WKYC

“While he’s only been at Channel 3 for 18 months,” said Brooke Spectorsky, president and general manager of the Cleveland NBC Affiliate. “He’s been instrumental in launching our new anchor teams of Russ Mitchell and Kris Pickel, Chris Tye and Erin Kennedy, and Lynna Lai and John Anderson. He’s a forward-thinking manager who expects the best from his team and fights for the resources to bring high-quality newscasts to viewers in Northeast Ohio.”

Donnellan has held news management positions in Atlanta and Boston.  He left his job as news director at Cincinnati’s NBC affiliate, WLWT in 2009.

[TVNewsCheck]

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Like her husband, Mitchell comes from CBS News in New York, where she was an entertainment, lifestyle and feature contributor. She also served as a fill-in anchor for CBS Mobile News and a reporter for CBSNews.com. Most recently, she was the host of “Showbuzz,” a weekly movie review show.

At WKYC, Mitchell will be an arts, culture and entertainment contributor to “Live on Lakeside,” a lifestyle show hosted by Hollie Strano and Michael Cardamone. She will also contribute to WKYC’s newscasts.

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Kris Pickel

Pickel joins the NBC-affiliate from KOVR in Sacramento, where she is the weekend evening anchor. Beginning in April, she will co-anchor with Russ Mitchell, who joined WKYC from CBS News in January.

In a statement, news director Rita Anderson said it was “imperative” to give Mitchell a co-anchor with strong reporting skills.

“Kris is a skilled and tenacious journalist who is as strong in the field as she is on the anchor desk,” Anderson said.

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WKYC

The announcement is the most recent talent shuffle at the Cleveland NBC-affiliate. After longtime anchor Mark Nolan decided to leave the station, 7 p.m. anchor Chris Tye was announced as Nolan’s replacement on the morning newscast.

Donovan, who replaces Tye, will continue to do sports on the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts, which will be anchored by former CBS News anchor Russ Mitchell starting next week. continued…

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WKYC

Tye will be paired with morning co-anchor Erin Kennedy. He replaces replaces Mark Nolan, who announced earlier this week that he is leaving the Cleveland NBC-affiliate after 18 years.

“He’s smart, high-energy, quick-witted, innovative, creative and an experienced reporter, and all those things will serve him well as he moves to the mornings,” WKYC news director Rita Andolsen told the Plain-Dealer.

Tye’s first day on the morning newscast — January 16 — will also be former CBS News anchor Russ Mitchell‘s debut as WKYC’s evening anchor and managing editor.

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“The pace of local news is relentless,” Mitchell said. “You’re putting on four to six newscasts a day, and at a network, we have the luxury, if you will, of not having that kind of relentless pace. I was in local television for 10 years before joining CBS. The business, of course, has changed dramatically in that time — major, major changes. But I do think that the power of local news still is very strong. It’s not what it was 30 years ago, but it does provide an incredible service to a community.”

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Mitchell said in a statement that he has “thoroughly enjoyed” his years at CBS, but was looking forward to “a unique opportunity to help create the next generation of local news in a great place and have a key role in in trying to make a difference in a wonderful community.”

Mitchell, who joined CBS in 1992, is the weekend anchor of “CBS Evening News” and “The Early Show.” His first day at WKYC will be January 16.

He replaces Romona Robinson, who left the station earlier this month after negotiations to extend her WKYC contract failed. General manager Brooke Spectorsky tells TVSpy Mitchell’s 6 and 11 p.m. co-anchor will be announced soon. continued…

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Following the dramatic announcement late Sunday night that the U.S. had killed Osama bin Laden, New York’s WNBC stayed in breaking news mode long after Brian Williams signed off for NBC, as impromptu celebrations sprouted up across the city.

Shiba Russell, who joined the station in February, led WNBC’s coverage of the historic occasion as Ida Siegal reported live near Ground Zero, where thousands of New Yorkers had gathered to celebrate the death of a man who, nearly ten years ago, drastically altered life in the city.

The networks scrambled to cover the news on Sunday night, providing some memorable moments as well as a few intriguing sidebars for TV newsers. NBC seemed by far the best prepared for the event, with Williams quickly assuming his anchor chair and leading the network’s starting lineup of Andrea Mitchell, Chuck Todd, and Richard Engel. Katie Couric, who recently announced that she’s leaving CBS, was noticeably missing from the network’s coverage Sunday night as Lara Logan appeared with anchor Russ Mitchell shortly after her moving “60 Minutes” interview aired. Over on ABC, George Stephanopoulos was at the anchor desk, leaving one to ponder exactly what time he gets to work everyday for his “GMA” job.

In the end, though, it was WNBC’s coverage that was the most memorable as the NBC flagship was the only network affiliated station in New York to provide live, local coverage of the news that obviously bears special significance for the city. continued…

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