Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

By Frank Macek It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. As you have probably already heard, WKYC 6 & 11 PM anchor Kris Pickel is heading off to Phoenix, Arizona, as main anchor at KPHO-TV at the end of May. Pickel joined WKYC three years ago on the anchor desk with Russ Mitchell and has felt right at home in Northeast Ohio. However, she tells the Director's Cut Blog, she will greatly miss Cleveland, but wanted to be closer to her family living in California and Phoenix is a much shorter jet hop. No word yet on who will replace Kris on the anchor desk, but expect an announcement soon. WKYC welcomes Phil Trexler to Channel 3 News at Executive Producer of Investigations where he will work very closely with The Investigator, Tom Meyer, to producer high profile investigative stories for the station. Most recently, Phil worked at the Akron Beacon Journal where he has been an award-winning r...

Our new on-air talent may be from out of town, but they bring you a fresh new, perspective to the Cleveland area which is on the rebound. Russ Mithcell, Kris Pickel - weeknights at 6 & 11 PM. Channel 3 News Today gets you up and moving each and every morning:

May sweeps are over and Channel 3 News at 11 pm with Kris Pickel, Russ Mitchell and Betsy Kling was Cleveland's #1 newscast in the all important money demo, adults 25-54, Monday through Sunday, despite a lackluster NBC Prime time lineup. The weeknight 11 pm is directed by your blogger Frank Macek and produced by Amanda Subler and Caitlin Kollar. The same was true for Channel 3 News Today beginning at 4:30 a.m. weekdays with Chris Tye, Erin Kennedy and Hollie Strano. Thanks to all our viewers in Northeast Ohio for making Channel 3 News their first choice for news when it comes to starting and ending their day. Click on our latest promo below to watch:

WKYC 6 & 11 PM Anchor Kris Pickel WKYC's Anchor Kris Pickel went "Over the Edge" on Monday. But it was for a good cause! "Over the Edge" provides individuals the opportunity to rappel down the side of a huge building. There's still a few Tuesday slots open to "Go Over the Edge of the DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland Downtown - Lakeside." Contact information for "Go Over the Edge" to sign up Some companies even collect employee donations to "Toss the Boss" over the side, "forcing" him or her to take the jump. All participants that take part in this adventurous event raise money for Special Olympics Ohio. Each participant will get the opportunity to Go Over the Edge of the DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland Downtown - Lakeside. A training will be held prior to each participant's rappel. Special Olympics Ohio will have Over the Edge trained professionals guide each person through his or her rappel experi...

Check out the newest WKYC promo that shares the experience of veteran journalists Russ Mitchell and Kris Pickel, weeknights on Channel 3 News at 6 & 11 PM.

Cleveland will be in the spotlight this weekend as the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony returns to the best location in the nation this week. WKYC will present a special Rock Hall special this Friday at 7 p.m. called "Ten Days That Changed The World." WKYC 6 & 11 PM co-anchors Russ Mitchell and Kris Pickel, 7 pm anchor Robin Swoboda and reporter Monica Robin will bring you a look at the all the glitz and glamour from the Rock Hall including an indepth report on all this year's inductees, how the week's events help boost the Cleveland economy, a behind the scenes look at the recent Rock Hall renovations, and see who's in town for Saturday's big show. That's this Friday, April 13th, from 7 to 8 p.m. on WKYC.

Kris Pickel joined the Channel 3 News anchor team on Monday, April 2nd, at 6 & 11 PM. Our ace WKYC photographer Ryan Haidet was in the studio to capture her first broadcast. Click on the photo to see our slide show on wkyc.com :

Here she is, Channel 3 News' newest anchor, Kris Pickel. Our Russ Mitchell has a quick question and answer with her as a brief introduction for Cleveland viewers. Kris makes her debut tonight, April 2nd, at 6 & 11 PM. (Pardon the fuzzy flip cam)

Kris Pickel WKYC has announced that Kris Pickel, an Edward R. Murrow Award Winner, will join Channel 3 News. “I am pleased to announce that reporter and anchor Kris Pickel will be joining the WKYC news team in early April,” announced Brooke Spectorsky, President and General Manager of Channel 3. “She will co-anchor our 6pm and 11pm newscasts with Russ Mitchell.” Currently the weekend 5 and 10pm anchor at KOVR in Sacramento, California, Pickel is the recipient of several prestigious awards in broadcast journalism including an Edward R. Murrow, Associated Press and multiple Emmys for reporting. “As the breaking news leader in the market, it was imperative that we chose a co-anchor for Russ who had a similar depth of reporting skills,’ stated News Director Rita Andolsen. “Kris is a skilled and tenacious journalist who is as strong in the field as she is on the anchor desk.” Pickel is a Sacramento native who began her career as an editor at KCRA in Sacramento followed by anchori...