Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

WKYC is playing host to an inaugural event, guaranteed to bring thousands of people downtown to the brand new Cleveland Convention Center. The station is hosting their first annual Health & Wellness Expo on Saturday, September 7th. The event runs 10 am to 6pm and is free and open to the public and is presented by Cleveland Clinic Children’s, Mace and The Dental Specialty Group. The Expo will focus on all aspects of a healthy lifestyle and is designed to help Northeast Ohio residents learn more about their health in an informative and fun environment. Those who come to the Expo can get free health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI and skin cancer, just to name a few. A Health Forum Pavilion will feature panel discussions on trending health topics, plus a cooking stage with area chefs and a demo stage with the latest exercise and dance moves. There is plenty of interactive fun for the whole family. Meet the WKYC-TV team and give weather and sports anchoring a s...

By Frank Macek It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. August has been a busy month here at WKYC as we are half way through our Browns Preseason coverage. This Saturday at 6 p.m., we'll air the Browns "Pregame Huddle" live from Indianapolis, immediately followed by kickoff of the game at 7 p.m. between the Browns and Colts. Our preseason coverage is once again being directed this year by Emmy Award winning Channel 3 Director Allen Wohl and sports producer Jeff Yakawiak. WKYC welcomed Rona Proudfoot to the Channel 3 News social media team recently. Rona has worked for the Plain Dealer and Elyria Chronicle Telegram in similar roles. Rona will help us grow our WKYC Facebook and Twitter followers, as well as keep you updated about the the latest news every weekday evening on our social media platforms. The station has said goodbye to two familiar, on air faces in t...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog Mike Snider, USA Today All that tweeting that you do while watching your favorite TV shows is having an effect. New research from Nielsen suggests that fans tweeting about programs during live broadcasts can lead to increased viewership. That may seem an obvious finding, but until now the TV measurement firm had only established that there is some link between social media and TV viewing. This new research is the first to show that Twitter activity can influence TV ratings. "That's what we speculate is going on," says Mike Hess, Nielsen's executive vice president of media analytics, "that the tweeters are watching the program and then by sending the tweets out, other people start tuning in as well." Nielsen compared -- minute-by-minute -- the tweets and TV ratings for 211 prime-time TV broadcasts including sports and award shows and 10 episodes each of 20 specific TV series during fall 2012 and spring 2013. ...

By Frank Macek This Thursday at 8 p.m., Channel 3 Sports presents "Voice of the Fan: Cleveland Browns Town Hall," as we get set for another exciting preseason of Cleveland Browns football on WKYC-TV. Channel 3's Jim Donovan modeates this one hour interactive special where you get to ask the tough questions from new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and other members of the Browns management team including CEO Joe Banner, General Manager Michael Lombardi, President Alec Scheiner and Head Coach Dave Chudzinski. We and The Official Cleveland Browns want to hear from you! You can submit your questions right now by clicking @ http://bit.ly/12YekbF to have them answered during the special. That's "Voice of the Fan: Cleveland Browns Town Hall" airs this Thursday at 8 p.m. and only on Channel 3!

Bethenny Frankel, one of the hottest newcomers to daytime television is coming to Channel 3 starting Monday, September 9th at 3 p.m. The new show has Frankel offering a mix of celebrity interviews and lifestyle tips, geared to a female audience. Although her show has been compared to The Ellen DeGeneres Show , in part due to having DeGeneres as a co-producer, Frankel dismisses the notion: "Ellen has her own fan base and a very different conversation with fans than I do. She's not trying to make this a show like hers." The series debuted as a summer test run on June 11, 2012 on six stations owned by the Fox Televisions Station Group, and will go nationwide across the United States and Canada starting September 9th. On August 26th, WKYC will offer viewers a sneak peek at the show from 11:30 a.m. until noon. The 30-minute program entitled, “No Limits” is hosted by Bethenny Frankel and gives viewers a look at some of her favorite moments from the sixweek tes...

Do you know Northeast Ohio's roads like the back of your hand? Can you work around a traffic jam in a jiffy? Then you could be Channel 3's next morning Traffic Reporter! We're searching for a fresh face to join the team, so if you've the got roadway knowledge and a great morning attitude, join Pat Butler and the WKYC crew for TRAFFIC TRYOUTS on Saturday, July 13. Auditions will be held at the Channel 3 Studios, 1333 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland. For your chance to tryout or more information, please go to: http://on.wkyc.com/traffictryout Disclaimer: 1 reservation per email address, please. You must be 18 years of age. These are tryouts only and do not guarantee full or part-time employment.

McLEAN, VA and DALLAS, TX – JUNE 13, 2013 – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) and Belo Corp. (NYSE: BLC) jointly announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Gannett will acquire all outstanding shares of Belo for $13.75 per share in cash, or approximately $1.5 billion, plus the assumption of $715 million in existing debt for an enterprise value of approximately $2.2 billion. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, represents a 28.1 percent premium to the closing price of Belo common stock on June 12, 2013. The combination creates a broadcast “Super Group,” catapulting Gannett into the nation’s fourth-largest owner of major network affiliates reaching nearly a third of all U.S. households.  The acquisition nearly doubles Gannett’s current broadcast portfolio from 23 to 43 stations, including stations to be serviced by Gannett through shared services or similar sharing arrangements. Upo...

By Frank Macek It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. Congratulations to Channel 3 Reporter Sara Shookman on her first place award in the Press Club of Cleveland's "2013 Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards." Sara won for her report called "Superstorm Sandy: From the edge of the storm." Sara also received a 2nd place honor for her human interest story "Hometown Tour with Dee Haslam." Channel 3 News welcomes Grant deBruin as our new weeknight 11pm producer. deBruin comes to WKYC from our sister station in Buffalo, WGRZ-TV, where he’s currently producing the 5am newscast.  WGRZ has grown to the #1 station in that market with a strategy of asking tough questions and being unwavering advocates for viewers and the community. Grant will bring that winning approach to our news coverage. Channel 3 will holding a station sponsored Health & Wellness Expo at the ...

Congratulations to several WKYC journalists on earning Emmy awards from the Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). This year's 44th annual awards were presented Saturday, June 1st, at Windows on the River in Cleveland with a reception held afterward at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. The Lower Great Lakes Chapter has a mission to serve its members, recognize excellence and promote the highest standards in television professionalism for stations and broadcast entities Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. The following awards were won by WKYC on Saturday: Newscast-Evening - Market 1-20 Channel 3 News at 6 - Russ Mitchell, Anchor/Sara Shookman, Reporter/Danielle Fink, Assignment Editor/Maureen Kyle, Reporter Breaking News Chardon School Shootings - Erin Kenney, Anchor; Chris Tye, Anchor; Russ Mitchell, Anchor; Lisa Lowry, Assignment Manager; Danielle Fink, Assignment Manager; Maureen Kyle, Reporter; ...

The Akron Aeros announced today WKYC-TV’s Jim Donovan is the winner in the television category of its first Media Madness Bobblehead Election. Donovan is scheduled to make a special appearance at Canal Park on Saturday, June 8 when his bobblehead, sponsored by Distillata, will be given out to the first 1,000 fans before the Aeros host the Portland Sea Dogs at 7:05 p.m. Donovan has been with WKYC since 1985 and is the station’s nightly news and sports anchor. He has been the play-by-play voice of the Cleveland Browns since 1999 and has covered a variety of sporting events over the years, including the World Cup and the Olympics.  Donovan also served one season as the play-by-play announcer for the Vermont Reds, the original franchise team that would eventually become Canton-Akron Indians in 1989 and the Akron Aeros in 1997. “We are very excited Jim Donovan won the television bobblehead election and we can’t wait to have him and his giveaway at Canal Park next Saturday,” said...

Tom Beres, WKYC Senior Political Correspondent Our congratulations to WKYC Senior Political Correspondent Tom Beres who was honored Tuesday by the Society of Professional Journalists. Tom was given the Distinguished Service Award, for his contributions to journalism, at a luncheon held at the City Club of Cleveland. Tom has been with WKYC for 34 years and is the longest-tenured reporter at a Cleveland station. The best news is Tom has just signed on for more with Channel 3 News, which means you will continue to see on the air for some time to come. Also honored Tuesday include WTAM-AM/1100's Tom Moore with the Distinguished Service Awared and Tom Hamzik of Padua who won the Philip Porter Scholarship.

WKYC will re-air our much talked about special "Heroin: Old Drug, New Killer Epidemic" on Sunday, May 26th from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Channel 3. “We were approached by a group of concerned citizens in Geauga County who are alarmed at the rate by which young people are dying from this epidemic, said Rita Andolsen, WKYC’s Director of Advocacy & Community Initiatives.  “After looking into the issue, we learned heroin use and subsequent deaths are a problem across our entire region. We decided to put the resources of our station behind the issue and do something about it”. Anchored by medical reporter Monica Robins, the special takes an in-depth look at what’s causing the epidemic and the cost, literally and figuratively, of addiction to the families whose loved ones fall victim to this drug. In Cuyahoga County alone, the number of heroin deaths has increased by 177% from 2007-2012. The statistics in surrounding counties are equally alarming. During this hou...

Channel 3 is partnering with LaVilla Event Center and Clear Channel Media & Entertainment to host a community benefit "Call to Courage" on Thursday May 23rd from 5:30 to 9 pm to assist Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight. Money raised will go to the Cleveland Courage Fund thru The Cleveland Foundation. LaVilla Event Center at 11500 Brookpark Road is graciously donating their facility and services for the benefit and Party 411 Events is helping to plan the evening’s events. Music will be provided by singer and pianist Mike Petrone and Monica Robins and the Ninja Cowboys, playing a mix of rock, 80's and country. Local singer/songwriter Ashley Nemeh will also perform a song written specifically to honor these three young women. Area restaurants will be donating their time and talents cooking up some of Cleveland's favorites. Get a taste of the best Cleveland has to offer from Johnny's, Georgetown, Triv's, and numerous others. Tickets can be pur...

Once again, WKYC-TV will be your official television home of Cleveland Browns preseason football with a total of four games to be aired during the month of August. Here is the schedule of times you will see the Browns "Pregame Huddle" and games on Channel 3. Thursday, August 8th     7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Browns Pregame Huddle     8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. - Browns vs. St. Louis Thursday, August 15th    6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Browns Pregame Huddle    7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. - Browns vs. Detroit Saturday, August 24th    6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Browns Pregame Huddle    7:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. - Browns at Indianapolis Thursday, August 29th    7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Browns Pregame Huddle    8:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Browns at Chicago During the regular season, WKYC will also air the "Browns Pregame Huddle" on Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m. and "Brown...

NBC has announced its prime-time schedule for the fall of 2013:  Monday    8 p.m. - "The Voice"    10 p.m. - "The Blacklist"  Tuesday   8 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser"   9 p.m. - "The Voice"   10 p.m. - "Chicago Fire"  Wednesday    8 p.m. - "Revolution"    9 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"    10 p.m. - "Ironside"  Thursday    8 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"    8:30 p.m. - "Welcome to the Family"    9 p.m. - "Sean Saves the World"    9:30 p.m. - "The Michael J. Fox Show"    10 p.m. - "Parenthood"  Friday    8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"    9 p.m. - "Grimm"    10 p.m. - "Dracula"  Saturday    - assorted reruns.  Sunday    7 p.m. - "Football Night in America"

By Frank Macek It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. We are just wrapping up a week of one of the busiest news stories of recent memory with the "Miracle in Cleveland." For four days, WKYC brought viewers expanded coverage of this story since it broke Monday night. Our reporters and entire Channel 3 News devoted all of our resources to cover every angle of the story. Many of our stories went national and several of our reporters appeared on national broadcasts with updates and web stories. WKYC also tapped the vast resources of Gannett Broadcasting and welcomed several journalists to help us cover the story from our stations in Knoxville; Buffalo; Columbia; South Carolina and Washington D.C. who brought their own perspectives on how Clevelanders reacted to this story. And while a large part of this story has played out, we'll continue to follow developments in the coming weeks ...

The Award Winning News Team of Channel 3 News WKYC has once again been honored with a prestigious award for the station's coverage of the Chardon, Ohio, school shootings on February 28, 2012. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) recognized the staff of WKYC with a Sigma Delta Chi Award for "Breaking News Coverage (Large - Market Station: 1-50 market)" category. This was the second award received by Channel 3 News on the heels of a regional Edward R. Murrow Award under the leadership of former News Director Rita Andolsen.  Andolsen is currently the station's Director of Advocacy and Community Initiatives. This year, the Society of Professional Journalists judges selected 84 honorees from nearly 1,700 submissions. Entries included selections from television and radio broadcasts, newspapers, online news outlets and magazines. The Sigma Delta Chi Awards date back to 1932, when the Society honored six individuals for their contributions...

The 2013 Emmy finalists were announced Thursday morning by the Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). This is the 44th year of the annual awards that will be handed out on Saturday, June 1st at Windows on the River in Cleveland. The Lower Great Lakes Chapter has a mission to serve its members, recognize excellence and promote the highest standards in television professionalism for stations and broadcast entities Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Congratulations to the following WKYC journalists on their nominations for the 2012 calendar year: Newscast-Evening - Market 1-20 Channel 3 News at 6 - Russ Mitchell, Anchor/Sara Shookman, Reporter/Danielle Fink, Assignment Editor/Maureen Kyle, Reporter Newscast-Morning/Daytime - Market 1-20 Channel 3 News Today - Jennifer Nickels, Executive Producer/Chris Tye, Anchor/Erin Kennedy, Anchor/Brooke Whitney, Producer/Matthew Granite, Reporter General Assignmen...

By Frank Macek WKYC is honored to announce the station is the recipient of a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for large market in region seven for our breaking news coverage of the tragic events in Chardon last year. "Channel 3 was recognized as an indispensable source of emergency information during the height of the crisis," says News Director Brennan Donnellan. "The station's sensitivity to the tragedy was also recognized by the community in the following hours and days under the newsroom leadership of former WKYC News Director Rita Andolsen," he added. Andolsen is currently the station's Director of Advocacy and Community Initiatives. WKYC parent company, Gannett Broadcasting, received a total of 45 regional 2013 Edward R. Murrow awards highlighting the excellence in journalism across all of our local broadcast stations. Gannett CEO Gracia C. Martore explained, "This is the company’s best p...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog Gary Levin, USA TODAY It's a generational shift at an icon of late-night TV: NBC's Tonight Show has anointed only its sixth host in its 59-year history. Jimmy Fallon will take over for Jay Leno late next February, the network confirmed Wednesday, after Leno is ushered off the stage for the second time in a 22-year run. With the handoff, expected just after a promotional push during NBC's Winter Olympics, Tonight will move back to Fallon's base in New York City from Burbank, Calif., its home for more than 30 years. And the show is being placed in the hands of executive producer Lorne Michaels, who created Saturday Night Live and has shepherded projects featuring many of its stars, from 30 Rock to Fallon's current Late Night. But wee-hours talk shows have diminished in stature and ratings, amid huge shifts in television viewing.  Jay Leno (L) and Jimmy Fallon (R) Cable competitors have sprung up, and recorded shows co...

Channel 3 News is adding a new face to the WKYC family as Dustin Wadsworth joins the station as Assistant News Director beginning April 29th, announced News Director Brennan Donnellan on Friday afternoon. Dustin Wadsworth Wadsworth comes to the WKYC from WMAR-TV/Baltimore, the Scripps owned station, where he helped create a digital-first newsroom, driving content and working on digital media strategy and served in a number of important roles over the past 12 years including News Producer, Executive News Producer and Director of New Media, most recently. "We were determined to find a leader in digital news, someone who can help guide our overall editorial direction while making our social media, mobile and online channels top priorities, " said Donnellan explaining WKYC's committment to information distribution on all platforms. Before WMAR, Wadsworth worked for the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Fox Rochester and WBNG/TV in Bi...

By Frank Macek It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. WKYC's Rita Andolsen (left) receiving award Channel 3 received a big honor on Tuesday, March 26th, as the station was presented with the "Friends of Education Award" from the Cleveland Metropolitan School district at Glenville High School. Channel 3's Rita Andolsen, Director Advocacy & Community Initiatives, accepted the award honoring all of the station's efforts to inform voters about the Issue 107 school levy that voters passed overwhelmingly back in November. Our Indians Opening Day coverage is all set and Channel 3 will be the place to be on Tuesday, April 8th, as the Indians welcome the New York Yankees to Progressive Field. Our live coverage will begin with a live 2 hour special called "Tribe Time: Opening Day" at 1 p.m. with Russ Mitchell, Kris Pickel and the entire Channel 3 team. Then at 3 ...

A.J. Ross A.J. Ross is joining Channel 3 News as a multimedia journalist on April 15th, announced WKYC News Director Brennan Donnellan on Monday. Most recently, Ross was a freelance reporter in her hometown of Pittsburgh at WTAE-TV and worked as a freelance reporter for the New Pittsburgh Courier newspaper. Before moving back to Pittsburgh, she was a reporter at WSYX-TV in Columbus where we researched, shot, wrote, edited and reported live for the 5, 6, 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts; an anchor reporter at WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and a production assistant for ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. Ross is a graduate of Howard University. Look for A.J. on various editions of Channel 3 News.

Please don't forget to follow your blogger and Director of Channel 3 News @7 and 11 p.m. weeknights on Facebook, Twitter, RSS and Linkedin for even more updates and daily doses of wit. On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/frankmacek On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/frankmacekwkyc On Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/frankmacek On Mobile Devices: http://wkycdirectorscut.blogspot.com/?m=1 I need friends! Lots and lots of friends!

By Frank Macek It's time for another "behind the scenes" look at what's happening inside the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. WKYC is been announced as a finalist in the 2012 Ohio Associated Press Media Editors contest in the following categories: 1) Best Breaking News Coverage for "Chardon School Shootings", 2) Best Use of Photography for "Autistic Artist" by Lynn Olszowy and 3) Best Reporter - Tom Meyer. The winners will be announced at the annual OAPME convention on May 19th in Columbus. We are happy to welcome Danielle Sills to WKYC as producer of the weekend editions of Channel 3 News at 6 and 11 PM with John Anderson and Lynna Lai. Danielle was most recently a producer at WRDB, the Fox affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky. Danielle is from the Cleveland area and is a graduate of Ohio University. At the same time, current weekend producer Julie Ocepek moves to the evening Assignment  Editor position. She will take over the position held by...

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...

A wonderful honor for us today at Channel 3. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland recognized our station as "Media Partner of the Year" at their annual awards breakfast. Several months ago Channel 3 committed to raising $50,000 in community funds to open the clubs on Saturdays for the next year. Today Councilman Zach Reed pledged $5,000 to help. Other partners in this project include Key Bank, Oswald Companies, Liberty Ford and the Gannett Foundation.

WKYC will once again air several Indians games on Channel 3 for the 2013 Major League Baseball season, although not as many as in past years due to SportsTime Ohio's recent purchase by Fox Sports. Here is a list of the games and times to watch the games on Channel 3 starting with the Indians Home Opener in April: April 8th: vs. New York Yankees @ 4:05 p.m. (Home Opener) May 23rd: @ Boston Red Sox @ 7:05 p.m. June 28th: @ Chicago White Sox @ 8:10 p.m. August 7th: vs. Detroit Tigers @ 7:05 p.m. As was released on February 8th by the Cleveland Indians, SportsTime Ohio will carry 159 Tribe Games for the 113th season as a member of the American League. Visit indians.com for the complete schedule.

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Michael Liedtke, AP Business Writer Comcast's $16.7 billion deal to buy the remaining half of NBCUniversal ahead of schedule represents a resounding vote of confidence in the future of TV, even as Internet video reshapes the entertainment landscape. The decision was driven largely by Comcast Corp.'s belief that it would end up paying substantially more for General Electric Co.'s remaining 49 percent stake if it had waited until 2018, as had been envisioned in 2011 when Comcast acquired majority control of NBCUniversal. The flagship NBC network, once seen as the deal's albatross, has been on the turnaround. As the advertising market has rebounded with the economy, so have the fortunes of NBCUniversal and other network owners. That made the latest transaction, announced Tuesday, seem like a savvy one at a relatively modest price.

Another sad day here today at WKYC as we had a wish our good friend Dick Russ a fond farewell this afternoon in the Channel 3 Newsroom... Best wishes Dick and lots of love from all of us at WKYC! Click the video to watch: