Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at WKYC Studios. The time machine takes us back to 1991 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. February 28, 1991: Jennifer Auther departs WKYC-TV for KPIX-TV/San Francisco. March 25, 1991: WKYC-TV becomes the first Cleveland station to install robotic cameras and the last to begin accepting “infomercials.” The cameras were nicknamed “Mike, “Bob” and “Louie” (probably after the previous cameramen). May 1, 1991: WKYC-TV announces the resignation of Vice President and General Manager John Llewellyn and remains with the station through May 31 st . Llewellynn guided the station through the ownership transition period from NBC to Multimedia. May 1991: Linda Carson departs WKYC-TV for WWSB-TV/Sarasota. June 10, 1991: WKYC-TV names Pat Servodidio as Vice President & General Manager from...

Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at WKYC Studios. The time machine takes us back to 1974 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. 1974: Dick Feagler joins WKYC-TV as a commentator and weekly interview host, while continuing as a columnist for the Cleveland Press until its death in 1982. April 9, 1974: Paul Sciria officially departs WKYC-TV for WWWM-FM/Cleveland after his contract isn’t renewed. September 5, 1974: Permission is granted by the FCC to move WWWE-AM’s transmitter back to Brecksville from Parma and grant the main studio move from WKYC-TV studios at E. 6 th to East 12 th and Chester breaking the final link between WKYC-TV and the radio stations. October 1974: Mike Landess joins WKYC-TV from KYW-TV/Philadelphia where he will become a main co-anchor. October 14, 1974: WKYC-TV rebrands its news from “NBC Newsday 90” to “Action3News” and e...

Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at WKYC Studios. The time machine takes us back to 2005 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. January 2005: AJ Colby joins WKYC-TV from WJW-TV/Cleveland as a freelance meteorologist. February 6, 2005: Eileen McShea’s contract ends, although she remains on the air sporadically through May 2005. March 2005: Paxson Communications announces it will end its partnership with WKYC-TV and puts “The Akron/Canton News” in doubt on WVPX/Channel 23. June 2005: John Friess departs WKYC-TV for KRON-TV/San Francisco. July 4, 2005: WKYC-TV moves “The Akron/Canton News” from WVPX-TV/Akron-Canton to Time Warner Cable Channel 23 at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. (previously 10 p.m.) with anchor Eric Mansfield, reporters Ben Holbert, Joy Benedict and other members of the Channel 3 News team. July 25, 2005: Jacque Smith joins WKYC-TV from...

Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at WKYC Studios. The time machine takes us back to 1986 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. 1986: Channel 3’s “Hickory Hideout” goes into syndication on other NBC owned stations including WNBC-TV/New York, WRC-TV/Washington D.C., WMAQ-TV/Chicago, KCNC-TV/Denver and KNBC-TV/Los Angeles until 1981. 1986: Obie Shelton joins WKYC-TV from WEWS-TV/Cleveland as a weekend sports reporter. 1986: WKYC-TV becomes the first local station to broadcast in stereo. Early 1986: WKYC-TV gets its first satellite truck and brands it “Skycom” that allows the station to broadcast live from any point in the continental U.S. May 2, 1986: WKYC-TV announces Jim Donovan will become play-by-play announcer on the Browns’ exhibition games on WKYC-TV in the fall along with commentary by Reggie Rucker. Donovan will also host “Browns ’86,” Cha...

Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at Channel 3. The time machine takes us 25 years in the past to 1994 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. January 1994: Jon Loufman joins WKYC-TV from WEWS-TV/Cleveland. March 5, 1994: Connie Dieken departs WKYC-TV after a 10-year run. She became the first female to anchor all three major evening newscasts at WKYC-TV: 5, 6 & 11 p.m. April 1994: Channel 3 covers the opening of the Gateway sports facilities for Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Cavaliers. In one of the most exciting periods in the city's recent history, the former Central Market site gave way to the new homes of the Tribe and Cavs. On April 4, 1994, Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) opened as the Indians defeated the Mariners in extra innings. President Bill Clinton threw out the first pitch. Billy Joel officially opened Gund Arena on October 17, 1994. Th...

Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at Channel 3. The time machine takes us 10 years in the past to 2009 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. February 16, 2009: WKYC-TV enters a video pool sharing agreement with WOIO-TV & WUAB-TV/Cleveland. March 5, 2009: Conan O’Brien visits WKYC-TV after being named new host of the “Tonight Show.” March 17, 2009: Longtime WKYC-TV and WTAM-AM personality Tom Haley dies at age 88 on St. Patrick’s Day at Lakewood Hospital after a brief illness. March 23, 2009: WKYC-TV parent company Gannett announces that because of bad economic conditions, all Gannett employees (include WKYC-TV employees) will be required to take a week of unpaid leave in April, May or June of 2009. April 3, 2009:  Carole Sullivan departs WKYC-TV and follows her husband, Mike Sullivan, to San Diego. She was previously the co-anchor of “Chann...

Time for another installment of "Throwback Thursday" which takes a look back at some of the historical milestones at Channel 3. The time machine takes us 50 years in the past to 1969 with a timeline of some of the biggest moments of that year at WKYC. April 7, 1969: “NBC Newsday 90” debuts from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with anchor Virgil Dominic, Wally Kinnan (weather) and Jim Graner (sports). Ron Becker will aid Dominic with the news. 6 to 6:30 p.m. is the top local news, national headlines, weather and sports. At 6:30 p.m., “The Huntley-Brinkley” airs. At 7 p.m. the local news continues with activities of nearby cities like Akron, Canton, Massillon and the like. June 1969: WKYC-TV General Manager Arthur Watson departs the station to become president of the radio division of NBC in New York. June 1969: Neal Van Ells returns to WKYC-TV and becomes vice president and general manager. He was previously at KNBC-TV/Los Angeles and WKYC-TV station manager from October 1965 until M...