Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation As I've mentioned in previous posts, WKYC Studios recently adopted the tagline "What Matters Most," a powerful and purposeful message introduced just in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics.  This new brand identity reflects our station’s renewed focus on stories that truly impact our community and resonate with our viewers on a deeper level.  Whether it's breaking news, in-depth investigations, or heartwarming local features, we want everything we produce to align with what matters most to Northeast Ohio. To help roll out this initiative, our talented marketing and promotions department developed a series of compelling promos that have been airing throughout February. These spots creatively highlight the station’s commitment to meaningful journalism and authentic storytelling, all while capturing the excitement and unity of the Olympic Games.  If you haven't seen them yet, be sure to check them out—they’re a great representation of t...

Frank Macek @maceknewsnation I put out the call, and you answered filling my inbox with emails for our first session of " Hey Frank ." This gives you a chance to ask questions about the things you see on WKYC regarding our news  product, NBC programming, on-air talent or the station's community outreach programs. Don't forget, you can email me your questions at fmacek@wkyc.com So let's get started with our first edition... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Frank - "How are the ratings? Can you post them for the public to see?  - Joseph Hey Joseph - The station remains very competitive in all our news time periods. We are giving long-time news leader WJW a run for its money in the morning time slots and during the evening. I can not post specific ratings numbers due to Nielsen rules and regulations. Plus, I do not see the daily numbers or put much stock into them. W...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By David Hrvatin In late 2019, WKYC took a decidedly bold step and brought our 70-year-old TV station into the modern era. Our entire staff came together to rethink our approach to storytelling and created fresh content to keep up with the changing content preferences of audiences while maintaining the level of journalistic integrity Northeast Ohioans expect from us. Then the world changed. The COVID-19 pandemic forced us all to take a step back. As a society, we gave a lot of thought to what truly matters most in our lives. What Matters Most is different for everyone. Sometimes, what matters most is enough to compel change. Change for you, your family, your career, even your health. For a while now, "What Matters Most” has been the name of our 6 p.m. newscast. But looking at the world around us, we realize those three words should apply to more than just one show. They should apply to everything we do at 3News. They will. What Matters Most i...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation Ever wondered about something you see on the air at WKYC Studios? Submit your questions and I'll do my best to answer them in an upcoming edition of "Hey Frank." Keep in mind, I can not divulge station secrets or address rumors, but I will honestly try and answer questions about the programing and people you see on 3. Please email me at fmacek@wkyc.com . (I will not publish your email addresses on the blog, but would appreciate you providing your first name that I will use as part of the feature format.)

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation The 3News team has grown a little bigger this week with the arrival of Carmen Blackwell as a weeknight reporter at WKYC Studios. A New Orleans native, Carmen told us she’s ready to call the birthplace of Rock & Roll her new home and "bring a little taste of the Crescent City to the Land," according to 3News Director of Content Adam Miller. Carmen Blackwell Carmen joins our station from KSAZ-TV/Phoenix, Arizona, where she was most recently a weekday morning reporter.  Graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Carmen began her career as a weekday morning anchor, reporter and producer at KALB-TV in Alexandria, LA before moving to the FOX affiliate in Phoenix.  When not reporting, Carmen enjoys spending time with her husband, one-year-old son and Mini Aussie Poo pup named Lola. Look for Carmen on our evening newscasts beginning next week.

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) today announced that, for the sixth consecutive year, it has received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (“CEI”), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. “It is an honor to once again receive a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index and be designated a Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality,” said Grady Tripp, vice president and chief diversity officer, TEGNA. “We are proud of the work we are doing to build an inclusive workplace that welcomes employees from diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we remain dedicated to supporting equality and equal rights for all.” The 2022 CEI evaluated over 1,200 companies promoting LGBTQ+-friendly policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families, inclusive culture and c...

Coming up tonight at 7p on 3, we'll present another edition of " Front Row: A Turning Point ." The belief that when blacks and Latinos move ahead, whites lose ground. Author Heather McGhee calls it "zero-sum thinking." We talk with the woman behind the New York Times bestseller "The Sum of Us." You'll hear her theory as we explore solutions that allow all Americans to prosper together. Join us tonight at 7p on 3 for our on-going series called "A Turning Point." Director's Cut Blog EXTRA:  Upon exploring some issues raised in The Sum of Us by author Heather McGhee, 3News hosted " A Turning Point " panel conversation on Tuesday afternoon connected to the concerns surrounding environmental racism and justice. 3News contributor Chris Webb moderated the discussion on how to be solution-oriented when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion issues, climate justice and building an interracial coalition around environmental i...

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...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation As we kick off 2022 and the re-launch of the Director's Cut Blog, I wanted to share with you a few of the new faces you have seen lately on WKYC. Even though the pandemic has disrupted all of our lives, we have been working hard behind the scenes to put together the best team of people to bring you the news, weather and sports you've come to expect from WKYC. With our team in place, all of us at WKYC Studios are now getting ready for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, The Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Weekend in the CLE. It's going to be a February to remember. Let's take a look at some of the new people who have joined WKYC Studios in 2021. Payton Domschke Payton Domschke Payton Domschke joined the 3News weather team in December 2021 as our 5th meteorologist. After spending the last two years on the East Coast with our sister station WVEC - 13News Now, Payton was thrilled to return to her beloved Midwest. She was born and raised in the s...

Jorge Ramos Pantoja By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation WKYC VP/GM Micki Byrnes has announced the hiring of Jorge Ramos Pantoja as a producer for 3News GO! weekday mornings from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Jorge was born and raised in the southwest corner of Puerto Rico and graduated from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan majoring in Communications with a minor in Business Administration.  After moving to New York City, he used his journalism skills for New York University's Global Program. He also worked as a breaking news reporter/anchor for NY1 News and was a producer at News 12 in the nation's largest television market. More recently, Jorge worked at WOIO-TV since October 2018 where he started and anchored the first Spanish newscast in the market called "Cleveland Al Dia."  "Engaging with people and seeing firsthand the amount of progress that can be made to reach equality in our society, inspires Jorge to continue working as a journalist and giving a voice to ...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation WKYC Studios has announced the addition of  January Keaton to the 3News family. The Lorain native is returning to her Cleveland roots as a new dayside reporter at WKYC says 3News Director of Content Adam Miller. January Keaton A Kent State graduate, January has worked for more than 15 years in various news markets, beginning her career here in Northeast Ohio behind-the-scenes as a producer at both WOIO and later for WEWS' morning broadcast.  January also has traveled the country as part of the touring cast of an acclaimed musical before eventually returning to her news roots in 2011 as an Anchor/MMJ for WTEN in Albany, NY.  From Albany to Cape Coral, Florida as a Traffic Anchor and from the Sunshine State to anchoring evening newscasts in Macon, GA and most recently, working in the Atlanta market, January brings her infectious energy and genuine passion for reporting and storytelling to her beloved hometown. January recently told us, "What ...

Tysons, VA – TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) today announced it has completed an update of its stations’ over-the-top (OTT) streaming apps on Roku, enhancing the experience for viewers. TEGNA also announced it is planning to launch OTT streaming apps for its stations on Amazon Fire TV by the end of 2020. When the rollout on Amazon Fire TV is complete, TEGNA stations’ local news and other programming will be available to consumers on the two dominant OTT streaming media players, which comprise 70 percent of the U.S. market. TEGNA’s OTT station apps offer streaming viewers free, ad-supported access to live news and the most recent news broadcasts, breaking news and weather forecasts, in addition to VERIFY fact-checking reports and TEGNA’s live entertainment program, Daily Blast LIVE. A new “Watch” feature has also been launched on stations’ websites and mobile apps in order to create a unified video consumption experience across all consumer digital platforms. TEGNA’s True Crime Network app is a...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation Christina Flowers is joining the WKYC Studios family as an Executive Producer.  Christina Flowers Originally from Pittsburgh, Christina is an award-winning journalist joining us from TMJ4 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout her career, Christina has been recognized for her high-quality, impactful work - winning multiple regional Emmy awards for "Best Newscast" & "Best Spot News" covering an attack inside a Nashville area theater.               At TMJ4, Christina famously brought debates back to television after 15 years and used her leadership skills for coverage on everything from the abduction of Jayme Closs to civil unrest & racial tensions in Milwaukee, Wauwatosa and Kenosha, Wisconsin. Christina is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, a volunteer with Miracle League Milwaukee, an organization that gives children of all abilities an opportunity to play organized sports, a volunteer ...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation WKYC Studios announces Award-Winning Journalist Allison Girvin has joined the 3News team as Executive Producer of Innovation. Allison's career has taken her from local news stations in North Carolina & Tennessee to New York City where she worked for ABC News, HuffPost Live, NBC News, The American Independent & Bloomberg Television.  Allison Girvin Allison spent more than 10 years at ABC News in New York in a variety of roles from assignment editor to field producer. She has interviewed everyone from presidents and princesses to astronauts in space. She spent the bulk of her time at Good Morning America, where she served three years as head writer for Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts.  Her last role at ABC News was running the Early Morning News Division where she oversaw World News Now and America This Morning. While at ABC News, Girvin was honored with an Emmy Award for the 2008 election coverage, and an Edward R. Murrow Award for the...

Adam Miller Special to the Director's Cut from wkyc.com A big congratulations to Adam Miller , who is the director of content here at 3News. He was just recently selected for the “40 under 40” list by Crain’s Cleveland Business. Adam and the other honorees are being recognized for the difference they make in leading their companies and their communities here in Northeast Ohio. "Chosen by our editorial team to represent a range of businesses and backgrounds, these 40 are committed to the future of Northeast Ohio," Crain's declares . "They range from professionals to entrepreneurs to community servants. And in a year that has been like no other with the COVID-19 pandemic, many have stepped up in immeasurable ways." Adam, we thank you for your leadership at wkyc studios! He joined 3News after previously working as Senior Producer at NBC’s TODAY where he was responsible for programming, launching and developing series content for the fourth hour with Kathie Lee...

WKYC has announced that Danielle Wiggins will be adding more coffee to her morning routine as she takes on an expanded role with "GO!" on 3. In addition to her regular traffic reporting duties, Danielle will become co-anchor of the station's 4:30 a.m. half hour broadcast along with morning meteorologist Hollie Strano. Dave Chudowsky and Maureen Kyle will keep getting your day off to a great start from 5 to 7 a.m. on "GO!" Danielle will also begin anchoring morning news updates across all WKYC's social platforms and reporting uplifting stories of hope that our viewers have come to enjoy between 4:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. As WKYC Director of Content Adam Miller said, "We couldn't be happier that Danielle's Emmy-award-winning contributions will continue to shine all morning long on WKYC as she has a true gift for connecting with viewers in our community." Danielle is a graduate of Bedford High School and holds a bachelor's and master...

TEGNA Inc., parent company of WKYC, announced that Justice Network, TEGNA’s leading multicast television network featuring crime and investigative programming, is undergoing a comprehensive rebranding and on July 27 will relaunch as True Crime Network. Justice Network is beginning an on-air promotional campaign today to inform viewers of the upcoming True Crime Network rebrand. True Crime Network will offer a unique entertainment experience for true crime fans, integrating the 24/7 multicast network with a free, on-demand streaming service and high-quality true crime podcasts from TEGNA’s VAULT Studios. True Crime Network’s new on-demand streaming service, which will launch this summer, is dedicated exclusively to true crime content and programming. The service will include free, ad-supported on-demand episodes that will be available via web, mobile and connected television apps. The service will initially launch with hundreds of hours of on-demand content from the network’s librar...

Matt Standridge (Courtesy: KFSM-TV) By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation WKYC has announced Matt Standridge will join the 3News Weather Team beginning in September. Most recently at our TEGNA sister station, KFSM-TV/Fort Smith/Fayetteville, Arkansas, Matt is currently the weekend morning meteorologist and host of "Arkansas Adventures" where he showcases exciting scenic life in the great outdoors. WKYC Director of Content Adam Miller says Matt will become the station's weekend evening meteorologist for "3News: What Matters Most" at 6p and "3News: What's Next" at 11p joining Lynna Lai, Andrew Horansky and Sports Anchor Nick Camino. Born in Oklahoma, Matt eventually moved to upstate NY where he fell in love with a concept called "Lake Effect Snow." He graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology with a minor in Digital Media. Matt's career even took him to North Dakota where he held a Radar Meteor...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Dave "Dino" Denatle, wkyc.com Sales & Marketing Executives Cleveland (SME Cleveland) has bestowed its 2020 Business Executive of the Year award to our own Micki Byrnes, President and General Manager of WKYC Studios. The award acknowledges excellence in sales and marketing achievement and is based on the demonstration of the highest business, professional and ethical standards. It will be presented at the 59th annual Distinguished Marketing and Sales Awards gala banquet on Thursday evening at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven. WKYC Studios VP/General Manager Micki Byrnes “I’m truly honored,” Micki says “I came up on the marketing side of the business so to receive this particular honor from SME was truly special to me.” Micki joined 3News in 1997 as Director of Marketing and was named Vice President, Advertising and Promotion in 2000, and Station Manager in 2014. She has held broadcast management positions in Boston...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation Check out these classic promos featuring the Channel 3 News Team featuring the main talent of Leon Bibb, Doreen Gentzler, Shane Hollett and Kevin Mackey from Cleveland State University from 1986. How many of these do you remember on the air? Our special thanks to David Hrvatin at WKYC for digitizing these promos here at WKYC Studios.

Special to the Director's Cut Blog from wkyc.com Cheers to 35 years! On Thursday's What's Next, WKYC Studios paid tribute to one of our own. The month of February marks Jim Donovan's 35th year at WKYC. Growing up in South Boston, Jimmy had a love for sports, especially the Bruins, watching games alongside his father. Jimmy graduated from Boston University in 1978, shortly after taking jobs in Vermont and Minnesota. In 1985, as a curly haired sportscaster, he began his journey here in Cleveland. Jimmy arrived in Cleveland and never looked back. His life was hectic, covering all areas of Cleveland Sports from the Browns, Cavs and Indians to the Cleveland Marathon and even Soap Box Derby. His work eventually landed him a job with the NBC Network, travelling all over the country calling NFL games every Sunday. In 1999, Jimmy was named the "Radio Voice of the Cleveland Browns." As he prepares for his 22nd season, think about this: the browns have had ...

WKYC Studios’ President and General Manager Micki Byrnes announced exciting updates to the 3News evening lineup. “As WKYC continues to explore new ways to engage with the audiences of Northeast Ohio, we are excited to share that Sara Shookman will be joining Jim Donovan as co-anchor of Front Row,” said Byrnes. Front Row, weeknights at 7 p.m., gives viewers a closer look at the news makers and taste makers that are shaping our Northeast Ohio community. Then, Sara will continue her co-anchoring responsibilities with Russ Mitchell at 11 p.m. on Cleveland’s top rated “What’s Next.” Sara Shookman "Like any long suffering Browns fan, Jimmy's voice has gotten in my head,” said Sara. “Now I'm thrilled to sit next to him and give you a Front Row seat to all that's important, interesting, impactful and happening in our community. We want to connect you with the news makers, our community critics and cheerleaders, and ask your questions." Sara is one of 3News...

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation How many of these familiar faces can you remember from the Channel 3 News team back in 2008? Take a guess first, then click here  for the correct answers! #1. #2.   #3.     #4.   #5.   #6.  

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation Check out these classic promos featuring the Channel 3 News Team featuring the main talent of Tim White, Romona Robinson, Mark Nolan and Jim Donovan from 2007. How many of these do you remember on the air? Our special thanks to David Hrvatin at WKYC for digitizing these promos here at WKYC Studios.

By Frank Macek @maceknewsnation If you missed the inaugural show of "What's New" at 5p, you can watch it again below with Jay Crawford, Betsy Kling, Stephanie Haney and Matt Wintz. (pictured below) The "What's New" team. Photo by Matt Wintz Feel free to post your comments below about the show. "What's New" replaces "Ellen" who moves to 4 p.m., while "Dr. Phil" moves to 3 p.m. and "Daily Blast Live" now airs at 2 p.m. "Kelly Clarkson" moved to 11 a.m. followed  by the newly titled show "It's About You" (formery "Live on  Lakeside" at noon Monday through Thursday and "We the People" on Friday. Watch today's debut below:

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...

Special to the Director's Cut By Margaret Bernstein, wkyc.com Russ Mitchell interviews his new mentee on air during Mentor Monday 2019. 1,000 mentors are needed to help local students succeed in college. And if you have a college degree, you fit the bill. For the second year, WKYC Studios will present “Mentor Monday,” a day-long on-air recruiting blitz that seeks volunteer mentors to be paired with Say Yes to Education scholarship recipients. This year, Mentor Monday will be held on Monday, Jan. 27. Throughout the day, WKYC’s newscasts will highlight the College Now of Greater Cleveland mentoring program and give viewers the opportunity to sign up to participate. During Mentor Monday last year, WKYC anchor Russ Mitchell announced that he had personally become a College Now mentor to a Cleveland high school student. The campaign not only netted 125 volunteers in one day, it also had a tremendous ripple effect, helping lay the groundwork for College Now to meet its overall goal ...