For WCPO-TV meteorologist Brandon Spinner, it鈥檚 the lure of his passion for his Whiskey Weather show on YouTube.
For Katie Kenney, co-host of WXIX-TV鈥檚 NOW in the 鈥楴ati lifestyle show, it was a chance to work for her hometown school system, Centerville City Schools.
For Annie Brown, it鈥檚 just goodbye after two years reporting for WKRC-TV鈥檚 Good Morning Cincinnati.
And for meteorologist Frank Marzullo, who abruptly left WXIX-TV after 18 years in February, it was time to announce his new gig 鈥� a temporary, fill-in weather job in Cleveland, his hometown market.
It鈥檚 been a dizzying few days of TV staff changes after the May ratings鈥� sweeps ended on Wednesday, May 21. As usual.
Here鈥檚 what you need to know:
BRANDON SPINNER, WCPO-TV
Weekend meteorologist Brandon Spinner prepares his final Channel 9 forecast Tuesday to take a shot at whiskey.
鈥淲hile I won鈥檛 rule out another stint as a broadcast meteorologist down the road, I鈥檓 excited to announce that I'm embarking on a new (well, old) adventure . . . my other passion: Whiskey,鈥� says Spinner, who has spent the last three years of his 13-year weather career at Channel 9.
Spinner does , Instagram, or TikTok. 鈥淎s I step away from TV, I will be putting a lot of my efforts into that passion . . . It's a thrilling opportunity to connect with you all in new and creative ways,鈥� he says.
The Chicago-area native, and a 2013 graduate of Valparaiso University in Indiana, began his TV career as weekend meteorologist at KQDS-TV in Duluth, Minnesota. He also worked for TV stations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Huntsville, Alabama, before being hired by Channel 9 in April 2022.
It turns out, his WCPO-TV bio offered a hint of what鈥檚 to come: 鈥淚 am a big Bourbon Enthusiast and am excited to travel the Bourbon Trail and other local distilleries and bars,鈥� .
In his he said 鈥渋t鈥檚 hard to put into words what this (TV) industry and business has meant to me. From the weather events I鈥檝e covered, the coworkers I have worked alongside, and the viewers I have met, it has been an honor to have served the four markets I have been on-air in. It feels surreal to say goodbye to an industry that has been my passion.鈥�
KATIE KENNEY, WXIX-TV
Like Spinner, Katie Kenney is leaving the TV business. She worked 11 years for Dayton鈥檚 WDTN-TV (Channel 2) before coming to WXIX-TV last July to replace Julie O鈥橬eill on NOW in the 鈥楴ati, after O鈥橬eill moved from the daytime lifestyle show to Fox 19 in the Morning.
The 2000 Centerville High School and 2004 Miami University graduate will become the community relations specialist for Centerville City Schools on June 13.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored to step into this role. It鈥檚 a full-circle moment to serve Centerville City Schools and tell the stories of the district that helped shape who I am,鈥� she said on social media.
After college, Kenney was marketing director for Heidelberg Distributing (2004-07) and worked for the LexisNexis marketing staff (2007-11). For Channel 2 she produced The Valley, Dayton鈥檚 first reality TV series, and was an anchor/reporter/host for Living Dayton and for WDTN 2 News.
ANNIE BROWN, WKRC-TV
Reporter Annie Brown on Facebook May 20 鈥� one day before sweeps ended 鈥� saying she was leaving Channel 12 at the end of May after two years.
鈥淭o say these past two years have been a blessing would be an understatement. I'm terrible at goodbyes, and often avoid them because they're hard for me ... and this one gets me so emotional,鈥� says Brown, a Lexington native who worked for her hometown WTVQ-TV 18 months after graduating from Asbury University, a Christian liberal arts school in Wilmore, Kentucky, in 2021.
鈥淚 came to Local 12 as a very young, very inexperienced journalist. I was healing, I was learning, and I was desperate for a place that could encourage me and help me grow. I found just that in the people I've had the privilege to work with during my time here.... A piece of my heart will always be with Local 12,鈥� she says.
鈥淎nd while I鈥檓 sad to leave, I can鈥檛 wait to share what鈥檚 in store next. Stay tuned.鈥�
FRANK MARZULLO
After being unemployed for three months, former Fox 19 in the Morning meteorologist Frank Marzullo has found part-time work in Cleveland鈥檚 WEWS-TV, a sister Scripps station to WCPO-TV.
鈥淲hile Cincinnati is home now, I am originally from Cleveland, so it鈥檚 a full circle moment being able to help out for a couple of months at the station I grew up watching,鈥� Marzullo says.
Marzullo can鈥檛 work on TV in Cincinnati because of a non-compete clause in his Channel 19 contract. It is not known how long he鈥檚 prevented from appearing on another station here. (Julie O鈥橬eill had to wait a year before appearing on Channel 19 after being fired by Channel 9.)
The Youngstown State University graduate said he built TV news sets in his basement as a kid, with a WEWS-TV鈥檚 鈥渃ircle 5鈥� logo.
鈥淵es, I am geeking out just a bit, but with time on my hands while I wait for my next Cincinnati move, this is a perfect situation for me to say I worked at Ohio's first television station,鈥� he says.
He will start in Cleveland in early June, and be up there a few days a week, he says.
鈥淪tay tuned as I continue to look at opportunities here in Cincinnati, as this is home for the kids. Also thanks to my wife, Paige and the kids, for holding down the fort here at home while I am up north the next several weeks,鈥� Marzullo says.
After his summer stint at Scripps' Cleveland station, could he become the replacement for Spinner at WCPO-TV, Scripps' Cincinnati station?
Stay tuned.
Read more:
