CBS affiliate WOIO is changing its branding from 19 Action News to Cleveland 19 News. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports viewers will see the change Monday.
“The old Channel 19 format was attention-getting, and it served its purpose for a station that didn’t have a newscast and wanted to start one,” said WOIO gm Dominic Mancuso. “But it was more about the brand and the presentation. This is going to be more about the stories, with less of the hyperbole.”
The Plain Dealer also reports on the station’s recent changes including the addition of Mark Nolan as co-anchor of the 4 and 6 p.m. newscasts with Romona Robinson.
Robinson’s current 6 p.m. co-anchor, Denise Dufala, will continue to anchor the 11 p.m. newscast with Robinson. She also will anchor the 5-6 p.m. newscast with David Wittman.
The morning newscast is getting an overhaul, with recent hire Tia Ewing debuting as the new anchor on Tuesday. She joined Channel 19 after three years at KTXL Channel 40, the Fox affiliate in Sacramento, California. Reporter Brian Duffy is going back to mornings as her co-anchor.
Another recent WOIO hire, Q McCray, will anchor the 4:30-5 a.m. and noon newscast with Laura DeMaria. McCray had been with KABC Channel 7, the ABC-owned station in Los Angeles.
Colleen Seitz, the director of new media at WEWS Channel 5, is joining Channel 19 as the director of digital content. She starts the first week of September.
Danielle Serino confirmed on her Facebook page this week that she’s leaving Channel 19. Her last day on the air will be Thursday.
“They are going to a more traditional style of news, and they do not feel my style of journalism is consistent with the new format,” Serino wrote on her Facebook page. “As we all know, I am far from traditional. I am truly OK with that. What I am sorry for is I will no longer be able to share my work with you.”