COVINGTON, KY. — The Sinclair Inc.-owned CBS affiliate serving Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky will be airing its final local weekend newscasts on July 18 and 19, concluding 35 years of Saturday and Sunday coverage of Cincinnati and its surrounding communities.
The decision to conclude the multi-hour newscasts on WKRC-TV “LOCAL 12” in Cincinnati was first made known via social media, on the Facebook page of veteran producer Doug Lillibridge, who has been in local television since 2004 and also serves as President of Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
“I’ve been in the news business for 2 days short of 46 1/2 years,” he wrote late last week. “That chapter may be closed. Maybe not. Gazing into the future. If you have an idea for my next chapter, I’m all ears.”
Sports reporter Richard Skinner also took to Facebook to confirm his departure from WKRC-TV, saluting his 40-year career by sharing a link to a Local12.com web page that has since been removed. He planned on retiring in August with the expiration of his contract, Kiesewetter reported.
Longtime Cincinnati media industry reporter John Kiesewetter reports that Aleah Hordges, anchor of Good Morning Cincinnati on “LOCAL 12” and co-owned WSTR-TV “Star 64” in Cincinnati, has also departed after four years. She joined Sinclair/Cincinnati in July 2022 from WISH-8 in Indianapolis, where she had spent three years as a multimedia journalist and reporter.
Up to seven positions are believed to be reduced by Sinclair in the effort, Kiesewetter report.
According to a company spokesperson, the elimination of the weekend local newscasts are part of a plan to “support” the addition of a 3pm weekday newscast, to be launched in September.
“To support this expansion and position the station for long-term sustainability, we are making operational changes, including the discontinuation of our weekend morning newscast effective this month and the elimination of a small number of positions,” the company representative said. “This newscast will increase our local news coverage hours and further our commitment to delivering timely, relevant local journalism … These were difficult decisions, and we are grateful to the talented individuals affected by them. WKRC remains committed to delivering strong local news and content to the Cincinnati community.”
WCPO-9, the ABC affiliate and flagship property of The E.W. Scripps Co.; and WLWT-5, the Hearst Television-owned NBC affiliate, air 6am Saturday newscasts; the 8am Sunday hour sees local newscasts on WCPO and Gray Media-owned FOX affiliate WXIX-19.
What is replacing the weekend newscasts on WKRC-TV?
As of July 25, the Saturday lineup, as reported by Kiesewetter, is as follows:
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5-6 a.m.: Sinclair’s The National New Desk – Weekend Edition.
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6 a.m.: Full Measure with Sharyl Attkinsson.
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6:30 a.m.: Cincinnati Refined.
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7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.: Paid programming.
