Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

WKYC was presented a special award from the Salvation Army of Greater Cleveland Thursday evening at the Bertram Inn & Conference Center in Aurora for our ongoing support of the organization. The award was given to the station at its annual fundraising dinner. WKYC Vice President and General Manager Brooke Spectorsky and his wife, Micki Byrnes, Vice President of Marketing and Promotions for WKYC, accepted the award on behalf of the station. The Salvation Army continues to see the need grow for its services which include emergency food and utility assistance.

By Frank Macek May Sweeps came to an official end Wednesday Night...and despite some stiff network competition and a struggling NBC Network, WKYC proves once again our newscasts are the #1 choice for local viewers at 6 & 11 PM. The biggest headline was Channel 3 News at 11 PM beating Fox 8 News at 10 PM, despite American Idol. WKYC was #1 in late news (which includes the 10 & 11 PM news time periods) in Adults 25 to 54, Men 25 to 54 and Women 25 to 54. Channel 3 News at 11 PM is anchored by Romona Robinson, Betsy Kling and Jim Donovan. The show is produced by Amanda Subler and directed by your blogger, Frank Macek. In a head on race at 11 PM only, WKYC was #1 at 11 pm in ALL demographics. The return of Jay Leno to "The Tonight Show" also had a major impact on late night viewing, as Jay was #1 in all key demos for his time period...beating Letterman, hands down. Channel 3 News at 6 PM also held on to its #1 position on early newscasts with ...

Wednesday, May 26th, was another fun filled day of learning about weather over at Progressive Field in the second of Channel 3's annual Weather Education Days. Kids from all over the area take this exciting field trip to the ballpark to observe weather experiments in motion. Were you one of the 8,000 Northeast Ohio students who came down to join us this morning for the program, then the Cleveland Indians/Chicago White Sox game? Did WKYC snap a photo of you and your classmates? Check out our  PHOTOGALLERY

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By David Bauder, AP Television Writer NEW YORK -- NBC says it will devote much of its time on newscasts Wednesday [May 26th] to discussions of immigration. NBC's "Today" show, "Nightly News" and "Dateline NBC" will explore the issue along with sister networks including MSNBC and the Spanish-language Telemundo. MSNBC will devote portions of every show to immigration. Telemundo's morning program will air from Arizona, the first time the show has gone on location. The issue has taken on new import recently with the passage of an Arizona law requiring authorities to question people about their immigration status if they are suspected of being in the country illegally. NBC says the coverage will include release of a poll on American attitudes toward immigration.

It's the end of an era tonight on NBC. After 20 seasons, "Law & Order" airs its final episode at 10pm. Coincidentally, one of the show's biggest and most famous fans, also makes an appearance on the series farewell. Lindsey Vonn fulfilled a lifetime dream with Olympic gold at the Vancouver games. Tonight, she lives another dream...appearing on her favorite show, "Law & Order." "The first time they said action, I was shaking really bad," recalls Vonn. That's because Vonn's been watching "Law & Order" since she was a kid, alongside her lawyer parents. But the Olympian's appearance also comes in what's turning out to be "Law & Order"'s final episode. Last week, NBC canceled its flagship drama after 456 episodes and a record tying 20 seasons. "When you got up from watching our show, you not only got a full story, you learned something too," says series star S. Epatha Merkerson. ...

NBC Newsman Tom Brokaw at John Carroll University Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Chris Tye UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS -- Tom Brokaw came to Cleveland to honor his friend, the late Tim Russert, by giving the commencement address to Russert's alma mater, John Carroll University. Before he left, he gave the class of 2010 a progress report on the work world they're trying to join. "You are leaving the sanctuary of learning and innocence in a season of uncertainty and anxiety. Daily, there are painful reminders that the economic model that defined your life turned out to be too much of a house of cards," he said. He spoke with Channel 3 News about a variety of topics before his speech about the challenges facing the class of 2010. "A lot of young people are moving back home and living in their parents' home for awhile until they can deal with this tough economy. Marketing people are calling some of these 20-somethings 'neo-frugalists.'...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Dave Summers   PARMA -- If you can't find your favorite show this weekend, don't adjust your television set. The trouble may be...22 thousand miles above the earth. Last month Intelsat lost control of its communications satellite called "Galaxy 15". Since then it has been floating eastward and this weekend or next, it is expected to drift into the orbit of another communications satellite. That could interfere with cable programing across the U.S. Cable networks that could be affected are MTV, Discovery Communications, Comcast Network groups, and A&E Television. Cox Communications in Parma says there is no need to panic here in Northeast Ohio. "We don't anticipate needing to use our contingency plans but we do have them in place to make sure our customers are taken care of. We will do anything in our power to keep service on for our customers," Cox Communications Programing V.P. Tim Tanda said. W...

By Frank Macek The Director's Cut Blog gets regular emails from students about doing internships at WKYC as many of our readers are interested in getting into the business. So, your blogger thought this would be a good chance to take a look at internships at our station or those offered by other broadcast stations. For those aspiring to work in television news, an internship program is essential on the "must do" list of projects while you are going to college, a community college or a broadcasting school, like the Ohio Center for Broadcasting. Most station programs require students to get credit for participating in their programs, so you shouldn't wait too long to apply. Stations can only handle a limited amount of students during each term. The biggest benefit of interning in an economy that's challenging for both pros and graduates fo find work is getting your "foot in the door." Sometimes, that is half the battle. Make sure whi...

CLEVELAND -- The sun was shining as more than 3,000 students from Northeast Ohio spent the morning at Progressive Field for WKYC's Weather Education Day. WKYC Meteorologists Betsy Kling, Hollie Strano and AJ Colby, with Meteorologist Bruce Kalinowski joining them from back at the TV station's weather center, spent the morning making learning fun for the students. WKYC Weather Education Day was held before the Cleveland Indians took on the Kansas City Royals on the field. Click to check out our photo gallery of today's big event

As part of the WKYC Information Center, several of our staff members are doing a little bloggin' of their own. Here is another new blog to check out when you get a little web surfing time. Indians on Deck - STO Producer Mike Bachmann has a cool look behind the scenes of the Indians Pregame Show with Al Pawlowski. For more blogs from the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center: CLICK HERE Many of our staff members also have profiles on Facebook. You can sign up for a free account and join our Fan Pages to interact with many of us online about the station and the news stories we cover. Check out our main WKYC page: http://www.facebook.com/WKYC.Channel3

From: Richard (city unknown) Q: I hate that Channel 3 runs Indians games in place of other NBC programming when the Indians aren't that good this year - and haven't been for several years. It really annoyed me when hockey was supposed to air or was joined in progress. A: As the over the air television home of the Cleveland Indians, we are under contract with the Indians to carry 20 games per season. Unfortunately, the station can only pre-empt so many hours of regular NBC programming. So, we must carry mainly afternoon games on the weekends and select games during primetime we felt would be the most interest to our viewers. Whether the Indians are contenders or not, we hope you can appreciate being able to receive some of the games free on broadcast TV. The options are not pretty for those without cable or satellite. Go Tribe! --- Have a question for us? Email us anytime: fmacek@wkyc.com

From: Betheny in Cleveland Q: I noticed your new interactive radar on your website. I love it, but think it's too big. Could you make it smaller? A: We are currently experimenting with all the new weather tools we got with our recent upgrade to all HD weather. As part of that, we are putting the Interactive HD Radar right on our homepage only when severe weather threatens the area. We have received many comments for people grateful that it's easy to find and easy to use, so we hope you'll give it a chance. Again, we are building our website to better serve you when the weather turns bad, so we don't have to cut in as much and interrupt your regularly scheduled programming like the other stations do. --- Have a question for us? Email us anytime: fmacek@wkyc.com

NBC has announced its 2010-11 primetime schedule that is highlighted by five new comedies, seven new drama series and one new alternative program, including shows from such innovative hit-makers as J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley, among others. The high-quality series include new comedies such as "Outsourced," Love Bites," "Perfect Couples," "Friends With Benefits" and "The Paul Reiser Show." The new dramas are "The Cape," "Harry's Law," "Outlaw," "Undercovers," "The Event," "Chase" and "Law & Order: Los Angeles." The schedule features all-drama lineups on Mondays and Wednesdays and five comedies on Thursdays. Tuesdays will continue to combine the similar appeal of "The Biggest Loser" with "Parenthood," and Fridays will team "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the new series "School Pride" with "Dateli...

With some recent changes to the way we are able to run the Director's Cut Blog, we have a new RSS feed address. Please update your readers if you currently get the blog in this fashion. Our new RSS feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/WkycsDirectorsCutWithFrankMacek

NEW YORK -- The venerable court-police drama "Law & Order" has been axed. NBC announced Friday that the show would end its historic 20-year run on May 24. The show starred an ensemble cast of S. Epatha Merkerson, Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, Linus Roache, Alana De La Garza and Sam Waterston.

NEW YORK -- NBC says it is renewing its cult favorite "Chuck" for another season and has ordered four more new series for the upcoming season. The fourth-place network has been aggressively rebuilding. Even before NBC officially announces its new fall schedule on Monday, the network has publicly committed to 11 new scripted series. The new series announced Friday includes one comedy that sounds something like one of its classics. "Friends With Benefits" is about a group of friends in their 20s as they navigate the dating world. New NBC dramas include "The Cape," about a framed cop who turns into a comic-book superhero. Jimmy Smits will star in "Outlaw," about a Supreme Court justice who quits the job to work as a lawyer representing the "little guy." "Harry's Law" stars Kathy Bates as a disillusioned lawyer who starts a new practice with a young man out of a rundown shoe store.

By Frank Macek Time for another behind the scenes look at what's going on behind the scenes at the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. Our best wishes to Michael O'Mara who leaves Channel 3 News to become Vice President at Hennes Paynter Communications - a crisis management company. Mike started his news career on March 14th, 1977 and winds it up today, April 30th, 2010. We'll definitely miss Mike's journalistic experience and flair. May sweeps are underway. Sweeps started Thursday and run through Wednesday, May 26th. Channel 3 has a "Must See" May all planned for you. So be watching. The Director's Cut Blog has learned that Fox 8 will become a news competitor with a 7 p.m. newscast launching soon. We certainly welcome the competition. But remember Fox 8, Monica and Eric play hard and we'll be playing to win. Remember the 7 PM Anchor Olympics? Bring it on! The April sweeps period was another good one for Channel 3 News. We continue #1 at 5 a.m., 6...

Congratulations to a number of my colleagues here at Channel 3 who were nominated for 18 Emmy nominations on Thursday evening. Our sister network, SportsTime Ohio received six. The winners will be announced on June 19th at the 41st Annual Emmy Awards Gala at the Hilton Garden Inn. Newscast - Evening *Channel 3 News at 6 - Rita Andolsen, Romona Robinson *Imperial Murders - Julie Ocepek, Monica Robins, Eric Mansfield *Channel 3 News at 6 Weekend - Carrie Young Newscast - Morning/Daytime *Channel 3 News Today 5 AM - Eric Vrobelm, Mark Nolan, Brooke Whitney, Hollie Strano, Meghann Brutoczky, Maureen Kyle General Assignment Report (Within 24 hours) *Serial Killer Survivor - Michael O'Mara Breaking News *W. 89th Murders - Romona Robinson, Eric Mansfield, Tom Meyer, Danielle Fink, Mark Smilor Continuing Coverage *County Gone Wild - Tom Meyer, Sarah Montgomery *Project AED - Eric Mansfield, Monica Robins, Kim Wendel, Danielle Fink, Romona Robinson, Rita Andolsen *Imperia...

CLEVELAND -- At Channel 3 News, our policy on reporting the weather has always been to prepare you, not scare you. On Tuesday evening, we went on-air and on-line with a new weather system which uses the latest forecasting technology that no one else has. Best yet, it puts you in charge. We all made the transition from standard definition to HD, and now you have your latest weather forecasts, making what you see on Channel 3 crisper, clearer, and up-to-the-minute. How you access the weather on-line at wkyc.com has changed dramatically. Our interactive weather radars put you in control of your own forecast, with options designed to give you information you find most important. Head over to our weather page and check it out or click here . Click on the video to learn more about our new weather system from WSI.

Channel 3 Weather has launched a brand new high definition, interactive radar to keep you better connected to our local weather on wkyc.com You can click on the image to start using the new radar system that features temperatures, radar, wind speeds, water temperatures, storm tracking, earthquake reports and much more. It's everything you need to track the weather in one simple, easy to use feature only from WKYC and Channel 3 Weather. Click the image to start using right now!

WKYC has announced new positions for two very talented individuals in the advertising field. Our National Sales Manager is our very own Kim Jakubowski! Kim joined us as a local account executive after serving as Vice President of Market Development and National Sales Manager in Toledo. Prior to those roles, she served as a local account executive at WTOL and as a Sales Rep at Blair in Detroit. Kim's intelligence, energy, ability to adapt to change and tenacity make her perfect for the role as National Sales Manager! Joining us as Local Sales Manager, all the way from Raleigh, North Carolina, is Cory Jackson. Cory brings with him a wealth of experience and a stellar track record of success. Cory served as a sales manager at the NBC station in Raleigh and held regional and local sales positions in Tampa and West Palm. Cory is a native of Erie and is looking forward to getting back to the great North! Cory will join WKYC on May 3.

Congratulations to WKYC's Tom Meyer, The Investigator , who is one of two top finalists in the Ohio Associated Press Broadcaster's contest for Best Investigative Reporting and Best Continuing Coverage for 2009. Tom's honored works include: Best Investigative Reporting for "Pills without Penalties" - This was a 2-part investigation into the Ohio Pharmacy board and how it fails to discipline pharmacists, even if those mistakes prove to be deadly. Best Continuing Coverage for 28 stories on Cuyahoga County Corruption - Tom's coverage included 14 stories that were exclusive stories and the result of our own investigations. The 1st and 2nd place winners in each catgeory will be announced at an awards banquet to be held in June.

Gannett Co., Inc. (parent company of WKYC-TV) reported today that earnings per diluted share for the first quarter of 2010 were $0.49 compared to $0.34 for the first quarter of 2009. Results for both quarters included special items as noted below. Excluding these items, earnings per diluted share for the first quarter of 2010 were $0.50, double the comparable figure of $0.25 for the first quarter of 2009. Results for the first quarter of 2010 include a $2.2 million tax charge related to recent health care reform legislation and the resultant loss of tax deductibility for retiree health care costs covered by Medicare retiree drug subsidies ($0.01 per share). Results for the first quarter of 2009 include a $39.8 million pre-tax settlement gain related to one of the company’s union pension plans ($24.7 million after-tax or $0.11 per share) and $6.6 million in pre-tax workforce restructuring costs ($4.3 million after-tax or $0.02 per share). Details of these special items and their eff...

Paul Beavers The Director's Cut Blog has learned from former WKYC Production Manager Rich O'Dell that former WKYC News Director Paul Beavers has died. Paul worked at Channel 3 beginning around 1987 through March 1992 when he left to beome News Director at KUSI in San Diego. Paul ended his journey on earth at his Reno home [on April 10th] with his loving wife and children, and a wonderful hospice nurse at his side after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Hastings, NE. He spent his youth in Edgar, NE graduating from Edgar High. He earned his journalism degree from UNO and started his television news career with KMTV in Omaha before joining NBC in Los Angeles. His broadcast journalism career took him around the country before he retired to Reno. Paul's passion was golf (he could claim two holes-in-one) and he loved, fishing, Amateur (Ham) radio, bridge and traveling. Paul was loved by all who had the honor of knowing him. He had a b...

You probably watch Saturday Night Live every week on Channel 3, but never really thought about what goes on behind the scenes during commercial breaks when the crews break down sets and set up new ones for upcoming skits. The Director's Cut Blog shares with you some never before seen studio footage of a taping from a show that aired on March 13, 2010.

The Director's Cut Blog has learned that NBC's "Dateline" is in town shooting the final pieces for a special "Dateline" episode that will tentatively air next Friday, April 23rd on NBC and WKYC. Dr. Essa is the man convicted recently of killing his wife and has become a nationwide story of interest for the bizarre tale. You can see "Dateline" on WKYC-TV at 10 p.m. on Friday nights right before Channel 3 News at 11.

The time is coming for a change in the weather...something that keeps you connected like you've never seen before. When you do see it, the forecast will be crystal clear. The countdown has begun. Will you be watching when the time comes? Stay tuned our weather friends!

It's Emmy Nomination Time! The entries are in and the judges have their nominees for NATAS Lower Great Lakes' 2010 Emmy Awards! Come enjoy an evening of fun as we announce those in the running for the golden trophies. Nomination parties will be held April 29th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the following locations: Cleveland Hilton Garden Inn-Harvey's Bar 1100 Carnegie Ave. Toledo Fat Fish Blue 6140 Levis Commons Blvd. Perrysburg Indianapolis The Rathskeller 401 N. Michigan St. Admission is $5 for NATAS-LGL members and non-members. At each nominating announcement party, NATAS-LGL has donated one (1) ticket to the Emmy Awards Dinner on Saturday, June 19th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cleveland. Winner need be present. Ticket has no cash value, but is transferrable. One winner per nomination location!! For more information, visit the Lower Great Lakes Chapter website

Update: The Director's Cut has learned that Eubanks replacement with be "Idol" music Director Rickey Minor. --- Jazz guitarist Kevin Eubanks has announced that his final gig as "The Tonight Show" bandleader will be May 28. Eubanks, 52, has been with Jay Leno for 18 years, since Leno took over the show in 1992. Eubanks became musical director when Branford Marsalis left in 1995. Eubanks told Leno during Monday's (April 12) taping of the show that he was ready for a career change of pace, but he didn't announce specific plans. NBC has not named a replacement. "After 18 years of playing America into commercials, I'm gonna go somewhere where I can finish a song," Eubanks told Leno. He added that he had no specific plans. Eubanks was with Leno for the short-lived The Jay Leno Show in prime-time, then came back to The Tonight Show when Leno reclaimed the show from Conan O'Brien in March.

NBC News' No.1 Sunday public affairs show, "Meet the Press with David Gregory," will broadcast in high definition as it unveils its new set on Sunday, May 2. "It's an exciting time to be debuting a new 'Meet the Press' set as we head into another important political year," said Gregory. "The new look reflects the ways in which the program is evolving while staying true to the core mission and traditions of the show.'" "This new set offers a fresh look and added versatility that will enhance our interviews and better engage our viewers," said executive producer Betsy Fischer. "It's a thoughtful combination of contemporary design elements in a stately setting - keeping with the longstanding history of the program." "Meet the Press" is seen on WKYC-TV Sunday mornings from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. ET following Channel 3 News Today Weekend. --- Source: NBC