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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.

WLWT-TV Hires New Anchor

Courtesy WLWT-TV
Indiana native Steven Albritton joins the WLWT-TV anchor desk in October.

Kansas City's Steven Albritton will join the WLWT-TV anchor desk in October, as Channel 5 shuffles its lineup for fall.

Albritton, a 2009 Ball State University and a Carmel High School graduate, and Ashley Kirklen will replace newlyweds Sheree Paolello and Mike Dardis anchoring at 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Albritton also will take over the 10 p.m. weekday news on MeTV (Channel 5.2), which either Paolello or Dardis have anchored in recent years.

Credit Courtesy WLWT-TV
Ashley Kirklen was hired by WLWT-TV in August 2018.

Albritton was a multiimedia journalist and anchor at KATC-TV in Lafayette, La., 2012-2016 before going to Kansas City's KMBC-TV. He also was the head cheerleading coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette 2014-2016.

Kirklen, a Gary native, was hired a year ago from WGXA-TV in Macon, Ga. She previously worked for a TV station in Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and taught English in South Korea.

"This expansion of our anchor roster not only adds two very qualified members to our team, it provides expanded opportunities for Sheree and Mike," said Branden Frantz, Channel 5 president and general manager, in a WLWT-TV statement.

Paolello and Dardis, who married in late May, will continue to anchor at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

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.