WXIX-TV has moved anchor Meagan O'Rourke to mornings to replace Amber Jayanth, while WCPO-TV has promoted Adrian Whitsett from Good Morning Tri-State to main evening co-anchor to fill Craig McKee’s chair.
And WLWT-TV has elevated reporter Nicole Aponte to weekend morning anchor 16 months after graduating from Syracuse University.
Here are the latest TV newsroom changes this summer:
WCPO-TV
After filling in on the evening news since anchor Craig McKee left for Phoenix, Adrian Whitsett has been given the job. Whitsett, the Marine veteran of the Iraq war, was hired five years ago to co-anchor mornings with Julie O'Neill. He has contributed reports to Channel 9’s “Finding Solutions” series.
“Adrian brings to the evening position what he built over the last several years in the morning — he’s a strong, engaging anchor who has connected with people in the community through his impactful reporting on a wide range of issues, such as teen violence, mental health and drug abuse,” through Channel 9’s 'Finding Solutions" reports, says Jeff Brogan, WCPO-TV vice president and general manager.
“We are looking forward to having Adrian continue to get out into different neighborhoods and talk with people about what’s on their minds.”
Whitset was hired in August 2020 from Orlando’s WESH-TV, where he was weekend anchor and a reporter. He was born in Hawaii, and spent most of his childhood in Omaha. His wife is a graduate of East Central High School in St. Leon, Ind., who has family in Lawrenceburg, Sunman, Brookville, Delhi Township, Western Hills and Hyde Park.
Brogan says Kristen Skovira will anchor Good Morning Tri-State solo while the station searches for a new morning co-anchor.
WXIX-TV
The changes continue at Channel 19 after morning co-anchor Amber Jayanth left for Nashville and the station canceled NOW in the 'Nati in June.
Meagan O'Rourke, hired two years ago from Dayton to co-anchor afternoon and evening newscasts with Jayanth and Tricia Macke, now anchors Fox 19 NOW mornings with Florida native Alexis Cruz. They’re the fourth Fox 19 morning team seen by viewers in 16 months.
Dan Wells, the longtime morning co-anchor, has been moved again by the station. The 17-year veteran now co-anchors the chatty 9 a.m. Fox 19 Now Xtra newscasts with reporter Jordan Vilines and traffic reporter Stefano DiPietrantonio. Former WKRC-TV meteorologist Brad Maushart, hired in April, takes over weather duties at 10 a.m. Fox 19 is airing new promotions for its morning teams.
O'Rouke, a 1999 Xenia High School and 2003 Miami University graduate, is in her second stint at Fox 19. She was hired from Dayton’s WDTN-TV in 2014, and returned to Dayton in 2016 to be morning anchor at WKEF-TV/WRGT-TV. In 2018, she was named main evening anchor at Channel 22 and 45. When she returned to WXIX-TV in 2023, she anchored head-to-head against WCPO-TV’s Tanya O'Rourke (no relation) at 5 p.m.
Cruz, hired last December, grew up in Miami, Fla. The 2017 University of Florida graduate previously worked at stations in Gainesville, Fla.; New Bern, N.C.; and West Palm Beach.
“My dream was always to be a morning news anchor and I could not be more thrilled to fulfill that dream in the Tri-State,” Cruz says in her WXIX-TV bio. “This dream began when I was in elementary school. My mom would make sure to have the morning news on while getting me ready for school, and I genuinely looked forward to seeing our local news anchors each day."
The Fox 19 Now morning news desk has been a revolving door for 15 months:
In May last year, Jayanth and Julie O'Neill replaced Lauren Minor, Dan Wells and Andrea Finney as morning anchors. Minor and Wells were given other morning duties. Minor left the station abruptly in July last year and now works for a station in Lexington, Ky. Finney was named an investigative reporter and left Fox 19 in October. Then O'Neill left the station abruptly in August last year, and Wells returned to early morning show to co-anchor with Jayanth.
Popular morning meteorologist Frank Marzullo left Fox 19 in February after 18 years while station managers were looking to replace chief meteorologist Steve Horstmeyer, who has delayed his retirement to later this month. Catherine Bodak, an 11-year veteran, took over weekday morning forecasts. No word yet from Marzullo on if he’s found a new TV gig.
Channel 19 also lost Sunday night news anchor/reporter Courtney King on July 30. She left the station after nearly six years to “be closer to my family and friends in Illinois.” She’s from Chicago, graduated from DePaul University in 2011 and worked for the Chicago-based Big Ten Network in 2014. She came to WXIX-TV from WACH-TV in Columbia, S.C.
NOW in the 'Nati
At the end of July, WXIX-TV’s NOW in the ‘Nati original co-host Abby Urban left Channel 19, a month after the half-hour lifestyle show was canceled after 18 months. However, she has continued to be seen in taped segments airing in the 10 a.m. hour of Fox 19 Now Xtra.
Channel 19 photographer Larry Deal says she’s going to Philadelphia, the nation’s No. 4 TV market. Urban refused to confirm this, and says she will make an announcement on social media later.
Deal predicts big things for Urban, a 2023 University of Notre Dame graduate who had co-hosted a lifestyle show in South Bend before coming to Cincinnati.
“She’s only 24, (and) real good in front of the camera. I’m predicting by 30 you will see her on some network show. Good luck to her,” Deal says.
WLWT-TV
Nicole Aponte, hired out of Syracuse University a year ago, has taken over Channel 5’s morning weekend anchor seat. Part-time staffer Tiffany Wilson has resigned as weekend anchor to spend more time with her growing family.
Courtis Fuller tells me that the Long Island-native is one of the most impressive young journalists known at Channel 5. While at Syracuse, Aponte won a national 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award for her story about the Special Olympics equestrian team; anchored and reported for the student-run Citrus TV station; and interned at NBC’s Today show and WCBS-TV in New York. She also had three Ohio Valley regional Emmy Award nominations in her first year of eligibility.
News Director Jeff Benscoter praised her reporting on many major stories for News 5 Today.
“From the deadly tornadoes that tore through Kentucky, to the ‘Big Mac Bridge’ fire, to the death of Deputy Larry Henderson, she has been a frontline reporter on our top-rated morning newscast,” he says.
At the same time, Channel 5 has lost reporter Rachel Hirschheimer. After three years at the Hearst-owned station here, she’s headed to the Hearst Washington bureau.
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