"AM Cleveland" was launched as a challenger to WEWS Channel 5's "The Morning Exchange" when the show debuted on May 9, 1983, with newcomer Scott Newell who joined WKYC from WXIA-TV in Atlanta.
The show aired weekdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. with a live studio audience and periodically would do remote shows from various malls around northeast Ohio, many of which no longer exist today.
Newell reminds us that Pierce Brosnan from "Remington Steele" and "James Bond" fame was the very first guest on the show in 1983 from the studios at 1403 E. 6th Street.
By 1986, AM Cleveland surpassed "The Morning Exchange" in ratings. However, the show would end its run on March 31, 1989, after 6 terrific years and thousands of guests.
Recently, a 30 year reunion was held at the WKYC Studios now located at 1333 Lakeside Avenue on October 19th with many of the original show members from on-air and behind the scenes.
The reunion included a tour of station given by current WKYC Production Manager and one of former AM Cleveland Directors, Allen Wohl. The group also watched the last show in 1989, then had dinner at Hodge's on Euclid in Downtown Cleveland where they all shared great memories.
Check out the staff when the show aired and 30 years later in 2019.
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| (L-R) Al Wohl, Scott Newell, Mary Alice O'Brien, Barbara Tranchito, Betsy Braverman Alexander, Kim Scott Sowinski, Rich O'Dell, Darlene Kreckal) |
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| (L-R) Al Wohl, Jane Hirz, Scott Newell, Darlene Kreckal Lurie, Barbara Tranchito, Sandra Leigh Serio, Kim Scott Sowinski, Rich and Sue O'Dell, Mary Alice O'Brien-Mecke, Alan Kopit |
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| Scott Newell today with a picture of Scott Newell then. (Photo: Rich O'Dell) |
