News
WOUB Alumni to Produce Nightly News Program “Newswatch”
By: Kelly Martin
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Over the years, many Ohio University students have trained in front of and behind the camera and the microphone, transforming them into television and radio professionals during their time at WOUB.
On Friday, Oct. 14, during Ohio University Homecoming, former students will return to participate in “Newswatch,” WOUB’s nightly news program, which airs on WOUB-TV at 5:30 p.m. and is available online at woub.org.
Chuck Swirsky, play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Bulls, will be the featured sports anchor. Swirsky previously worked for the Bulls as a public address announcer in the early 1980s, before moving exclusively to Chicago’s WGN radio, covering the Bulls during the Michael Jordan era and other sports in the Windy City until the mid-‘90s. Swirsky then left to do play-by-play for University of Michigan basketball and football, before joining the NBA’s Toronto Raptors in 1998 to do radio and television. After a decade with the organization Swirsky returned to cover the Chicago Bulls in his current position in 2008.
Shelli Dankoff – anchor – After graduating from Ohio University, Dankoff spent nearly 20 years as a television news anchor/reporter/producer working at stations in Rochester, Minn.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Peoria, Ill. She continues to do freelance radio fill-in work and magazine writing. After leaving daily TV, Shelli worked in a variety of capacities for the Easter Seals affiliate in Peoria, including producing the annual telethon and running special events. Since 2008 she has been Media Relations Specialist at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and Children's Hospital of Illinois, where she handles external communications.
Todd Baucher – reporter – Todd Baucher is in his 30th year of covering and reporting news at WTAP-TV in Parkersburg, W.Va. He joined the station in 1980, two years after graduating from Ohio University, and having spent two years as news director at Marietta radio station WBRJ (now WLTP). Todd brought his expertise in covering Marietta events to television, but throughout the years, he's covered major news events on both sides of the Ohio River. He covered the 1986 West Virginia Penitentiary riots, and has witnessed Presidential visits in both West Virginia and Ohio.
Gabe Ross – reporter – Ross is a 2011 graduate who worked in many capacities at WOUB, including being ‘Steve the Scientist’ in the award-winning educational project “Spaced Out: A Cosmic Scene.”
Joe Flanagan – reporter – Joe started his career at WTAP-TV in Parkersburg, W.Va. and has worked at WYTV, Youngstown, Ohio, WXIA in Atlanta, Ga. and WTKR-TV in Norfolk, Va. He has worked for the past 26 years at WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Va. as a feature reporter. He has been producer/host for 24 years of Navy Christmas, a tribute to the Armed Forces in Hampton Roads.
Ethan Huston – weather – Ethan Huston is morning meteorologist at WAPT-TV in Jackson, Miss. Before working at WAPT-TV, Ethan was a meteorologist for WTOK-TV in Meridian, Miss. and reporter for KJWY-TV in Jackson, Wy. He has also worked at WYTV-TV in Youngstown, Ohio and WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. During his time at Ohio University, Ethan was named the “most outstanding graduate in broadcast news” his senior year and played saxophone for ‘the most exciting band in the land’ Ohio University’s Marching 110.
The technical crew is director: Steve Kurrent; camera operator: Brent McCoy, Becky Grasser, Robert Neustadt, Robin Potter; audio: Tom Housley and floor director: Cherie Housley.