Cincinnati.com
No more revolving door. That’s the goal of Stacy Owen, the new WLWT-TV (Channel 5) news director.
“Every decision we’re making is to see what is the best long-term play for us. No changes for the sake of change,” says Owen, who arrived from KXTV-TV in Sacramento, Calif., four weeks ago.
Owen uses the same terms describing the chief meteorologist she’ll hire to replace Derek Beasley, who quit in August. Beasley’s successor will be the station’s seventh chief forecaster in 12 years.
“We’re looking for someone who will be a long-term player in the market,” says Owen, who worked 13 years at San Francisco’s KRON-TV.
“It’s a very important position, and we’re being very careful in this hire,” she says. Her search includes internal candidates, she says.
Change has been the one constant since Channel 5 was No. 1 in the ratings, when Jerry Springer anchored in 1991. While the main anchor duos remained the same at top-rated Channels 12 and 9, News 5 viewers have seen Norma Rashid, Dave Wagner, Anne Marie Tiernon, Sandra Ali and Sheree Paolello. More…