• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Romona Robinson out at WKYC

I saw Romona say goodbye last night. She got teary before a segment with a VO played. The story had her thanking viewers, talking about the children she met through those "Romona's Kids" stories she's done, and her co-workers she enjoyed working with. The segment only showed stuff from recent years. No Judd, Tim and anyone or anything from 43. After it was finished, it cut to a house all lit up with Christmas lights, and the newscast ended. Awkward.

I've heard rumors that a certain network anchor might replace Romona. That would be big.
 
I think WKYC should get two new anchors - one male, one female. The station seems to have a weaker selection of good, strong anchors, and in the long run, does not bode well for the station if its nothing more than window dressing if they got one from out of town and another in-house.

I will say that I really enjoy watching Chris Flanagan on WEWS' 11PM newscast. He's really gelling with the team, & is one of the better new hires in the market. I think he might be around for a while. Better bringing him on board then drawing a name from a hat.
 
Nathan Obral said:
It's official:

Russ Mitchell, national correspondent for CBS News and one of the network's main substitute anchors, will succeed Romona as WKYC's new 6pm and 11pm anchor.

That's a big get for WKYC. I'm presuming because of his position at the network, Russ likely was one of the finalists to succeed Katie Couric on the "CBS Evening News" before it was given to "60 Minutes" vet Scott Pelley.

You would NEVER have seen this when NBC still owned the station.
Click to expand...

Isn't this a downward move for him. Coming to a decreasing market like Cleveland. Maybe he has family here, but it seams like a bad move. Being the weekend guy at the network level is much better than being the #1 guy at a Cleveland station.
 
former interm said:
Nathan Obral said:
It's official:

Russ Mitchell, national correspondent for CBS News and one of the network's main substitute anchors, will succeed Romona as WKYC's new 6pm and 11pm anchor.

That's a big get for WKYC. I'm presuming because of his position at the network, Russ likely was one of the finalists to succeed Katie Couric on the "CBS Evening News" before it was given to "60 Minutes" vet Scott Pelley.

You would NEVER have seen this when NBC still owned the station.
Click to expand...

Isn't this a downward move for him. Coming to a decreasing market like Cleveland. Maybe he has family here, but it seams like a bad move. Being the weekend guy at the network level is much better than being the #1 guy at a Cleveland station.
Click to expand...

Depends if he saw any upside staying at the network as the backup to Scott Pelley. Scott will more than likely stick around as the main "CBS Evening News" anchor for years to come.

After all, Roger Mudd left CBS for NBC after he was passed over for Dan Rather.
 
This is huge.

Mitchell has national cred, name value, and contacts.

Now one thing about this is that it could be a short term deal, as Russ is perhaps waiting for a big national gig to open up.

But for now, it's a hell of a signing for channel 3.
 
Gannett has stations in Atlanta and DC, so this is probably a short-term gig. The Atlanta station,WXIA, is third in ratings against Cox-owned WSB and Fox O&O WAGA. DC's WUSA usually ranks 3rd or 4th in that market.
 
Firebird said:
Gannett has stations in Atlanta and DC, so this is probably a short-term gig. The Atlanta station,WXIA, is third in ratings against Cox-owned WSB and Fox O&O WAGA. DC's WUSA usually ranks 3rd or 4th in that market.
Click to expand...

One would have thought that he would jump to WUSA/9, the largest CBS affiliate in the country, before coming to WKYC.

I doubt Gannett would just put Russ here for a year, then shuttle him off to WUSA. Why? WUSA needs help right NOW. They've lost a lot of their top talent over the past few years, much to the benefit of Allbritton ABC affiliate WJLA/7.

WXIA? That could be possible.
 
The big thing that you may not have noticed, is in the announcement - Russ will be lead anchor and Managing Editor - I honestly don't know if Romona had that title...
So you COULD see some major changes coming in how the news is delivered....
Gonna be interesting.
 
wonderboy77 said:
The big thing that you may not have noticed, is in the announcement - Russ will be lead anchor and Managing Editor - I honestly don't know if Romona had that title...
So you COULD see some major changes coming in how the news is delivered....
Gonna be interesting.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone else has a title equivalent to that anywhere in the market.

Closest one I can think of would be Bill Applegate. And Bill, outside of the editorials, is usually nowhere near the camera.
 
You can't underplay the journalism angle here...there's a reason Russ will be Managing Editor.

It's actually not the first such move, though Cleveland is a low top 20 market. Akron's own Leon Harris left CNN for the aforementioned WJLA/7 in DC a ways back. Not exactly the same move, but...

I'm hearing that the aforementioned top 5 market network O&O female anchor, who has auditioned, may join WKYC and may (MAY) be paired with Russ as his co-anchor.
 
What's amazing is the return of two anchors on the weekday/weeknight newscasts at WKYC after having solo anchors for three years, with the exception of the 7PM newscasts. The new hire for mornings to join Mark Nolan is also a surprise considering how successful the morning newscast has been with just one anchor.

My guess is that they needed a bigger name to replace Romona knowing an unknown would not have cut it. Russ is a huge get for the station, and who they get to co-anchor will be a surprise too. Now we have to see who is going to be the new weekend weather anchor. It looks like they've had a hard time finding someone filling AJ's spot.

I also wonder if Russ' arrival means further changes at WKYC, mainly on-air. They'll probably adjust their talent to fit the new vision with the new main anchor/managing editor. This will not be the end at 3.
 
CleveFan said:
I also wonder if Russ' arrival means further changes at WKYC, mainly on-air. They'll probably adjust their talent to fit the new vision with the new main anchor/managing editor. This will not be the end at 3.
Click to expand...

You may be more on target than you realize.
 
I would like to see Robin Swoboda put on that Good Day Cleveland show with Fred Griffith. After all we know she was the last host of the Morning Exchange before the ratings sunk so bad that show went under. Either way give it about a year or two and Robin will be wanting to spend more "time with family". It is always inevitable with her.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom