WTAE-TV is switching up anchor duties among some of its established talent and, in some cases, expanding their roles with Channel 4.
The station on Tuesday announced a slew of lineup changes to its news programs that will take effect March 7. They include:
• Janelle Hall and Ryan Recker joining Michelle Wright as morning co-anchors from 4:30 to 7 a.m.
• Kelly Sasso joining Mike Clark as a 6 p.m. co-anchor while also continuing on as a 4 p.m. co-anchor with Andrew Stockey.
• Chandi Chapman becoming a weekend evening solo anchor on WTAE’s 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. shows alongside meteorologist Brian Hutton Jr. and sports anchor Guy Junker. She will also contribute to weekday newscasts as a reporter.
“Each of these team members are exceptional storytellers with deep local roots,” WTAE news director Jim Parsons said in a press release. “We are so fortunate to have dedicated journalists who keep our community’s best interest at the forefront of our coverage every day.”
This shuffling of anchors comes a few months after longtime WTAE weekday morning Kelly Frey departed the station abruptly following a contract dispute. Channel 4’s morning news team will now include Hall, Recker, Wright, traffic reporter Elena LaQuatra and meteorologist Ashley Dougherty.
Hall celebrated her new role in an emotional Facebook post about how joining WTAE’s morning news crew will allow her to spend more time with her three young children.
“[N]ow, I will be there: after school, at the dinner table, at bedtime, on the sidelines cheering them on — all moments that I don’t want to look back and regret missing,” Hall wrote. “And I get the chance to be with all of you early morning risers again — who turn to us in the morning before you start your day.”
Recker also expressed his excitement on Facebook, calling it “truly a special moment for me both personally and professionally.” So did Chapman, who wrote that “being able to bring you news that’s important to you while being part of this team is very exciting and fun.”
Sasso joked on Facebook that her gift to Clark on his birthday was becoming his co-anchor on WTAE’s 6 p.m. newscast.
“I quite literally grew up watching Mike and so being named his official co-anchor is thrilling,” Sasso wrote. “There's nothing like surrounding yourself with the best.”
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxelburgh.
First Published: February 1, 2022, 8:48 p.m.
