips for keeping your family safe and ways to help keep your family, your finances and your body all in working order.

WKYC personalities, including Russ Mitchell, Kris Pickel, Betsy Kling and many others will be on hand to greet Expo guests who will also be given the chance to try their hand at being a weather anchor or a sportscaster. This was a highlight at last year’s Expo as folks uploaded their “TV debut” to the WKYC Facebook page for all to see

A number of area non-profit organizations will also be in attendance including the Red Cross, United Way, The Gathering Place, Legal Aid, March of Dimes, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland and College Now.

Family fun is at a premium this year with plenty for the younger set including a rock wall, soccer field and golf area. Attendees also got a few lessons from our area safety forces. The Cleveland Police and Fire Department, the Westlake Police Department, the Mentor Fire Department, and the FBI provided hands on exhibits on everything from fire and water safety to crime prevention tools.

WKYC President and General Manager Brooke Spectorsky said, “We know you care about your family – and so do we. We created the Health and Wellness to provide an opportunity for our viewers and our community to learn more about ways to live a healthy lifestyle and to get acquainted with a host of professionals who will be there to help them accomplish that goal. We’ve worked to make the Expo informative, interactive, family friendly and free.”

For more information, go to wkyc.com/healthexpo

WKYC's Hollie Giangreco Visits "Today" To Wish Roker A Happy 60th Birthday

Channel 3's Hollie Giangreco was live at the "Today" show set in New York City Wednesday morning to help the show wish a happy 60th birthday to weatherman Al Roker.

Roker, who worked for WKYC for five years in the late '70s and early '80s, sent his well wishes back to Cleveland, remarking that he misses the West Side Market.

Giangreco gave Roker a birthday present -- a Cleveland five-day forecast T-shirt mocking the city's vastly different weather from day to day.

Roker joked that he wasn't looking forward to the birthday but conceded "any anniversary you can spend about ground is a good thing.""And to have all these people come down … that's very, very nice," he said, joking with fans gathered on the plaza that he was old enough to be their grandfather.

Upon learning that anchors Russ Mitchell and Kris Pickel are in town as well, he couldn't help but crack a joke.

"You've got to relish a name like that," he said of Pickel.

Former Plain Dealer Columnist Margaret Bernstein Joins WKYC

Margaret Bernstein

Margaret Bernstein Joins WKYC As Director of Advocacy and Community Initiatives

“She’s an award-winning journalist, a high school mentor, a national Big Sister of the Year, and a passionate crusader for the people and communities of Northeast Ohio,” said VP and Station Manager Micki Byrnes. “Starting in September, she will also be the new Director of Advocacy and Community Initiatives for Channel 3 and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome her.”

“This is simply the perfect opportunity for me. I deeply respect WKYC’s trailblazing work in community advocacy and want to help the station continue moving our community forward,” Margaret said. ”I firmly believe that people want more than just the news headlines – they want to know what they can do to make a positive difference. It’s up to us in the news media to shed light on the best ways for the public to get involved.”

For over 20 years, Margaret wrote for Ohio’s largest daily newspaper and as a Metro columnist she identified ways that readers could take action to improve Cleveland’s quality of life.

She is known for her solution-oriented writing, which has been honored nationally. In 2008, she received the National Association of Black Journalists' prestigious Community Service Award, and she was part of a team that was honored by Columbia University for its coverage of the Mount Pleasant section of Cleveland in a series titled "Can We Save Our Neighborhoods?" Her “Power of One” series also won two public service prizes.

In 2005, the famed “Three Doctors,” authors of The New York Times bestseller, "The Pact," chose Margaret to co-write their critically-acclaimed follow-up memoir, "The Bond: Three Young Men Learn to Forgive and Reconnect with their Fathers." Margaret is also well known as a major proponent of mentoring, having served as a Big Sister for many years and also as a key volunteer for the Urban Journalism Workshop for high school students. Most recently, her respected name has been associated with literacy efforts in Cleveland. She spent the past year creating a network of communities and parents that are embracing the grassroots Little Free Library movement.

Margaret lives in Cleveland Heights with her husband, Shaker Heights Chief Prosecutor C. Randolph Keller. They have two children, Randy and Alexandria.

WKYC News & Notes: 8/14/14

By Frank Macek

It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center.

Channel 3 with air the 2nd Browns preseason game against the Washington Redskins this Monday night, August 18th. Our Pregame Huddle will air from 7-8p (directed by Frank Macek and produced by Jeff Yakawiak) followed by ESPN's national production on WKYC beginning at 8p.

Channel 3 News will also be live next Thursday, August 21st, at 6p and 7p from FirstEnergy Stadium to show you all the new improvements the stadium this year. Our entire WKYC evening anchor team will broadcast live from the stadium on both editions of Channel 3 News.

We are seeing plenty of new faces at Channel 3 this month. Let's get you caught up.

Jiselle Macalaguin is joining the WKYC digital team as a Digital Content Producer starting August 18th. Mack comes to use as Internet Managing Editor at WNWO/NBC 24 in Toledo.

Lexxi Gilles recently joined our team as an assignment editor/multimedia journalist and producer. Grilles just graduated from Kent State University and worked at Channel 3 News as an intern this past semester.

Claire Donovan

"Live on Liveside" executive producer Claire Donovan has new duties. Donovan is joining the weekend morning news team as producer of our expanded weekend morning news starting September 6th. She'll team up with current weekend morning producer Maggie Traynor to bring Northeast Ohio several more hours of news, weather and sports information every Saturday and Sunday.

Two of our station's employees have reached milestones this month. Sue Stachurski is celebrating 30 years at WKYC, while Vera Barile has reached 35 years. Both work in our business offices and have been mainstays of the station through several ownership changes from NBC to Multimedia to Gannett.

And our sales team has been busy welcoming three new faces. John Hollabaugh (an avid Director's Cut Blog reader), Eric Mohre and Jennifer Nopper have recently joined the team. Both Hollabaugh and Mohre will be selling our fabulous on-air and digital products, while Nopper will be our specialist for all digital products and specifically G/O Digital.

Finally, our congratulations to WKYC multimedia journalist A.J. Ross who is leaving us to join WABC-TV in New York City. Ross joined the Channel 3 News team in April 2013 after leaving her hometown station of WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh and the New Pittsburgh Courier newspaper where she was also a freelance reporter.

WKYC 2013 Health and Wellness Expo

Mark your calendars! The 2nd annual WKYC Health and Wellness Expo will be held on Saturday, September 6th from 10 am until 5 p.m.

The Cleveland Convention Center will come alive again this year with free health screenings, interactive exhibits and fun activities for the whole family.

This free event will include: Free health screenings, interactive family fun – a rock wall, cooking stage, soccer field and more, a chance to meet the WKYC-TV team. Plus, kids of all ages can try their hand at weather and sports anchoring!

Get more information about the event HERE: http://www.wkyc.com/local/health-expo

Your Director's Cut Blogger will be at the event on Saturday, September 6th, from 2p to 5p at the on-air production center. Stop by and say hello!

That's the latest for now. Go Browns!

Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

Special to the Director's Cut Blog

Carl Icahn

By Gary Strauss, USA Today

Activist investor Carl Icahn has taken a stake in Gannett, saying the TV and newspaper company that publishes USA TODAY (and part company of WKYC-TV), is undervalued.

Icahn has amassed a stake in Gannett, according to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing Thursday. The filing says Gannett shares are undervalued and that value could be created by splitting the companies print and broadcasting divisions -- a move Gannett CEO Gracia Martore already announced Aug. 5.

The 13D filing says Icahn plans to "have discussions" with Gannett's management and board of directors "relating to the planned separation, corporate governance, capitalization and capital allocation."

Gannett shares were up 6.3% to $36.20 in after-hours trading, when the filing was disclosed.

Icahn was not available for comment. A spokeswoman said Icahn says the 13D-filing "speaks for itself."

Gannett To Spin Off Publishing Business, Create New Broadcasting/Digital Company

Gannett Headquarters in McLean, Virginia

Here's part of today's exciting announcement from Gannett, owner of WKYC-TV...

McLean, VA, August 5, 2014 – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) today announced its plan to create two publicly traded companies with scale: one exclusively focused on its Broadcasting and Digital businesses, and the other on its Publishing business. 

The planned separation of the Publishing business will be implemented through a tax-free distribution of Gannett’s Publishing assets to shareholders. The transaction will create two focused companies with increased opportunities to grow organically across all businesses as well as pursue strategic acquisitions.

Gannett has also signed a definitive agreement to acquire full ownership of Cars.com, one of the leading digital companies in the automotive space. Under the agreement, Gannett will acquire the 73% interest it does not already own in Classified Ventures LLC, which owns Cars.com, for $1.8 billion in cash.

Gracia Martore, president and chief executive officer, said, “The bold actions we are announcing today are significant next steps in our ongoing initiatives to increase shareholder value by building scale, increasing cash flow, sharpening management focus, and strengthening all of our businesses to compete effectively in today’s increasingly digital landscape. Cars.com doubles our growing digital business, while our recent acquisitions of Belo and London Broadcasting doubled our broadcasting portfolio.

These acquisitions, combined with our successful initiatives over the past 2-1/2 years to strengthen our Publishing business, make this the right time for a separation into two market-leading companies.”

Martore continued, “These transformative transactions will give both the Publishing company and the Broadcasting and Digital company enhanced strategic, operating, financial, and regulatory flexibility to pursue growth and consolidation opportunities in their respective markets, while delivering strong cash flow to build further upon Gannett’s long-standing traditions of award-winning journalism and service to our local communities. We are creating two companies that will be among the largest and strongest in their peer groups, with increased abilities to focus resources on the most promising areas of their businesses.

At the same time, we expect to structure this transaction in a way that preserves core advertiser relationships and local marketing capabilities through permissible shared service agreements that will allow both companies to continue to benefit from cross-platform sales and content sharing opportunities. We believe separating these businesses will unlock shareholder value both in the near term and increasingly as they develop independently in the future.”

Marge Magner, chairman of the Board, said “Gannett has made huge strides in strengthening each of its businesses over the past few years, and the Board believes that the creation of two highly focused companies with enhanced financial and regulatory flexibility will accelerate growth and create additional value for our shareholders.”

Gannett believes the separation will result in material benefits to both companies, including:

· Creation of a stronger growth profile and a more competitive position for each company with enhanced management focus and resources more directly aligned with strategic priorities to drive innovation and value creation

· Optimization of capital structures based on the profitability, cash flow, and growth opportunities of each independent company

· Realization of more targeted investment opportunities for shareholders with trading valuations that more accurately reflect the distinctive characteristics of each business

· Opportunity to pursue value-enhancing acquisitions in each company with fewer regulatory obstacles

Gannett expects the Publishing business will be virtually debt-free after the separation, with all of Gannett’s existing debt retained by the Broadcasting and Digital company. Gannett anticipates the initial combined dividend of the two independent companies will not be less than Gannett’s current $0.20 per share quarterly cash dividend.

Cars.com

Gannett is acquiring full ownership of Cars.com – a leading destination for online car shoppers providing credible and easy-to-understand information from consumers and experts – through the acquisition of the 73% equity interest in Classified Ventures LLC that it does not already own. Cars.com allows consumers to search, compare and connect with sellers and dealers, and provides buyers with greater control over the shopping process. It is now the #2 auto-related site with approximately 30 million visits per month, and annual visits have grown at a rate of 17% for the last several years. Since its inception, Cars.com has grown consistently, and today the site displays approximately 4.3 million new and used cars from nearly 20,000 dealers.

Acquiring all of Cars.com further accelerates Gannett’s digital transformation and is consistent with the company’s focus on local media and marketing services. The automotive sector is the single largest and most important vertical for local advertising revenue, and Cars.com is one of the few proven and established digital solutions of scale in this market. Gannett will enter into new 5-year affiliate agreements with the existing owner-affiliates of Cars.com upon the closing date. The company expects the transaction to be accretive to free cash flow by approximately $0.43 per share and neutral to non-GAAP earnings per share in 2015, growing thereafter.

The transaction is expected to contribute approximately $155 million in annual incremental 2014 pro forma EBITDA to Gannett, which includes the impact of the new affiliate agreements.

The transaction price implies a multiple of 11.7x pro forma 2014 estimated incremental EBITDA. Based on the more favorable economics associated with the new affiliate agreements, as well as anticipated cost efficiencies, the company expects a pro forma 2015 estimated incremental EBITDA multiple of 9.2x. The company will maintain a strong balance sheet, with anticipated pro forma net leverage initially at approximately 2.8x, which will be reduced over time.

Gannett will finance the acquisition through cash on hand, the issuance of approximately $650-675 million in new senior notes and borrowings under the company’s revolving credit agreement.

New Broadcasting and Digital Company

Following the separation, Gannett’s Broadcasting and Digital company, which has yet to be named, will remain headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and will trade on the NYSE. Gracia Martore will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Broadcasting and Digital company at that time.

The Broadcasting business, which includes 46 television stations the company owns or services, will be the largest independent station group of major network affiliates in the top 25 markets. The company’s stations reach approximately one-third of all television households nationwide and represent the #1 NBC affiliate group, #1 CBS affiliate group and #4 ABC affiliate group (excluding owner-operators).

The Digital business will consist of several other well positioned and growing online companies in addition to Cars.com. The largest is CareerBuilder, a global leader in human capital solutions majority owned by Gannett, that provides services ranging from labor market intelligence to talent management software and other recruitment solutions. It is the largest online job site in the U.S., measured both by traffic and revenue, and has a presence in more than 60 markets worldwide.

Publishing Company

Following the separation, the Publishing company, which will retain the Gannett name, is expected to be listed for trading on the NYSE and will remain headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Robert J. Dickey, currently president of Gannett’s U.S. Community Publishing division, will become Chief Executive Officer of the Publishing company upon completion of the separation.

As the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, Gannett provides content through its flagship brand USA TODAY, a multi-platform news and information company that ranks #1 in combined print and digital circulation, according to the Alliance for Audited Media. It will also include 81 local U.S. daily publications as well as Newsquest, a leading regional community news provider in the U.K., with 17 daily paid-for titles and more than 200 weekly print products, magazines and trade publications.

The Publishing business will continue to build on its expanding digital presence, which includes digital products available on all platforms. The USA TODAY app is a top news app in the U.S. with more than 20 million downloads to date, and USATODAY.com continues to be one of the most popular news sites in the country.

WKYC Expanding Weekend Morning News, Adding New Daytime Shows This Fall

By Frank Macek

Get ready to begin your weekend mornings a little earlier with more news and more weather updates on Channel 3 this fall as WKYC has announced it will greatly expand its Saturday and Sunday newscasts starting in September.

Photo by: David Hrvatin

On Saturday morning, Channel 3 will add one hour of all local news from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. leading into the Saturday edition of the "Today Show" that will continue to air from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., followed by "Channel 3 News Today" from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The midday edition of "Channel 3 News at Noon" will continue to air as well.

On Sunday morning, Channel 3 will add two hours of local news from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., then the Sunday edition of the "Today Show" from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and "Channel 3 News Today" from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Meanwhile, NBC's "Meet the Press" will start a half hour earlier beginning at 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with the midday edition of "Channel 3 News at Noon" as normal.

Also coming to Channel 3 this fall will be two new shows. WKYC will add "The Queen Latifah Show" from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. and "Celebrity Name Game" from 3:30 until 4 p.m. weekdays. "The Doctors" will move to a late night time slot of 3 a.m. to 4 a.m.

The rest of the Channel 3 daytime schedule will remain the same according to WKYC Station Manager Micki Byrnes.

NBC has already announced its fall lineup that will include the new shows "Bad Judge," "Constantine," "A to Z" and "The Mysteries of Laura."
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Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

LeBron's Homecoming Gives Channel 3 National Exposure

By Frank Macek

The announcement last week about the return of basketball superstar LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers has generated plenty of buzz worldwide, to say the least. Friday's announcement is the biggest sports story for 2014.

Channel 3 News devoted non-stop, team coverage of the announcement from the time the story broke during our noon broadcast until the end of Channel 3 News at 6 p.m. After NBC Nightly News, WKYC also presented our viewers with another hour long special from 7 to 8 p.m. and expanded coverage on Channel 3 News at 11 p.m. that night.

Jim Donovan on NBC Nightly News

National media from coast to coast contacted Channel 3 wanting interviews and insight from our news team of how important the impact will be on the city that just days earlier won the Republican National Convention in 2016.

Channel 3 News wall to wall coverage was carried by the NBC Newschannel for any affiliate who wished to air parts of our coverage live.

WKYC Sports Anchor Jim Donovan was featured on "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" after reporter Jenna Wolfe came to town for a story that aired in their newscast on Friday.

Then over the weekend, "Entertainment Tonight" interviewed WKYC's Sports Reporter Dave Chudowsky for his take on LeBron and how the two time NBA Finals champion would be received in Cleveland after his original "Decision" to head to the Miami Heat four years ago. That story aired Monday night during their show between 7:30 and 8 p.m. on Channel 3.

Dave Chudowsky on "Entertainment Tonight"

When the big stories break, our team of experienced reporters and anchors are the ones the national media turn to.

Because at Channel 3, we continually "See the Possible" in northeast Ohio.

Be sure to follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

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

WKYC News & Notes: 7/10/14

By Frank Macek

It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. It's been far too long since we had our last update, so let's get you caught up on something currently happening.

July is already upon us and we are getting ready for another season of Cleveland Browns football that kicks off on your official television home of Cleveland Browns. We'll kick off our fall coverage on Thursday, July 24, with our "Browns Training Camp" special at 7 p.m. with WKYC's Jim Donovan and radio voice of the Cleveland Browns who will be live in Berea for this year's training camp.

Then we turn the page to August and preseason football action. Once again this year, Channel 3 will air all four of the Cleveland Browns preseason games. Our first game is Saturday, August 9th, at 7:30 p.m. at the Detroit Lions live from Ford Field. August 18th's game against Washington is an ESPN produced game, but will also be carried by WKYC. The last two preseason games will be at the newly renovated FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday, August 23rd, against the St. Louis Rams and on Thursday, August 28th, against the Chicago Bears at 8 p.m. WKYC's "Pregame Huddle" will air prior to the start of the games with Jim Donovan and veteran commentator Solomon Wilcots in the booth this year. Once again this year, our coverage will be produced by Jeff Yakawiak and director Allen Wohl.

Then starting with the regular season, WKYC will bring you expanded coverage with "Browns Pregame Huddle" every Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. and "Browns Tonight" following Channel 3 News at 11 p.m. on Sunday nights.

David Hrvatin

Channel 3 News welcomes some new faces to the staff including former Kent State University's TV-2 Executive Producer, Director of Design & Promotions, David Hrvatin, who just recently graduated from KSU and is now a social media evening content producer for WKYC.

John Fanady has joined our engineering team. He has over 25 years of experience ranging from remote sports and production, to systems installation and repair. He'll be busy working with our team of engineers to keep us at the forefront of new technology.

And, we mentioned earlier on the Director's Cut Blog that Wale' Aliyu is joining WKYC as a multimedia journalist. He comes to us from Dayton and will begin in August.

Congratulations are also in store for long time engineer John Kubankin on his recent retirement from the WKYC family. John has also been highly involved in the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET), Local Chapter 42.

Sony ELC Automation System

Probably the biggest news we have to report is a major change coming to the Channel 3 control room as it has been announced that Gannett Broadcasting is installing the Sony ELC control room automation system that will go on-line at WKYC early next year.

This system is currently being installed company wide in stages at all our television broadcast facilities. This will include a complete rebuild of our main control room with a new switcher and computers that will basically allow our Directors to run entire newscasts and productions as a solo operation. The computers will control the video production switcher and audio that will follow video and graphics. We'll have more on this later in the 2014.

That's it for now. Enjoy summer before it's gone!

Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

WKYC Announces Wale' Aliyu To Join The Channel 3 News Team

Wale' Aliyu

Look for a new face on Channel 3 News this August. Wale' Aliyu is joining WKYC as a multimedia journalist announced WKYC News Director Brennan Donnellan.

Aliyu joins the Channel 3 team after spending the last four years in Ohio. Aliyu comes to Cleveland after reporting, anchoring and producing for ABC 22/FOX 45 in Dayton since 2010.

Before Dayton, Aliyu started his career in Columbia, Missouri where he anchored for Newsy.com, reported for ABC 17/FOX 38 as well as KOMU-TV8.

Aliyu grew up in Columbia, Missouri and graduated Cum Laude with a Convergence/Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Missouri.

Aliyu has worked several different jobs in the various newsrooms since the age of 15. In addition to broadcast, he also has experience reporting for newspaper, radio and online.

Aliyu says he's comfortable telling stories on any topic but his favorite stories are ones that make an impact on people's lives.

"One of the first television stories I ever did was on human trafficking back in 2007 while I was at KOMU-TV8," he said. "This was before anyone was really talking about it. In our little town of 100,000 people, we spoke to a human trafficking victim who was arrested prostitution. Our story helped get her out of jail and helped spread awareness on a worldwide issue that had come to our town."

When he's not working, Aliyu enjoys playing basketball, writing and performing poetry, and loves to dance. Aliyu says he also loves to travel. He has been to 31 of the 50 states and a few different countries.

Aliyu joins the station on August 4th.

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Follow Frank Macek on Twitter at http://twitter.com/frankmacekwkyc

WKYC Launches New 9 p.m. Weathercast For Mobile Devices

WKYC Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling

CLEVELAND - Channel 3 Weather is testing a new weeknight weather webcast that you can watch on-line or through your mobile devices like smartphones or tablets.

Every weeknight at 9 p.m., the Channel 3 Weather team, led by Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling, brings you an early look at the weather so you don't have to always wait to get your forecast.

You can find the webcast right at the top of our main page on wkyc.com or through our WKYC News app which you can download for free in the iTunes Store or Google Marketplace.

Or, just text WKYC to 25543 and we'll send a direct link right now to the app store.

It's that easy!

Our webcast is an "off the cuff" and unique broadcast that interacts with you via social media. You can send us your weather photos by tagging us @wkycweather on Twitter or you can hop on our Weather Warriors Facebook page at Facebook.com/WKYC.Channel3.Weather

We'll give you that night's current conditions, the latest radar scans, a little insight into the weather around us and have some special guests that bring you a preview of what to look forward to on Channel 3 News at 11 p.m.

It's one more way Channel 3 Weather helps to keep you #WeatherReady - anytime... anywhere.

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Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

WKYC Sweeps Major Honors at 2014 Emmy Awards

The 45th annual Lower Great Lakes Emmy®  Award Nominations were presented Saturday night at the Cleveland Convention Center's Grand Ballroom for work done in 2013.

WKYC took home a sweep of the major news catergories including Best Evening Newscast, Best Morning Newscast and Best Breaking News Coverage.

Congratulations to everyone.

Here is a list of WKYC Awards with category and station entrants...

Newscast - Evening - Market 1-20:

• Channel 3 News at 11 PM - Russ Mitchell, Sara Shookman, Lynna Lai, AJ Ross, Frank Macek, Kris Pickel, Tom Meyer, Jennifer Jordan and Kim Wendel

Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Market 1-20:

• Channel 3 News Today - Jennifer Nickels, Matthew Granite, Erin Kennedy, Mark Bogden and Brooke Whitney

Breaking News:

• Miracle in Cleveland - Russ Mitchell, Lisa Lowry, Lynna Lai, Kris Pickel, Grant Debruin, Tom Meyer, Jennifer Jordan, Jennifer Lindgren, Danielle Sills and Kim Wendel

Continuing Coverage:

• Castro Exclusives - Tom Meyer

Politics/Government - Single Story/Series:

• Lawmakers and Living Large - Tom Meyer

Societal Concerns - Single Story/Series:

• Dangerous Cleveland - Kris Pickel, Sarah Bachmann

Promotion - Program Single Spot/Campaign:

• See the Possible: Focus Campaign - Monique Jackson, Steve Pullen, Matt Quinn

Director - Sports:

• Cleveland Indians Baseball (Directing) - Pat Murray

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Get the full list of 2014 winners HERE: http://on.wkyc.com/SsW6jh

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Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

WKYC Investigator Receives Two Awards In The 2013 OAPME Broadcast Contest

 Investigator, Tom Meyer

Congratulations to WKYC's Tom Meyer, The Investigator, for his two awards in the 2013 Ohio Associated Press Media Editors broadcast competition.

Tom received a First Place award in "Best Continuing Coverage" for his "Castro Exclusives" and Second Place award in "Best Enterprise Reporting" for "Bad Medicine."

The awards were announced this weekend and include stations from all across Ohio for both radio and television broadcasting.

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Follow Frank Macek on Twitter @frankmacekwkyc

Gannett Adds Six Texas Television Stations from London Broadcasting Company

WKYC's parent company, Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire six of London Broadcasting Company’s television stations in Texas for $215 million in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition includes KCEN (NBC) in Waco-Temple-Bryan, KYTX (CBS) in Tyler-Longview, KIII (ABC) in Corpus Christi, KBMT (ABC) and its digital sub-channel KJAC (NBC) in Beaumont-Port Arthur, KXVA (FOX) in Abilene-Sweetwater and KIDY (FOX) in San Angelo. The purchase of these stations further deepens Gannett’s broadcasting presence in the high-growth state of Texas without any overlap of Gannett’s current local broadcast and publishing portfolio.

Gracia Martore, president and chief executive officer of Gannett, said, “The addition of these stations will expand Gannett’s reach into some of the fastest growing markets in the nation and furthers our successful transformation into a diversified multi-media company. With more than 70% of London Broadcasting’s advertising revenues driven by local advertisers, this acquisition will provide us access to attractive new markets in which we believe our local digital marketing services group, G/O Digital, will thrive.”

Gannett anticipates the acquisition to be accretive to EPS within the first 12 months. The new stations are expected to generate revenue of approximately $50 million in 2014. The transaction is also expected to provide Gannett with certain tax efficiencies following the recent sale of assets associated with KMOV in St. Louis. Including expected synergies and the anticipated tax benefit, the purchase price implies a 6.7x average 2014/2015 EBITDA multiple.

The transaction is expected to close this summer, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The purchase price is subject to adjustment based on the net working capital of the stations at closing, and a portion of the purchase price will be held in escrow following the closing. After closing, Phil Hurley, London Broadcasting Company chief operating officer, will continue to lead the six stations. Hurley will report to Dave Lougee, president of Gannett Broadcasting.

Stephens Inc. is providing financial advice to Gannett on the transaction.

WKYC Receives 16 Emmy Nominations

The 45th annual Lower Great Lakes Emmy®  Award Nominations were announced on Thursday and WKYC is nominated in 16 different categories this year for work done in 2013.

The final awards will be handed out on Saturday, June 7th, at the Cleveland Convention Center's Grand Ballroom. Cleveland comic Mike Polk will be hosting the Emmy® Awards gala once again this year.

Congratulations to everyone.

Here is a list of WKYC nominations with category and nominees...

Newscast - Evening - Market 1-20:

• Channel 3 News at 11 PM - Russ Mitchell, Sara Shookman, Lynna Lai, AJ Ross, Frank Macek, Kris Pickel, Tom Meyer, Jennifer Jordan and Kim Wendel

Newscast - Morning/Daytime - Market 1-20:

• Channel 3 News Today - Jennifer Nickels, Matthew Granite, Erin Kennedy, Mark Bogden and Brooke Whitney

Breaking News:

• Miracle in Cleveland - Russ Mitchell, Lisa Lowry, Lynna Lai, Kris Pickel, Grant Debruin, Tom Meyer, Jennifer Jordan, Jennifer Lindgren, Danielle Sills and Kim Wendel

Continuing Coverage:

• Castro Exclusives - Tom Meyer

Investigative Report - Single Story

• Ohio's Sex Offender Loophole - Lynna Lai

Investigative Report - Series:

• Bad Medicine - Tom Meyer

Feature News - Report:

• Tweeting Tower - Kris Pickel and Carl V. Lemon

Feature News - Series:

• Saving Mooney - Kimberly Wheeler, Matthew Hein and Dan Bowman

Arts/Entertainment:

• The Canton Palace Theatre Renovation - Joseph Cronauer

Politics/Government - Single Story/Series:

• Lawmakers and Living Large - Tom Meyer

Societal Concerns - Single Story/Series:

• Dangerous Cleveland - Kris Pickel, Sarah Bachmann

Documentary:

• Heroin: Old Drug, New Killer Epidemic - Rita Andolsen, Randy White, Sarah Bachmann, Monica Robins, Carl V. Lemon and Jane Temple

Interview/Discussion - Program/Series or Special:

• 7 Minutes with Russ Mitchell - Russ Mitchell and Matthew Hein

Promotion - Program Single Spot/Campaign:

• See the Possible: Focus Campaign - Monique Jackson, Steve Pullen, Matt Quinn

Director - Sports:

• Cleveland Indians Baseball (Directing) - Pat Murray

Crafts: Graphics/Animation:

• WKYC Promo Graphics - Matt Quinn

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Get the full list of 2014 nominees HERE: http://on.wkyc.com/1hsSEui