New Faces, Fresh Energy: WKYC Welcomes Two New Journalists to the Team

 By Frank Macek

There's something genuinely exciting about welcoming new talent to a newsroom. After nearly four decades in this business, I can tell you that the energy a new hire brings — the hunger, the fresh perspective, the different set of life experiences — has a way of lifting everyone around them. So it's my pleasure to introduce two journalists who are about to make their mark here at Channel 3.

Tyler Madden

Let's start with Tyler Madden, who joins us first. Tyler's first day is Monday, June 29, and he's bringing with him a résumé that speaks for itself. Most recently, he spent several years as a reporter at WKRC in Cincinnati, and before that, he was a reporter and weekend anchor at WTOV in Steubenville. It was there that Tyler found himself on the front lines of one of the region's most significant stories in recent memory — the toxic train derailment in East Palestine. Covering a story like that isn't just a professional test. It demands accuracy under pressure, empathy for the people living through it, and the kind of commitment to getting things right that defines the best journalists in this business.

Originally from Manchester, Connecticut, Tyler is a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, and he's been drawn to the Buckeye State for his next chapter. He's known for his passion for politics, and you'll be seeing him in our evening shows. If you follow local news, you know how much the political landscape in Northeast Ohio has to offer a reporter with that kind of focus. Tyler is going to be busy — in the best possible way.

Erin Sullivan

Next up is Erin Sullivan, who joins us on Monday, July 6. Here's something I love about Erin's story: she's already part of the Tegna family. She comes to us from WZZM in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she's been working as a multi-skilled journalist on their morning show. That kind of versatility — the ability to report, shoot, edit, and present — is exactly what modern local television demands, and Erin has been sharpening those skills every morning.

But there's a personal dimension to Erin's move that makes it feel especially fitting. She grew up on the Southwest side of Chicago, but she has deep roots in Ohio. She's a proud graduate of Kent State University, and during her time there she anchored and reported for Kent Wired's TV2 News. She also collaborated with the Kent Stater on police and court coverage — the kind of beat work that teaches you to ask hard questions and hold institutions accountable.

She's described Northeast Ohio as her "second home," and she's excited to get back. Trust me, we're just as excited to have her.

Keep an eye out for their faces on your screens very soon.