Now we know what WLWT-TV will air at 7:30 p.m. following NBCUniversal’s cancellation of Access Hollywood in March: More local news.
WLWT-TV will become the first Cincinnati station with a one-hour local news block 7-8 p.m. weekdays on Monday Sept. 14. The new 7:30 p.m. report will be hosted by co-anchors Ashley Kirklen and Chris Jacobs, meteorologist Allison Rogers and sports director Charlie Clifford.
The competition at 7:30 p.m. as of now is Jeopardy! (WXIX-TV), Entertainment Tonight (WKRC-TV), The Perfect Line game show hosted by Deborah Norville (WCPO-TV); and reruns of Young Sheldon (WSTR-TV) and Modern Family (CW Cincinnati Channel 12.2).
Kirklen is the only 7:30 p.m. anchor who was part of the 7 p.m. launch on July 26, 2021, during the Summer Olympics. The 7 p.m. news premiered with co-anchors Kirklen and Steven Albritton and chief meteorologist Kevin Robinson. On Sept. 14, Channel 5 will broadcast five hours of news from 3-8 p.m., including the NBC Nightly News at 6:30 p.m.
“WLWT News 5 at 7 p.m. is now the No. 1 program in the time period, as our dedicated and veteran team has built a loyal audience who relies on us for news at that hour. We are excited to provide more critical local news and weather for our growing viewership,” said news director Jeff Benscoter in the station’s announcement Monday. It was exactly five years to the day when WLWT-TV announced its new 7 p.m. and 4 p.m. newscasts.
Access Hollywood, hosted by Mario Lopez, has been on the air for nearly 30 years, according to the Hollywood Reporter. NBCUniversal announced in March it was getting out of the first run syndication business and cancelling Access Hollywood, Access Live and the Steve Wilkos and Karamo Brown talk shows. Wilkos, a former Jerry Springer show security guard, got his own show in 2007.
Read more:
