Some personnel announcements from HLN today: the network has officially named Lynn Berry the host of “HLN Weekend Express” and Brian McFayden sports correspondent for “Morning Express With Robin Meade,” as well as hiring Ali Nejad and Yasmin Vossoughian as correspondents.
“The addition of Lynn and Brian to Weekend Express and Morning Express, respectively, further amps up the energy and infectiousness of two of HLN’s signature shows,” HLN general manager Albie Hecht said in a statement. “And we welcome Ali and Yasmin to the fold whose style, wit and smarts will resonate with people watching and engaging across all platforms.”
Berry has been filling in on “Weekend Express” since December. McFayden has been the sports correspondent on “Morning Express” since he joined HLN earlier this year.
As for the new correspondents: Nejad will be HLN’s Los Angeles-based correspondent covering general news and entertainment. He comes from ESPN, where he hosts a weekly “SportsCenter” segment featuring interviews with celebrities and athletes. Vossoughian, who will cover entertainment and breaking news, comes from AOL, where she is a correspondent and host.
More after the jump.
LYNN BERRY NAMED HOST OF HLN WEEKEND EXPRESS
Brian McFayden Named Sports Correspondent on HLN’s Morning Express With Robin Meade; Ali Nejad, Yasmin Vossoughian Join HLN as Correspondents
Lynn Berry, who had been filling in on Weekend Express since December has been named host, and Brian McFayden, has been named sports anchor, Morning Express with Robin Meade. Joining HLN as correspondents are Ali Nejad and Yasmin Vossoughian, all effective in May. The announcement was made by Albie Hecht, executive vice president & general manager, HLN.
“The addition of Lynn and Brian to Weekend Express and Morning Express, respectively, further amps up the energy and infectiousness of two of HLN’s signature shows,” said @AlbieHechtHLN. “And we welcome Ali and Yasmin to the fold whose style, wit and smarts will resonate with people watching and engaging across all platforms.”
Berry joined HLN in fall 2013 and had previously served as anchor of NBC-TV’s Early Today, and MSNBC’s First Look since 2010. Earlier Berry was a reporter for WNBC in New York and WCAU in Philadelphia. Similar to HLN’s popular weekday program Morning Express with Robin Meade, Weekend Express with Lynn Berry (Saturdays and Sundays 7am-1pm ET), covers the day’s trending news, and features lifestyle information presented in a style geared toward weekend viewing. Whether testing unusual confections like bacon doughnuts, showcasing a stylist’s sampling of red carpet fashions, demonstrating the latest fitness workouts, or revealing money saving consumer tips, Berry serves as the weekend viewers’ guide to sharable news and information.
McFayden, who has been handling sports duties on Morning Express (Monday to Friday, 6am-12 noon ET) for several months, has been officially named sports correspondent, contributing Bleacher Report segments to the popular weekday program. A one-time host of MTV’s Total Request Live and MTV News, his sports background includes hosting college sports programs for the Campus Insiders Digital Network and appearances on Fox Sports Network’s Best Damn Sports Show.
Nejad, a social media mainstay with nearly one million Twitter followers, joins HLN in May as its LA-based correspondent covering general news and entertainment. Born and raised in the San Francisco area, Nejad has spent his career covering everything from current events, to video games, to poker, to college sports for the likes of NBC, ESPN, and Fox Sports 1. In 2012, he covered college football as the host of ESPNU’s Road Trip, and currrently hosts ESPN Sportcenter’s weekly “Guinness Suite” segment, interviewing celebrities and athletes.
Vossoughian joins HLN as a correspondent covering a variety of beats including entertainment and breaking news. Prior to joining HLN, she was a host and producer for a live news and entertainment program at AOL and earlier was a reporter for NY1 and the video news program oneminutenews.com.