Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

By Frank Macek WKYC viewers are in for a true holiday treat this Friday, Nov. 28, as we unwrap one of our biggest seasonal streaming events yet. Immediately following Front Row Friday, our streaming app WKYC+ will present an exclusive broadcast of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s stunning “Christmas Eve and Other Stories Live” concert — streaming only on our platform from 7:30 to 9 p.m.  This holiday classic, known for its mix of rock, orchestra, storytelling, and dazzling production, has become a benchmark of the season for fans across the country. Now, viewers can enjoy the full experience from home, free and on demand. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has long been a powerhouse of holiday entertainment, blending soaring guitar riffs with sweeping symphonic arrangements in a way that makes their music instantly recognizable. “Christmas Eve and Other Stories,” their debut album and one of the bestselling Christmas records of all time, laid the foundation for what their live shows would ...

By Frank Macek Major League Baseball’s new media agreement with NBC marks one of the most significant shifts in the sport’s national broadcast landscape in years, restoring a legacy partnership while reshaping how fans will watch many of baseball’s biggest moments. Beginning with the 2026 season, NBC returns to MLB coverage with a package that blends historic broadcast presence and modern streaming strategy, placing select games on both the NBC broadcast network and Peacock.  For longtime fans who remember NBC’s iconic baseball coverage through the 1990s, the move represents both a nostalgic return and a strategic adjustment for today’s multiplatform audience. Here in Northeast Ohio, all NBC-network MLB broadcasts will air locally on WKYC, Cleveland’s NBC affiliate. Under the agreement, NBC regains rights to several high-profile MLB events. Among the most notable additions is Sunday Night Baseball, which NBC will air during weeks without network conflicts. ESPN still retains its lo...

By Frank Macek WKYC is unwrapping a bit of holiday nostalgia with a look back at our Holiday Values Magazine, a seasonal tradition that once showcased the station’s community spirit and promotional flair in the early 1990s. These rare vintage photos, recently shared with us by former Director of Advertising & Promotion Dan Klintworth, offer a vivid window into an era when WKYC’s branding, events, and on-air talent were captured in festive, magazine-style spreads delivered to viewers each winter. Klintworth, who served at WKYC from 1984 to 1995 during both NBC and Multimedia ownership, preserved these images for decades. His generosity in sending them back home to WKYC gives us an invaluable look at the station’s creative legacy—a time defined by bold graphics, spirited promotions, and a newsroom buzzing with holiday energy. These photos not only celebrate our past but also remind us how deeply WKYC’s traditions continue to resonate today. Enjoy a trip to the past. Channel 3 News ...

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 ...

By Frank Macek In every newsroom, there are the familiar faces viewers see each day—the anchors, the reporters, the meteorologists guiding us through another unpredictable Cleveland forecast. But the real heartbeat of a station like WKYC lies with the people you rarely see: the photographers and editors. They are the unsung heroes who make the stories come alive, the ones who quietly transform chaos into clarity and turn everyday news into something that connects us all. At WKYC, the photographers are often the first to hit the road and the last to come back. When the rest of Northeast Ohio is tucked inside avoiding the blinding snow, these men and women are out there—battling the elements with cameras slung over their shoulders, trudging through drifts and ice to capture the story for the evening newscast. The cold cuts through layers of clothing, the wind howls across the lakefront, and yet, they stand firm, focused on getting the perfect shot that will help viewers understand the ...