Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

This Saturday, September 8th, the stars come out at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Lower Great Lakes Chapter annual Emmy Awards Ceremony. This year's events will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn downtown. Yours truly was nominated for "Channel 3 News at 11 PM" for Outstanding Daily Newscast in Markets 1-20, along with former ND Mike McCormick, Ass't ND (at the time) Rita Andolsen, anchor Romona Robinson and Producer Dan Stadler. Our local region is made up of the following markets: Bloomington, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, Muncie, Indiana; Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Lima, Mansfield, Toledo, Youngstown, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania. For a complete list of this year's nominees: CLICK HERE We'll have results posted as soon as they become available.

Updated: 5:15 PM WKYC General Manager Brooke Spectorsky has just announced to the staff the permanent appointment of Acting News Director Rita Andolsen to News Director - officially beginning a new chapter for Channel 3 News. Rita has worked hard in a variety of management roles in the WKYC newsroom since coming to Channel 3 from WJW-TV 8. Most recently, she had been Assistant News Director until Mike McCormick left. Congratulations to Rita! ------------------- Here is a portion of the official press release from WKYC: "Channel 3 is pleased to announce the appointment of Rita Andolsen as News Director," said WKYC President and General Manager Brooke Spectorsky. Rita has served as Interim News Director since May. "She knows Cleveland, WKYC and has worked closely with almost every single person in the newsroom over the past seven years," added Spectorsky, "and I know she is passionate about leading WKYC into the future as we develop new ways to reach our audience...

Connie Dieken This month, we asked Connie Dieken to share with us some exclusive information on our Director's Cut Blog about what she has been up since leaving the WKYC family in our "Where Are They Now Feature?" We have video of Connie anchoring the 11 pm news at the end of the story. Connie spent 16 years broadcasting the news to Cleveland television viewers, beginning at Channel 3 in 1984. Her first duties at the station were as weekend anchor and consumer reporter. She quickly moved up and joined co-anchor Tom Sweeney on the anchor desk for the 5 PM broadcast...and became a main anchor of Channel 3 News at 6 & 11 PM. Her work garnered numerous high profile communication awards including Emmys, Tellys and being named Best TV Host by Cleveland Magazine. Viewers always loved Connie for her friendly & warm approach to bringing them the news of the day. Also during her stay at Channel 3, she married former Browns offensive lineman Doug Dieken. Her q...