Holly Morris, co-host of Good Day DC on WTTG Washington, D.C., is departing the station and local TV altogether. She announced this on Good Day DC March 15. Morris celebrated 25 years at the station in December. 

Morris read a column from the journalist Ellen Goodman on the air after sharing how former Good Day DC anchor Lark McCarthy shared the column when she stepped down, and how former WTTG anchor Cynthia Steele had passed it down to McCarthy when she stepped down. 

It read, in part: “The trick to the graceful exit — it begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, a relationship is over and to let go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance in our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving on, rather than out.”

Morris added: “The trick of retiring well may be the trick of living well. It’s hard to recognize that life isn’t a holding action, but a process.”

Morris is a host on the 10-11 a.m. piece of Good Day DC. She also works on the station’s “Pay It Forward” campaign. A Duke graduate, she worked in Steubenville, Ohio, and Lexington, Kentucky, before arriving in Washington. 

WTTG, known as Fox 5, is part of Fox Television Stations. 

Morris noted that her resignation is “100% my decision.” She did not offer a departure date. 

She said, “There are not enough words in the dictionary to express how thankful I am for my coworkers and our viewers who have lived life with me, celebrating my highest highs and shepherding me through my lowest lows.”

Annie Mae has joined WTTG Washington as traffic reporter on Fox 5 News Morning and Good Day DC, in the 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. block. 

Mae is the in-arena host for the NHL’s Washington Capitals and a social contributor for Bleacher Report’s hockey brand, Open Ice. She will continue in the Capitals host role. 

“Fox 5 has a new superstar!” said VP and news director Paul McGonagle said. “Annie revs up Washington Capitals fans at every home game and now she will bring that unparalleled energy to Fox 5 viewers each morning on the DMV's No. 1 morning show.”

DMV is short for D.C., Maryland and Virginia. 

Fox Television Stations owns WTTG. 

Mae was previously social correspondent on the NHL's YouTube show, Third P3riod Live, and a broadcast associate for the Columbus Blue Jackets. A graduate of Penn State, Mae holds a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast journalism and political science.

"It is an absolute dream come true to become part of the amazing Fox 5 team covering the area where I grew up,” Mae said. “I cannot wait to spend mornings helping my new friends navigate the DMV."

Stephen Graddick is joining WTTG Washington and will co-anchor Fox 5 Morning News at 4-5 a.m. weekdays, alongside Holly Morris, and the 5-6 a.m. hour with Marissa Mitchell. Graddick will be a reporter for the 6-9 a.m. hours of the morning program, and will co-anchor Good Day DC from 9 to 11 a.m. with Morris, Mitchell, Jeannette Reyes and Steve Chenevey. 

Graddick starts in November. He comes from Scripps News in Atlanta, where he was anchor and national correspondent. 

Fox Television Stations owns WTTG, known as Fox 5, and sister station WDCA. 

"Stephen is going to fit right in with our talented morning team and our DMV [DC, Maryland, Virginia] viewers are going to love his energy and quick wit,”  WTTG VP and news director Paul McGonagle said. 

Graddick previously worked as a media production coordinator for Food Network and associate producer and talent coordinator for HBO. Before that, he was at Discovery Channel. 

“Joining the legendary Fox 5 DC team is a moment I used to only dream about, and now it is real,” Graddick said. “I can't wait to bring my personality and unwavering passion to this incredible journey as the trusted source to bring DMV viewers the stories that truly matter to us all."

Graddick has a degree in communications and journalism from Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina. 

Sue Diviney has been named senior VP and general manager of WTTG-WDCA Washington, which is owned by Fox. She has been VP of finance at the stations, known as Fox 5 and Fox 5 Plus, since 2017. She starts immediately and reports to Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy. 

“As an experienced and engaged finance executive, Sue is adept at collaborating with all departments to achieve strategic goals,” Abernethy said. “I look forward to continued growth and innovation under her leadership with our terrific team in D.C.”

Diviney succeeds Patrick Paolini atop the D.C. stations. He was named executive VP of ad sales at Fox Television Stations. 

Before her time at WTTG-WDCA, Diviney spent 15 years with CNN in various roles, including senior director of finance, where she managed financial responsibilities for CNN U.S., including programming, newsgathering, digital, election coverage and special events. 

“I am honored for the tremendous opportunity to lead this exceptional team to continued success,” Diviney said. “As a 30-year resident of the D.C. area, I understand this market and recognize the importance of providing this community with strong local coverage that often has national significance.”

Diviney is a graduate of the 2020 NAB Broadcast Leadership Training program.

Politics isn’t the only giant news story in our nation’s capital. In recent days, the newsrooms were all over the $6 billion sale of the NFL’s Washington Commanders. It’s been a bleak period for the D.C. sports teams, including the underperforming Commanders, Nationals, Capitals and Wizards, but the locals hope the new Commanders owner will shake things up for the better. 

“Maybe the sale will reinvigorate the Commanders,” said Patrick Paolini, WTTG-WDCA senior VP/general manager. “Having a strong NFL team in the market certainly helps.”

Also Read: Check Out Our Local News Close-Up Profiles on Dozens of U.S. Markets

Besides covering the news, the D.C. stations are making some news. NBC station WRC and Telemundo sister WZDC debuted new studios in March. The stations’ building in the Upper Northwest neighborhood is being renovated, which sees staffers moving around a bit until their end of the edifice is completed. The project should be completed by next spring. 

“We like to say we’re changing the tires as we’re rolling down the road,” Jackie Bradford, WRC-WZDC president and general manager, said.  

In September, WTTG launched LION Lunch Hour in the 11 a.m. slot. A spinoff of Like It Or Not (LION), the weekday show features a chef cooking a meal, and the hosts, Marissa Mitchell and Erin Como, discussing the issues of the day while sampling the victuals. “It’s trending topics and different issues around food,” said Paolini. “It is authentic and fun, and it has exceeded expectations.” 

WJLA, for its part, celebrates 75 years on the air in the fall. The station has a new partnership with WTOP, providing weather to the D.C. news radio powerhouse every 10 minutes. “It’s a great opportunity for us to enhance our brand,” said Todd Bernstein, WJLA VP and general manager. 

NBCUniversal Local owns WRC and WZDC. Fox Television Stations holds WTTG and MyNetworkTV station WDCA. Sinclair Broadcast Group has ABC affiliate WJLA and cable channel 24/7 News. Tegna owns CBS affiliate WUSA. Nexstar Media Group has The CW station WDCW and independent outlet WDVM. Univision owns WFDC. 

Washington is Nielsen’s No. 8 market. The major pay TV operator is Comcast. 

The ratings race is a hot one. In March, WRC won the 6-7 a.m. household race, according to Nielsen, and WTTG took the 25-54 contest. WRC was tops at 5 and 6 p.m. in both households and 25-54. At 11 p.m. in March, WRC averaged 53,000 households, while WTTG had 29,000, WUSA scored 28,000 and WJLA had 22,000. In the 25-54 race at 11, WTTG scored 17,000, WRC had 16,000, and both WJLA and WUSA had 9,000. 

Anchor Arrivals

Known as News4, WRC thrives on capital J journalism, anchors with local roots and a robust investigative team. “We have people with really strong ties to Washington, D.C.,” said Bradford. “We continue to do strong journalism day in and day out.”

WRC has had major changes in the anchor team. Wendy Rieger died of cancer a year ago, Doreen Gentzler retired in November and Pat Lawson Muse retired in March, wrapping up 40 years at WRC. Shawn Yancy arrived at WRC after a long run at WTTG and Tony Perkins, a veteran of WTTG and Good Morning America, joined the station earlier this year. 

LION Lunch Hour isn’t the only new show on WTTG, known as Fox 5. DMV Zone, a cross between TMZ and a newscast, according to Paolini, launched in October, and holds down the 3-4 p.m. weekday slot. DMV is short for D.C,., Maryland and Virginia. 

Paolini mentioned nearly 90 hours a week of original programming, including an 8 p.m. news, among other newscasts, on WDCA, known as Fox 5 Plus. 

“There are very few gaps where we are not producing original content,” he said. 

Paolini hosts the weekly podcast The Paolini Perspective, with Sarah Fraser his co-host, as they break down the major issues of the week. In the fall, Fox 5 debuts a digital-only newscast at 1-3 p.m. 

Shomari Stone, formerly a correspondent at The News with Shepard Smith, joins Fox 5 as a reporter and anchor May 1. 

Bernstein was named WJLA general manager in January. He’s been at the station over 18 years, in sales leadership positions and then as station manager, before his latest promotion.  

WJLA has a 7 News On Your Side branding and swears by the motto. “We aim to hold people, both consumers and those in the government, accountable,” Bernstein said. “We live and breathe this brand.”

Veronica Johnson was named chief meteorologist in December. She’s the first woman to hold the position at WJLA. 

Last fall, lifestyle show Good Morning Washington shifted from Sinclair’s 24/7 News to WJLA. “It has become a fixture in our lineup,” Bernstein said. 

Richard Dyer is WUSA president and general manager. It’s the fourth stint at the station for the Washington native, who initially joined WJLA as an account executive back in 1983. 

WDCW Washington and WDVM in Hagerstown (MD) brand themselves as DC News Now, and Ben Dobson is news director. Both stations operate from a DC newsroom that opened last year, with bureaus around the market. In July 2022, WDCW launched a nightly 10 p.m. newscast. Also in July, WDVM launched a weekday 9 p.m. newscast, expanded its morning news another hour, and added a sports highlight show at 11 p.m.

Noticias on Multiple Platforms

Both WZDC and WFDC offer Spanish-language news at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. Washington’s Telemundo station has T44 on Top at 5:30 p.m. on linear, and streaming on OTT platforms. “We’re always looking at the best way to tell our journalism stories in new forms and formats,” Vince Lattanzio, director of digital media, WRC-WZDC, said. “Streaming is the future for our business.”

WRC and WZDC share a newsroom and an assignment desk. “Having a Telemundo station has become a differentiator,” Matt Glassman, assistant news director, said. “We have access to stories we wouldn’t have had before.”

The station leaders said Washington’s economic footing is solid, and ad categories, including auto and tourism, are picking back up. As the pandemic dominated news stories and conversations in recent years, and politics continues to relentlessly pop up in both, Paolini believes the nation’s media epicenter has shifted from New York down to D.C. “I firmly believe D.C. is the media capital of the world and certainly the media capital of the United States,” he said. 

The D.C. station chiefs mentioned a smart and engaged audience in and around the District that eagerly consumes news. Washington is unique in that it features stories that are street-level, national and even global. “Doing local news in Washington, D.C., is the best of both worlds,” Bradford said. “What is local here is national.” 

WTTG Washington debuts DMV Zone, a live, hour-long program focused on the news of the day October 24. The program will air weekdays at 3 p.m., following Judge Judy. Marina Marraco and Joe Clair anchor. 

The show's title refers to Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. When DMV Zone begins, Fox-owned Fox 5 D.C. will be producing 88.5 hours of original programming a week, the station said. 

"Following the successful launch of the LION Lunch Hour, Fox 5 continues its dedication to original local programming with the DMV Zone," said VP and news director Paul McGonagle. "This fast-paced, viewer-centric program will be the ultimate local news show, utilizing the entire strength of the newsroom to tackle issues that matter across the DMV." 

DMV Zone will be live from the newsroom and will focus on the stories that are making headlines and inspiring conversations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, as well as nationally. The anchors will lead the discussions while reporters, contributors, producers, assignment editors and digital team members will weigh in with the latest updates. DMV Zone will also address topics trending on social media, and encourage viewer interaction with man-on-the-street interviews, social media comments, and live Zoom interviews with viewers. "This program will abandon the traditional two-minute news story and devote more time and voices to provide a deeper look into each issue," WTTG said. 

Marraco has been with Fox 5 D.C. since 2014. She anchors the station's 5 and 11 p.m. weeknight newscasts and is host of opinion program Like It or Not. Clair is a radio host. Most recently, he was host of WPGC 95.5 Radio's Joe Clair Morning Show.

"This show will allow viewers to see the true essence of Fox 5 as we navigate through an open dialogue of the facts," said Marraco. "No topic is off the table. No question is too tough. We will press for answers and push the envelope in our patented, untraditional way."

Clair added: "If it's happening at your home, it will be happening on the DMV Zone! Me, T.V. and the DMV? That’s better than wings and mambo sauce!" ■

Husband and wife Washington TV news anchors have gone viral with an August 14 Twitter video lampooning the day's new baby related news as delivered on BNN, the Baby News Network.

At press time the video had over 10 million views and was the subject of news stories on some real networks, or at least the websites of NBC News and Good Morning America, as well as on WTTG-TV, ch. 5 in Washington.

Jeannette Reyes, morning news anchor at Fox's WTTG-TV begins the video by picking up her new baby, Bella, and saying she hoped the baby had slept well since "certainly no one else did."

As Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star changes to upbeat music, Reyes hands off the morning baby news duties to husband Robert Burton, morning anchor at ABC affiliate WJLA-TV, also Washington, for "more on the weather."

Burton notes that while it is a beautiful day outside, they probably won't get get out of the house until midnight, and then only if spit-ups, feedings and diaper changes don't get in the way."

And speaking of diapers, Burton throws it back to Reyes for "breaking news" about an "explosion" at the diaper station, though fortunately with no injuries. 

WTTG Washington debuts In the Courts, anchored by the station’s chief legal correspondent, Katie Barlow, May 1. The program will air Sundays at 11:30 p.m. 

Known as Fox 5 DC, WTTG is part of Fox Television Stations.

In the Courts is “about the law and how it works – or doesn’t,” said WTTG. The program sees Barlow interpret and explain what’s happening in the courts across America. In the Courts encourages questions from viewers. 

“Katie has the unique ability to break down the most complicated legal issues so those with no previous background in law can understand how legal decisions impact them,” said Paul McGonagle, WTTG VP/news director. “Her intelligence, sense of humor, and sometimes irreverent attitude will resonate with our Fox 5 viewers.”

A journalist and lawyer, Barlow was named chief legal correspondent at Fox 5 in March after coming on board at the station last year. She covered Capitol Hill for WTOP and the Supreme Court for SCOTUSblog and NPR. She’s written for Politico and hosted the podcast “Words Matter.”  

“The law underpins so much of our news coverage locally and nationally—from Kim and Kanye’s divorce, to wearing masks on an airplane, to the burgeoning marijuana business in our region and beyond,” said Barlow. “I look forward to having a conversation with our viewers each week—answering their questions, talking with experts, and supplementing Fox 5’s already-excellent new coverage with a deeper look at major topics.” ■

WTTG-TV, the Fox station in Washington, D.C., promoted Angie Goff to anchor of its evening newscasts.

Starting Nov. 30, Goff will anchor Fox 5 News at 10 p.m. on weekdays with Jim Lokay and the Fox 5 at 6 p.m. newscast alongside Blake McCoy.

She is replacing Shawn Yancy, who left the station after 19 years last month.

Goff will continue to co-anchor the 5 at 4 p.m. show with McCoy and will remain one of the rotating panelists on the station’s Like It Or Not program, which airs weeknights at 7 p.m.

"Angie is tireless and her energy is infectious. She has proven herself in every newscast, and we’re confident her new permanent home at 10 p.m. will be the best fit yet," said Paul McGonagle, VP and news director at WTTG.

Goff joined WTTG in July 2019 as co-anchor of 5 at 4 p.m., as a daily panelist on Like It Or Not, and a reporter for the Fox 5 News at 10 p.m.

In March she became a fill-in on the station's morning show, Good Day D.C., while also anchoring the 4 p.m. newscast.

Before WTTG, Goff was with WRC-TV, the NBC station in Washington. She also contributed to NBC’s Today and filled in as a host for Early Today and MSNBC. Previously she worked as a reporter for WIS-TV, Columbia, S.C., and WMEG-TV, Sioux City. 

She also has a podcast, The Oh My Goff Show.

“Now that I’ve had the pleasure of waking up with our viewers and giving them a chance to get to know me better, I look forward to transitioning the focus of my energy on continuing our momentum in the evenings,” Goff said.

ABC’s Linsey Davis, ESPN’s Laura Rutledge and Fox’s Angie Goff will host the 22nd annual Wonder Women awards luncheon on Thursday, March 26, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.

The gala luncheon will celebrate the accomplishments of 12 Wonder Women and 12 Women to Watch. It is a centerpiece event of New York City TV Week Spring. Other events at NYC TV Week Spring are Advanced Advertising (March 24), CultureX Conversations (March 25) and Next TV Summit (March 25). For more about NYC TV Week Spring, visit NYCTVWeek.com.

Linsey Davis joined ABC News in 2007. She is a correspondent filing reports for World News, Good Morning America, 20/20 and Nightline. She also anchors two primetime news hours on streaming channel ABC News Live. In September 2019, she moderated ABC News’ Democratic presidential debate.

Davis got the only interview with comedian Bill Cosby in the wake of dozens of sexual assault allegations. Leading up to the Iowa caucuses, she interviewed the spouses of seven of the presidential candidates as part of a series called “Running Mates.” In 2009, she reported on the miracle on the Hudson and Michael Jackson’s death. That same year, she also made waves with her Nightline report “Single Black Female.” The story, which went viral, examined why African-American women are the least likely of any race or gender to walk down the aisle.

Davis joined ABC News as a New York-based correspondent for ABC NewsOne, the network’s affiliate news service. Before joining the network in June 2007, Davis was anchor of the weekend evening newscasts at WTHR-TV in Indianapolis. Davis has received several honors for her reporting, including two Emmy Awards and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award. Her children's book, “The World is Awake,” became a bestseller in February 2019; and in August 2019, Davis released her second book, “One Big Heart,” which also became a bestseller.

Angie Goff, Anchor and Reporter at WTTG FOX 5 in Washington, D.C., has been reporting the news from the nation's capital for more than a decade. From the caucuses in Iowa to the hurricanes in South Carolina and the Royal Wedding across the pond, she’s covered it all.

Goff has anchored breaking stories for network and local broadcasts including the Charleston church massacre, Pope Francis’ U.S. visit and the Congressional baseball shooting in Alexandria.

A self-proclaimed "people person," Goff loves meeting new friends in the community and staying in touch with them through her social channels. She is the creator and host of "The Oh My Goff Show," a fun quirky podcast that airs weekly on Youtube and Apple Podcasts. Before joining FOX 5, she was an anchor at NBC Washington, where she also contributed to TODAY and filled in as a host for Early TODAY and MSNBC. The George Mason graduate got her start working at Entertainment Tonight in L.A.

Laura Rutledge, Host and Reporter at ESPN and the SEC Network, joined ESPN’s coverage of the Southeastern Conference in 2014 as a reporter on SEC Network and ESPN. She recently signed a multi-year contract extension in fall 2019, becoming a permanent contributor to Get Up.

Rutledge has expanded her portfolio at the network over the past year to include regular stints as a SportsCenter anchor and as a red carpet host at the Home Depot College Football Awards and the ESPYs. Rutledge is in her third year as SEC Nation host and her fourth year with the show overall. She has also contributed to ESPN and SEC Network’s live-event programming for college football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball and softball. She was a mainstay in ESPN’s extensive championship coverage surrounding the College Football Playoff, NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships, and both the Women’s College World Series and College World Series.

Prior to joining ESPN, Rutledge was a sports anchor for CNN’s New Day and Early Start. She also worked on HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade, as well as Fox Sports.

For more about Multichannel News Wonder Women, please visit mcnwonderwomen.com