Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

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...

Get your copy of the Director's Cut Blog "History of WKYC." You'll learn more about the station's history from our sign on Halloween night in 1948 to the most recent transformation of Gannett Broadcasting to TEGNA at the end of June 2015. Available HERE: http://bit.ly/1NoFj8v