For the second time in eight months, WLWT-TV has filled a sports vacancy with an anchor-reporter from WISH-TV in Indianapolis.
Charlie Clifford, who left WISH-TV in January after six years to freelance, joins former colleague Olivia Ray at Cincinnati's NBC affiliate. The 2014 Miami University graduate and Illinois native fills the void from the retirement of sports director George Vogel March 31.
"Thank you to everyone who has helped me out along the way, and to NBC 5 WLWT for this special opportunity. Cincinnati was always going to be a special place for our family. Now it's home," said Clifford on Twitter Thursday. He met his wife Colleen, a Cincinnati native, while both were attending Miami University. Clifford also interned in the WKRC-TV sports department his senior year at Miami.
Clifford debuts next week as an anchor-reporter "covering the Bengals and the NFL draft," the station announced. The draft is Thursday-Saturday April 27-29.
The former Miami Student newspaper sports columnist started his career as an associate producer for WGN-AM in Chicago in 2014 before taking a weekend sports anchor-reporter position at WKBT-TV in LaCrosse, Wisc. He joined WISH-TV in January 2017.
In addition to his TV work, Clifford was a regular guest radio host for WFNI 107.5 FM The Fan and a fill-in play-by-play broadcaster for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, Ball State University, Xavier University and the Indiana High School Sports Association. He has freelanced for ESPN+ NCAA basketball and volleyball; FloSports' NCAA baseball; football, swimming and diving.
While in college he did play-by-play for RedHawks football, basketball and baseball for WMSR RedHawk Radio, the student-run radio station, and was a sports anchor at MUTV.
“Charlie’s experience reporting on the NFL, college and high school sports will be key to WLWT News 5 Leading the Way in the Cincinnati sports world," said Jeff Benscoter, WLWT news director, in the station announcement.
WLWT-TV hired Ray in August to replace sports anchor-reporter Brandon Saho, who left to start a
mental health podcast.
Another new face arrives May 1 on Channel 5. Chris Jacobs from Texas will anchor the 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts. He fills the void from Steve Albritton moving to mornings last October when Colin Mayfield went to Charlotte, N.C.
