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For more than 30 years, John Kiesewetter has been the source for information about all things in local media — comings and goings, local people appearing on the big or small screen, special programs, and much more. Contact John at johnkiese@yahoo.com.

WCPO-TV Hires Replacement For Julie Dolan

Courtesy WCPO-TV
Ryan Houston

Weekend news anchor Ryan Houston from Jackson, Miss., will debut the week of Jan. 16 as co-anchor of WCPO-TV's "The NOW Cincinnati" with Tanya O'Rourke.

Houston replaces newlywed Julie Dolan, who moved to Louisville  after November sweeps to be with her husband and co-anchor WLKY-TV's morning news.

An Arkansas native, Houston starts at Channel 9 this week. He's the first male African-American anchor hired by Channel 9 since main news co-anchor Clyde Gray left the station in June 2014.

For two years, Houston has co-anchored the 6 and 10 p.m. weekend news at WAPT-TV, Hearst's ABC affiliate in Jackson.  Before that he was weekend anchor, political reporter and "government watchdog specialist at WRDW-TV in Augusta, Ga., where he won Associated Press awards for his investigations and anchoring," according to Channel 9's announcement.  He earned a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 2010.

“Ryan is a high-caliber journalist who will have an immediate positive impact at 9 On Your Side," said Chip Mahaney, Channel 9 news director, in the media release. "His expertise in investigative reporting and fighting for his community will be a great fit for the station and the communities we serve.”

Houston, oldest of four brothers, "dedicates his spare time to volunteerism, working with various agencies and churches," according to Channel 9's release. His WAPT-TV bio also said he likes "lifting weights and attending church."

Dolan, a Sycamore High School graduate, was hired in fall of 2014 for the premier of “The NOW Cincinnati." The original Scripps program replaced the "Ellen DeGeneres Show," which switched to Channel 5.

John Kiesewetter, who has covered television and media for more than 35 years, has been working for Cincinnati Public Radio and WVXU-FM since 2015.