Weekend morning show

Welcome to the Channel 3 News Weekend Morning Show Blog!

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:07:00 +0000

The Staff of Channel 3 News Today (Weekend Edition)

Kim Wheeler - Anchor
Jeff Maynor - Anchor
Bruce Kalinowski - Meteorologist
Dave Grendzynski - Producer
Matt Babb - Director
Greg Klinc - Fill-In Director
Dawn Ermler-Fischer - Technical Director
Jose Montano - Audio Operator
Raleigh Himmelright - Robotic Camera Operator
Jessica Starr - Production Assistant/Floor Director
Julie Sartschev - Editor/Room 1 Operator
Jerry Johnson - Editor/Sigac
Chris Kunz - Photographer/Live Truck Operator
Bob Bassett - Tape Operator
Torris Williams - Master Control Operator
Julie Ocepek - News Assistant
Jamillah Riase - News Assistant

In the coming weeks here on the brand new WKYC Weekend Morning Show blog, we hope to bring our viewers unique insight behind the scenes of our show. Posts will be written by the staff that brings you the news each and every Saturday and Sunday morning at 9am on Channel 3. For example, production assistant Jess Starr has already begun her "Starr Sightings: Inside Studio A" in which she gives you the inside scoop as to what goes on in the studio during a live broadcast.

We're planning to incorporate Bruce's Trivia question on the blog so that you can play along from home with the anchors.

You'll know ahead of time what you can expect to see on the upcoming show with our exclusive "online only" promo that will be available 1 hour before show time.

The Weekend Morning Show Blog will also provide a place for you, the viewer, to provide us with your feedback, respond to recent shows or articles and discuss any topic you would like with us.

In the coming weeks, we hope to add a live interactive chat, behind the scenes video, and even online polls discussing the very topics that Jeff and Kim discuss on air.

It's very exciting for our staff to bring this new experiment to you. We hope you'll enjoy it!

Meet The Team: Kim Wheeler and Jeff Maynor

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:50:00 +0000

Kim Wheeler joined WKYC in 1995. She is currently the weekend morning anchor and education reporter for Channel 3 News. In 2006, she received an Emmy for her anchoring.

Kim came to WKYC from WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia where she served as reporter and anchor for six years. Prior to that, she was an anchor/reporter in Bluefield, West Virginia. Kim is a native of Smithville, Ohio. She graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor's degree in Journalism.

During Kim's years at WKYC, she received a first place award from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists in 2000 for her series on Ritalin and children. She was named one of Cleveland Magazine's "most interesting people" in 1999. Kim was also featured in Cleveland Magazine as one of Cleveland's working moms in the media.

Channel 3 News followed Kim and her husband, Tracy on their journey to Thailand to adopt their two sons. They brought Terry Pitak home in February of 2000 and Max Arun in October of 2005. Kim and Tracy worked with Holt International Children's Services in Eugene, Oregon. For more information on adoption contact Holt at http://www.holtinternational.org/

Kim has volunteered in the Cleveland Schools and at her son's school. In addition, through her news stories, she worked with John Carroll University students to build a new playground for Margaret Ireland Elementary students.She also stays involved with education and adoption issues.

E-mail: kimwheeler@wkyc.com

Channel 3 Weekend News Anchor Jeff Maynor joined WKYC-TV3 in February of 1993 as weekend morning and noon co-anchor. Maynor also serves as general assignment reporter contributing to Channel 3 News throughout the week.

Previously, Maynor worked as a news anchor for seven years at WEWS-TV in Cleveland and in a similar capacity at WJW for eight years. Prior to joining Channel 3 News, Maynor did communications work for several years at Lakeland Community College. During that time, he also served as a spokesman for corporate industrial video projects.

A native of Warren, Ohio, Maynor attended Ohio University. He resides in Concord with his wife, Patricia.

E-mail: jeffmaynor@wkyc.com

Meet The Team: Bruce Kalinowski

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:45:00 +0000

Meteorologist Bruce Kalinowski is a native Clevelander: born in Cleveland & raised in Garfield Heights. Bruce attended S.S. Peter & Paul School, Garfield Heights Senior High School, Cuyahoga Community College and Kent State University.

After college, Bruce's career took him to television stations in Sharon, Pennsylvania, Tallahassee & Jacksonville, Florida, Roanoke, Virginia, and Atlanta, Georgia. Bruce was on the 1st show EVER on The Weather Channel, on May 2, 1982.

After an 18 year run at The Weather Channel, Bruce got to "come home" in the Fall of 1999, accepting a job at WOIO-TV.

Bruce joined the Channel 3 Weather Team in December, 2007. Bruce is a member of the National Weather Association & the American Meteorological Society and holds the AMS TV Seal of Approval.

Bruce & his wife Laura and black lab "Mary", live in Brecksville. They have two sons, Chris, 33, and Corey, 24.

Bruce is a lifelong fan of the Cleveland Indians & Cleveland Browns. Look for Bruce to continue his tradition started in 1985: his Tribe Coffee Mug on the news desk once baseball season begins!! He also is a hockey "PuckHead".

When the weather allows, you'll often find Bruce on the golf courses all across northern Ohio. He's a dyed-in-the-wool, card carrying GOLF NUT!!

E-mail: brucekalinowski@wkyc.com

"Standby to blog" (pause) "3, 2, 1 and we're blogging"

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:00:00 +0000

I'd like to welcome all of you to the WKYC Weekend Morning Show Blog! My name is Matt Babb and I'm the director of Channel 3 News Today on Saturday and Sunday Mornings. I also direct the noon news on the weekends and then a wide variety of shows during the week. In fact, I direct nearly every show we produce at Channel 3 at some point or another. Some of the shows I've directed include Channel 3 News at 6, 7, 11, Midday & Channel 3 News Today. I direct "Golden Opportunities" regularly and "Good Company" on occasion. I'm the director of "Browns Pre-Game Huddle" and occasionally "The Point After" and "Browns Tonight" during football season. I also get my opportunities to direct "Indians On-Deck" and "Tribe Report" for SportsTime Ohio. I've also been the director of WKYC's "Susan G. Komen For The Cure" coverage the past two years, and look forward to directing it again this year.

I'm a 1999 graduate of Kent State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication where I received a degree in Radio/TV Production. After college, I worked as a production technician at WTOV-TV in Steubenville, Ohio for 6 years. There I worked my way up the ladder and with the help of some great people, was able to learn what it takes to be a good director.

I was very excited for the opportunity to then return home and work at the station that I grew up watching, WKYC. I've now been at WKYC for 2 1/2 years, and what a time it has been. In my time here, WKYC has converted to high definition, became the home of the Cleveland Indians with the birth of SportsTime Ohio, and also re-established its position as Cleveland's home for the Browns.

Now, as we continue to build our presence on the web, we bring you this unique look at Channel 3 News Today with our weekend morning show blog. We hope you enjoy this new venture, and we'll be talking with you soon!

Please email me with any questions or comments that you may have about our new blog, the weekend morning show, WKYC, High Definition or whatever else may be on your mind at...

Email: mbabb@wkyc.com

Happy Blogging!
Matt Babb, Director - WKYC, SportsTime Ohio

Starr Sightings: Inside Studio A - "What was Jeff doing?"

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:53:00 +0000

I turn my back for one second... and dear Jeff makes a cameo in the weather forecast. Now let me explain. Hollie was in for Bruce today. Each Sunday we feature a dog who needs a home. When the meteorologist is wrapping up the weather, they walk across the studio to the set where the dog is, and to tell our wonderful viewers how they can adopt the pooch. So as Hollie is set to begin the dog interview today, she is reading the 5 day forecast and Jeff suddenly appears on the screen! He strolls through and has no clue he is on the air. Hollie says hello to Jeff and asks him if he'd like to finish the weather. Poor Jeff only left the studio for a moment to get a cup of coffee, and ends up walking right through the chroma key (green screen used for weather forecasts) on his way back to the anchor desk.

If you are not familiar with a chroma key, here's how it works. The camera shoots a green wall, the meteorologist stands in front of the green wall, and then the video switcher replaces all of the green with the correct weather maps behind the meteorologist so viewers can see the maps with the meteorologist over top of the map. When the meteorologist leaves the key, the graphic and chroma key effect are still "hot" or on the air. Jeff then walked in front of the camera and his shortcut through the chroma key landed him a spot as guest meteorologist.

Now of course it is my job to make sure the anchors are in the right place at the right time. However, I was floor directing Hollie on the other side of the studio and had my back turned to the chroma key and did not see Jeff about to walk through. I can only imagine at this point what my boss must be thinking if he is watching from home! Luckily, we have fantastic on-air personalities on the morning show and Jeff played along and dabbled in weather for a moment. Hollie even joked with Jeff and Kim about taking over their set.

These are the moments that not only make us laugh, but also remind me of why I work in live television.

Stay tuned,
Jess Starr

To see Jeff stroll through the Chroma Key... Click Here

Starr Sightings: Inside Studio A - "The Job of a Production Assistant"

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:52:00 +0000

Hi everyone! My name is Jess Starr and I am a floor director here at WKYC. As a regular crew member for the weekend morning news, I look forward to giving you a look behind the scenes at what really happens on this show. Ever wonder what goes on during commercial breaks? Or what exactly the anchors are laughing about when we come back from break? From bloopers to breaking news, I see it all. "Starr Sightings: Inside Studio A" is your view into the studio through my eyes.

I came to Channel 3 in January of 2007 as an intern for the Good Company show. During my internship, I interviewed for a position at WKYC and began as a production assistant/floor director in the Spring of 2007. You may catch a glimpse of me now and then when there is a wide shot of the studio. I have also appeared on Good Company several times over the past year. I often switch shifts, so I have the opportunity to floor direct for all of the Channel 3 newscasts, sports shows and other WKYC broadcasts, as well as for SportsTime Ohio. I am a Kent State graduate... Go Flashes! I feel very fortunate to be able to begin my career right here at home in Cleveland.

Before I give you the inside details, here's a little information about my job. My weekend morning shift begins at 6:45. When the morning show director, Matt Babb, prints the rundown for the show, I copy and paste it in the correct order and distribute it to members of the crew, as well as the anchors and the meteorologist. The producer prints the scripts and I check to make sure we are not missing any. I give the anchors and the director each a copy. I mark my rundown (I love to color-code) so I know which cameras to point the anchors to during the show. I also floor direct the news and weather cut-ins until the show starts at 9:00.

Now... the fun part. When the show begins and Jeff, Kim and Bruce turn on their charm, there's no telling what the morning will bring. We often have guests in the studio for interviews on the morning show. This brings a nice variety to our unusual routine. I say unusual because working in live television is never quite normal. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Each day is a new adventure, with a new challenge of some sort. Quick thinking, accuracy, and adaptability are some of the most important parts of my job. Oh yes, and having a loud mouth. As floor director, I am the line of communication between the anchors and the control room. It is my duty to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as what is coming up in the show, including changes and time cues. It can get a little hectic in Studio A so I have to make sure Jeff and Kim hear me.

Another part of my job is switching sets around and making sure everything looks on-camera ready. During the weekday shifts, which I also work, there are at least two floor directors in the studio at once, but on the weekend morning shift, it's just me. This can make for a busy morning! It is truly a fun shift to work on because we all enjoy working together. We love what we do. These people are my WKYC family.

I hope you enjoy my updates from Studio A. Feel free to blog along with me! Or send me an email. I'd love to hear your feedback and answer your questions.

Email: jstarr@wkyc.com

Stay tuned,
Jess Starr

What's on "THE BIG FUN SHOW" today?

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:30:00 +0000

My name is Dawn and I technical direct (push all the buttons) for the weekend morning news. I arrive at 6am and load my file into the Sony MVS 8000 switcher, which is the piece of equipment that puts all of the video sources on the air during a newscast. Once it's loaded and ready for the day, my director, Matt will be come into the control room to direct Weather Plus updates for our Weather Plus channel. I always ask him "so what's on The Big Fun Show today?" Sometimes, if there is an author on the show, I may have a book to "freeze" (take a picture of inside the switcher) so that we can show it during the author's interview. Other times, I have artwork or items to freeze and manipulate in the switcher for interviews or topics that Jeff and Kim discuss.

We then get ready to do Today Show Cut-Ins. The Today Show provides local available time for TV stations to cut in and provide local news and weather. You'll see us cut in every Saturday starting around 7:05am with local weather. Bruce Kalinowski will tell you what kind of day we're gonna have. At around 7:25 either Jeff Maynor or Kim Wheeler will tell you what happening in local news. These cut-ins happen again at 7:55am, and 8:25am and you'll see Bruce do his weather updates around 7:05am, 7:35am, 8:05am and 8:35am. Sunday is a little different. The Today Show starts at 8:00am so you'll see Bruce around 8:05am with his first weather update and then you'll see Jeff or Kim around 8:25am with the local news. Then it's on to The Big Fun Show! I love this show. Jeff and Kim are my favorite anchors and Bruce will give you the most accurate weather forecast.

My other interest, outside of work, are my cats. I have lots of cats. I would like to use this forum to share ideas, take your questions and comments about the care and feeding of your cats. We can discuss products, food, toys and litter that you've tried and maybe we can rate the top products on a 1 to 4 paw scale. Maybe we can also get a weekend "Cat Scratch Forecast" from Bruce, similar to the way Hollie does "Dog Gone Weather" during the week. Then we can post some of your cat photos. So look for The Corner Scratch Post.

Email: dfischer@wkyc.com

Keep Watching!
Dawn

Guest Stars this morning for Channel 3 News Today

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:12:00 +0000

First, Hollie Strano will join Jeff and Kim this morning starting at 9am. Bruce Kalinowski will be in this evening for the vacationing AJ Colby.

Second, Caitlin Kollar will be producing this morning's show.

Join us starting at 9am on Channel 3!

Antiques Appraisal Day with Wes Cowan

WKYC Weekend Morning Show — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:48:00 +0000

As seen this morning on Channel 3 News Today...

Is it a treasure, trash or something in between? Find out by bringing in flea market finds or family heirlooms to the Western Reserve Historical Society on Saturday, April 12.

It's Antiques Appraisal Day with Wes Cowan from the PBS Shows, History Detectives and The Antiques Roadshow.

From 10am to 4pm you can bring in your items and have them appraised for just $10. (No more that 3 items per person) Items should be no bigger than a chair and carried in by hand. No coins, stamps, firearms, or automobiles please.

Welcome to the WKYC Weekend Morning Show Blog