Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

by Frank Macek WKYC’s 6 p.m. newscast continues to evolve as one of Northeast Ohio’s most trusted and dynamic sources for evening news — and much of that credit goes to the exceptional on-air team anchoring the desk. Each member brings a unique voice, decades of experience, and a deep commitment to the Cleveland community. Let’s take a closer look at the four talented individuals who lead the broadcast: Russ Mitchell, Christi Paul, Jay Crawford, and Betsy Kling. Russ Mitchell: The Steady Hand of Cleveland Journalism When you think of credibility and calm under pressure, you think of Russ Mitchell. Since arriving at WKYC Studios in 2012, Russ has brought a level of gravitas to the anchor desk that few can match. A veteran of CBS News where he anchored weekend editions of the CBS Evening News and reported for 60 Minutes II , Russ brings national-caliber journalism to a local setting, and it shows. Russ Mitchell Russ serves not just as an anchor, but as a newsroom leader. His delivery...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation Congratulations to our own Russ Mitchell in celebrating his 10 year anniversary with WKYC Studios this month. In December 2011, former WKYC VP/General Manager Brooke Spectorsky announced to the staff Russ would be moving from his role at CBS News to become weeknight Managing Editor and the 6 & 11P anchor on the station in January 2012. He would replace Romona Robinson who left the station upon the expiration of her contract on December 16, 2011, following a 15 year stint with the station. Most of that time, Robinson was teamed with co-anchor Tim White who also exited in 2008. Seen as a coup at the time by local media insiders who were shocked the station failed to renew Robinson's contract, Russ left his role as an anchor  and journalist at CBS News to head to Cleveland.  While based at CBS in New York City since 1992, Russ held a number of roles at the network over the next 19 years including co-anchor of "Up To the Minute," original c...

Russ Mitchell Special to the Director's Cut Blog By: Dave "Dino" DeNatale Being inducted into the Press Club of Cleveland Hall of Fame after being in the area for only six years might seem out of the ordinary.  But then again, Russ Mitchell is no ordinary journalist. Thursday night, the WKYC Channel 3 anchor and managing editor will be a part of a Hall of Fame class that will include Joe Frolik, Janet Macoska, David Molyneaux, Carol Story, and former WKYC reporter Joe Mosbrook. Tom Moore of radio station WTAM 1100 will receive the 10th annual Chuck Heaton Award. The event will be held at LaCentre Conference & Banquet Facility in Westlake. "It's an honor," Russ told me in our conversation. "Cleveland is a wonderful town. When I came here, it was almost like coming to high school for the first time. You ask yourself all of these questions that lead to anxiety, 'will they like me? Will I like them? Will I fit in?' I knew wit...

Russ Mitchell and Sara Shookman “She’s an Emmy award-winning television journalist, terrific storyteller, experienced breaking news reporter and just a kid from Akron,” said President and General Manager Micki Byrnes. “Oh, wait, I think someone else may use that line!” Effective immediately, Sara Shookman will be co-anchoring Channel 3’s 6 & 11pm newscasts with Managing Editor Russ Mitchell. “Sara is a superstar,” said Russ. “A fantastic reporter who has effortlessly brought her skills to the desk. I'm proud to now officially call her partner.” Sara grew up in Akron and graduated from Manchester High School and the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. She came to WKYC in 2012 and quickly proved herself a strong and resourceful multi-media journalist. In 2014, Sara was sent to Sochi, Russia with only a camera and backpack to report on the Winter Olympics for WKYC, USA Today and other TEGNA (formerly Gannett) television stations. “Sara is the ancho...

Starting this Saturday morning on Channel 3 News Today, a new feature titled "7 Minutes with Russ Mitchell" will make its debut. The purpose of "7 Minutes with Russ Mitchell" is to have Channel 3 News' main anchor and managing editor, Russ Mitchell, interview a news maker. Someone we think you'll find interesting, have a great conversation and give you something to think about the rest of the day. According to Mitchell, "These people are fascinating and we could spend hours talking to them, but they're busy and viewers are busy. So we came up with 7 minutes. I have seven minutes to talk to these folks and that is the trick. Condensing complicated or enlightening or entertaining subjects and people down into a seven minute interview." The inaugural interview is with Dr. Toby Cosgrove, President and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic. Be sure to tune in this Saturday at 9am as Russ and Dr. Cosgrove talk about the state of healthcare and ...

Russ Mitchell WKYC's Russ Mitchell has been named 2013's winner of the Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. The award recognizes the accomplishments of media professionals who encourage diversity in the field of journalism. Mitchell, who serves as managing editor for WKYC's evening news and lead anchor during the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts, will be honored at an awards luncheon and lecture on Tuesday, April 2. The luncheon is by invitation only. This year marks 10 years of honoring diversity excellence with the Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity, and the lecture and luncheon has become one of Kent State's most successful diversity events. Also being recognized at the luncheon is the Akron Beacon Journal's Betty Lin-Fisher as winner of 2013's Diversity in Media Distinguished Leadership Award. Later that day, Mitchell will serve as keynote speaker at the McGruder Lec...

Russ Mitchell (L) and Dan Rather (R) By Frank Macek WKYC Anchor Russ Mitchell sat down with his longtime CBS News colleague Dan Rather at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte on Wednesday to get Dan's take on this year's presidential election. As many WKYC viewers know, Mitchell is the former anchor of the CBS Evening News weekend editions and The Early Show on Saturday, and national correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning , the CBS Evening News , and The Early Show. Mitchell joined the staff of WKYC as Managing Editor of Evening News and lead anchor of the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on January 16, 2012 Rather is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports on the cable channel AXS TV. Before that, he became embroiled in controversy about a disputed news report involving President Bush's Vietnam-era service in the National Guard and subsequently left CBS Evening News in 2005, and he left the network altogeth...

Ohio is a crucial state in the 2012 Presidential election and Channel 3 is the place to be for Northeast Ohio's best political coverage. Click to watch our on-air promo:

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:

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.

The Press Club of Cleveland is hosting a meet-and-greet luncheon with WKYC's lead 6pm and 11pm anchor, Russ Mitchell, on Friday, February 24. The event, "Meet Russ Mitchell -- From CBS to Cleveland," will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Cleveland from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Most recently, Russ was anchor of the CBS Evening News weekend editions and The Early Show on Saturday and served as a national correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, the CBS Evening News, and The Early Show. He joined the WKYC staff on January 16. With a special introduction by WKYC-TV 3 News Director Rita Andolsen, Russ will discuss his decision to leave the network and move to Cleveland and local television news. No doubt Russ tell a few tales from his years at CBS as well. "Meet Russ Mitchell -- From CBS to Cleveland," marks the start of a year-long celebration of the 125th anniversary of the founding of The Press Club of Cleveland. Founded in 1887, The Pre...

By Frank Macek It's time for another behind the scenes look at what's happening at the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. This week marks our official 5th anniversary as the most read blog originating from WKYC. We first launched "Director's Cut" back in January 2007 as an experiment and today are hovering around the one million page view mark. I personally appreciate all the support I have gotten from Channel 3 executives on allowing me to give you inside access to our television station, unlike other stations which are afraid to embrace the slogan "Report the Facts, Respect the Truth." We are into our second week with our new anchor teams on Channel 3 News with Chris Tye and Erin Kennedy anchoring 4:30 - 7 a.m., Amanda Barren on Channel 3 News at Noon, Russ Mitchell at 6 & 11 p.m. and Robin Swoboda and Jim Donovan on the "News @7". We are very excited with all the new changes and know our viewers realize Channel 3 is even more committ...

Russ Mitchell, Courtesy: CBS Russ Mitchell, current anchor of the CBS Evening News weekend editions and The Early Show on Saturday, and national correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, the CBS Evening News, and The Early Show will be joining the staff of WKYC as Managing Editor Evening News and lead anchor of the 6pm and 11pm newscasts beginning January 16, 2012. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my years at CBS and the challenges and excitement of a network role,” stated Mr. Mitchell, “but I've been offered a unique opportunity to help create the next generation of local news in a great place and have a key role in trying to make a difference in a wonderful community.” “Russ’s breadth of experience and his passion for our industry and our local mission is unparalleled,” remarked President and General Manager Brooke Spectorsky. “2012 will be a pivotal year for Northeast Ohio with everything from major economic projects to a Presidential election. Russ will help position Channel 3 ...