Mitch's Media Musings - June 2025

Mitch's Media Musings

May 16 - June 15, 2025

General

The big story this month has CBS moving its affiliation from WANF TV to WUPA. It happens on Aug. 16, meaning WANF becomes an independent station and WUPA starts carrying CBS programing. WUPA will be branded "CBS Atlanta" and will launch a new CBS News Atlanta streaming channel.

• WANF owner Gray Media says they're going to invest financial and other resources in the station "to enable it to transition successfully to a strong independent local television station."

• More on this from WANF and from TVNewsCheck.

• Click here for more perspective from WANF TV General Manager Erik Schrader and TV industry experts in an expanded post .

Atlanta Constitution

• Former staffer Jennifer Brett joins The Tennessean as News Director

• The paper launches a new newsletter, Sweet Tea. What's it about? The paper says it's "our first content product targeting the South. From the Ohio River to the Gulf, AJ [the editor] will be working to elevate the most interesting and impactful stories from across the region. It'll be a mix of AJC reporting along with great storytelling from publications all across the region. If you're a journalist - or a content creator, we're focused on storytelling in whatever format it may come in - working in the South, reach out and pitch your most interesting work to AJ for consideration." More details.

• David Plazas joins as Opinion Editor. He oins from The Tennessean. He replaces Jamie Riley who departs the paper. Details here.

• Reporter Mirtha Donastorg says they're shifting the focus of the Her+Story feature a little bit away from profiles. Here's an example of the type of story they'd like to focus on now.

Atlanta Voice - Tabius McCoy joins as business and economic reporter

CNN - Former CNN researcher Nicolle S. Praino has been named the editor (first female editor) of the Nashville Post. Details here.

Forsyth County News - We've added several new staffers to the Leff's Atlanta Media database

• MIchelle Hall, Managing Editor

• Nick Sullivan, Sports Editor

• Daniel Dotson, Reporter

• Travis Jaudan, Reporter

Georgia Recorder - Changes at this online outlet following the retirement of editor John McCosh.

• Jill Nolin is now the editor of the Georgia bureau

• Ross Williams - Deputy Editor focusing on education and economic inequality

• Stanley Dunlap - Senior Editor focusing on energy and environmental topics

• Maya Homan - Reporter focusing on state politics, voting rights, immigration

NBC41 - Tyrik Wynn joins NBC 41 in Macon as morning anchor.

State Affairs - Beau Evans is the new Bureau Chief in Georgia

Telemundo - Susan Oh has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations

WABE

• The station will launch the "The City Lights Collective" on July 7 at 1 p.m. It's a new weekday show focused on Atlanta's arts and culture scene. It'll be hosted by Kim Drobes (she'll also be the show's executive producer) and co-hosted by Jon Goode, an Emmy-nominated writer, poet, and host of The Moth's Atlanta events.  ArtsATL’s Executive Editor Shane Harrison and Editor-at-Large Kelundra Smith will be contributors on the new show! Summer Evans will be part of the team as Arts Reporter and Gillian Renault will be contributing covering primarily dance.

WAGA TV / Fox5

• In the latest episode of Deidra Dukes Reports, Deidra focues on "Silver Years Golden Care." Check it out via this link.

• The station has disbanded its long running (48 years), award-winning, highy respected, highly feared I-Team. The AJC's Rodney Ho reports.

WANF TV / Atlanta News First - Check out their new series, "Do My Job," where one of the hosts of ATL Live learns the basics of a trade and then is tested by the professional. Contact them at info@atlliveshow.com.

WXIA TV / 11Alice

• John Dodge joins as Digital Director

• Cheryl Preheim moves from morning anchor to anchoring the 4 p.m. show. She'll be on the desk with Faith Jessie. She'll also be leading extended streaming coverage on their digital channel, 11Alive+, and leads the "Better Works" series, highlighting efforts to help Atlantans gain access to training and resources to advance their careers.

• Jonathan Martin moves to a morning anchor role

• Starting June 9, “The Take” will expand to one hour – now running from 9-10 a.m.! It’ll remain on 11Alive+, but will also be simulcast on WATL (Ch. 36).

• Rachel Cox-Rosen joins as Traffic Anchor on the morning shows, coming from WINK TV in Ft. Meyers, FL

• Sefenech Henok joins as a MultiSkilled Journalist (MMJ) from WSYX in Columbus, OH.

News from the PR Dept

• Decaturish reports on the first-ever ICey Awards, recognizing the work of Georgia-based independent PR professionals. Link here.

• Lance Wallace departs Oglethorpe University for a position as senior vice president of external affairs at Georgia Student Finance Commission.

• Stephanie Still is now a Senor Communications Manager at Delta Air Lines

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