A little more than a month after anchor-reporter Michael Wooten left WGRZ-TV (Channel 2), he is joining rival WKBW-TV (Channel 7) as an anchor and senior reporter.
It is a big get for WKBW, the third-rated local TV news department.
Wooten will be anchoring a 5:30 p.m. weekday program that sounds similar to the Town Hall he anchored at 5:30 p.m. on Channel 2 and will do long form, in-depth reporting and investigative reporting.
“Michael is an experienced local journalist who understands the importance of giving voice to the voiceless, holding authority accountable and celebrating the incredible diversity in our Western New York communities,” WKBW Vice President and General Manager Marc Jaromin said in a Channel 7 release.
In the same release, News Director Aaron Mason added: “Adding someone of Michael’s professional acumen and Western New York expertise immediately augments the incredible news team here at WKBW. Michael is authentic, transparent and trusted in Western New York. Michael’s hiring is just another strong illustration of WKBW’s reinvigorated commitment to our communities and the future of local news.”
Wooten, who has won multiple broadcast journalism awards, left Channel 2 at the end of August after declining a new contract and was abruptly told by General Manager Mark Manders to leave the station.
The move came a day after Channel 2’s signature Town Hall 5:30 p.m. program devoted to key issues surrounding Western New York that Wooten anchored was changed to a regular newscast.
Manders named Claudine Ewing to replace Wooten as the 5:30 p.m. anchor.
In a brief telephone interview, Wooten said he starts at WKBW on Monday but won’t immediately be on the air.
He said he didn’t expect to remain in Buffalo after ending his 14-year run at Channel 2.
“When I decided I was leaving Channel 2, I thought I might also be leaving Buffalo,” said Wooten. “But there was such an outpouring of support from the…
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