Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

CLEVELAND -- They're not Olympians, but they'll still give it their all! Betsy Kling, Monica Robins, and Eric Mansfield will compete in 10 events in the first Anchor Olympics, starting Monday night February 15th on Channel 3 News at 7. The trio will do battle in winter olympic sports ech night during the broadcast. Hockey, skiing, luging, tubing, and curling are just some of the activities. So, who do you think will win? Tune in Monday as the Anchor Olympics gets underway!

WKYC announced Thursday that Carole Sullivan and Eric Mansfield will be moving to the 7 PM anchor desk soon as Channel 3 continues to "re-define" local television in a way that will have a positive effect on our community during tough times. Carole returned to Channel 3 in a part-time capacity after moving to Michigan with her husband. Prior to that, she was the morning news anchor with Jon Anderson at WKYC. Eric Mansfield has been Channel 3's Akron Canton Newsroom Chief and former anchor of the Channel 3 produced "Akron Canton News" which ended earlier this spring. Both will bring a fresh new approach to our 7 pm newscast while Channel 3 News Anchor Romona Robinson will handle the 6 & 11 pm broadcasts as newsrooms across the nation begin shifting away from traditional two anchor teams for their newscasts. While times are difficult, we look forward to the new challenges that our business has to offer and the opportunity this presents us in television to re-i...

After all these years working at Channel 3...and all the reported sightings of Elvis - well, I have to admit, this one makes me a believer that Elvis lives. WKYC Akron Canton Newsroom Chief and Anchor Eric Mansfield discovers he has God given talent that will serve him well in another life - or did in a past life, perhaps. Eric is starring in the Weathervane Playhouse of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As Eric tells us, "If you're familiar with the show, you know that it's the Old Testament story of Joseph and his brothers .. and eventually Joseph is taken to Egypt where he becomes an advisor to Pharoah. With constantly-changing musical genres, Joseph finds Pharaoh to be Elvis ... hence my get-up." So, Elvis lives...in Akron and he's Eric Mansfield in disguise. And, now you know. Read more on Eric's Blog "Have I Got News For You": ericmansfield.blogspot.com

Our "Get Well Wishes" go out to fellow blogger and WKYC Akron Newsroom Bureau Chief Eric Mansfield who was a passenger in a car accident last week in downtown Akron. Eric reports on his blog, " Have I Got News For You ," that he remains sore and is taking a while to recoup at home. Our best wishes to Eric. You can reach out to Eric through his blog or by email: emansfield@wkyc.com

The WKYC Information Center is working to revive an online version of the Akron Canton News which will be reported daily by WKYC Akron Newsroom Chief Eric Mansfield. As you know, Akron lost its only local newscast back in May thanks to a terrible economy that kept many advertisers away. Plus, this was coupled with our limited coverage area on Time Warner Cable. Now thanks to new technologies, we are working to create a daily on-line edition of the latest headlines. Soon, we'll be adding Akron weather and hopefully more features. We'll start small and grow it large. For now, the webcast will be available on WKYC.com and on Eric Mansfield's blog "Have I Got News For You" located at: ericmansfield.blogspot.com If you would like to submit video, news from your neighborhood or more, please contact Eric at: ericmansfield@wkyc.com

This afternoon, my good friend Eric Mansfield was here in the Channel 3 Newsroom and had his trusty flip cam with him, so he stopped by my desk to ask yours truly a few questions. One of the fun parts of this business is that you never know when someone is going to throw a camera in your face...and want to know the inside scoop on folks here at Channel 3 News. After all, that's why you read this blog. Well, I'm not sure Eric got any good stuff today...but feel free to check us out on his blog "Have I Got News For You." To see me being interviewed by Eric: CLICK HERE Enjoy!

As we first told you late last week, Akron Canton news anchor Eric Mansfield brought to light an important story last Sunday at 6 & 11 PM on Channel 3 News. Refugees relocated from Thailand to Northeast Ohio in hopes of finding a better life are living in squalor. Can anyone help them? Eric hopes so. VIDEO FEATURES: To watch Part 1 of Eric's package: CLICK HERE To watch Part 2 of Eric's package: CLICK HERE

If you watch both "Channel 3 News" at 6, 7 & 11 PM and the "Akron Canton News" at 6:30 & 10 PM this week, you'll notice Eric Mansfield anchoring both. Eric is filling in for Tim White. I have gotten a number of emails about how Eric can be in Cleveland, then back in Akron so quickly between shows. No, we don't own a Star Trek transporter (though I suspect our engineers are secretly working on that). Eric added that I should share that he and Mark Nolan carpool. (Mark is always located in Cleveland and does weather for both newscasts.) Truth be known, we are cheating this week...Eric is really here in the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. You see him anchor on Channel 3 at 6 PM, then walk over the chromakey to anchor the Akron Canton show at 6:30. Remember, the newsroom is in Akron which is where Eric normal anchors from. But the control room operations are always handled here in Cleveland. Then at the end of the 6:30 show, Eric walks back over to the Ch...