It’s not often that a major news correspondent leaves one of the legacy “big three” news organizations to take a job at the affiliate level.
In an unprecedented move, Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 has made official the hiring of CBS News correspondent/”Evening News” weekend anchor Russ Mitchell as their new evening news managing editor, and primary 6pm/11pm weeknight anchor. He succeeds Romona Robinson, who left WKYC on December 16 after her contract ran out.
Russ’ start date at WKYC is January 16. His last day at CBS News will be Christmas Eve. A co-anchor will be announced soon as well, per GM Brooke Spectorsky’s comments to TV Spy and the Plain Dealer.
Russ had been a part of CBS News for the past 20 years, being the first anchor of the overnight “Up To The Minute” in 1992, later contributing to the short-lived “Eye to Eye with Connie Chung” and “48 Hours.” Most recently, he was the anchor of “The Saturday Early Show” and the weekend editions of the “CBS Evening News,” in addition to being the network’s top correspondent and a regular contributor to the “CBS Evening News” and “CBS News Sunday Morning.” He has also reported on the devastation of Hurricane Frances, the Columbia shuttle disaster, the war in Bosnia, the attacks of September 11th 2001, the assassination of Osama Bin Laden, every presidential campaign since 1992 and four presidential inaugurations.
Prior to joining CBS, Russ reported and anchored for stations in Dallas, Kansas City and his native St. Louis.
More at TV Spy, TV Newser (which features the memo from CBS News president David Rhodes), Broadcasting & Cable, The Plain Dealer, WKYC.com and WKYC’s Director’s Cut.
Wow! This is a big “get” for WKYC! Finally, some real competition for WEWS & WJW. {I won’t include 19 Classless News, a chimpanzee would be more along their line of competition}
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that is huge! I like Russ – always have! Wouldn’t he and Romona have made a great team? Stay tuned, eh? Thanks and Merry Christmas!
This is a heck of a shock. I was sure that CBS News was grooming Mitchell for “The CBS Evening News” anchor chair once Katie Couric or Scott Pelley fell by the wayside. Mitchell leaving CBS News to work at WKYC is a HUGE mistake for him to make. He will regret this for the rest of his life. How can WKYC afford Mitchell’s salary? Gannett has been laying off people left and right, on and off camera. Russ Mitchell would not do this unless Gannett put up A LOT of money on the table. I just don’t see that happening in one of the poorest media markets in the United States. This deal makes no sense whatsoever.
One of the poorest markets in the United States? Check again. Cleveland is in the top 20 largest markets in the United States.
Wow such a surprise that Romona Robertson is leaving. Is she going to a difference station?
His kids are going to kill him in his sleep. If I was a 16-year-old living in NYC, moving to Cleveland would not be at the top of my list of things to do.