WISH Adds 8 To Support News Expansion

Steve Bray, news director of Media General’s CW affiliate WISH Indianapolis (DMA 27),  announced today more staff additions as part of a major 24-hour news expansion in January, following the station’s loss of CBS affiliation.

Nearly 20 new staffers have been added as part of an across-the-board staffing increase, including news and digital producers, photographers and eight new on-air faces. 

“We’re excited to welcome these talented journalists to 24-Hour News 8,” Bray said. “These additions further solidify our news commitment to viewers, differentiating our coverage through the generation of original and enterprise content across all our screens.”

Indianapolis native, Marcus Bailey, joins the Storm Track 8 team from WMBD Peoria, Ill. He has a meteorology degree from Ball State University and began his career at WOHL Lima, Ohio.

Greenwood, Ind., native, Elizabeth Choi, is also a graduate of Ball State University. She returns home to Central Indiana after working as a reporter for WTVG Toledo, Ohio; and previously at WHIZ Zanesville, Ohio.  

Multimedia journalist, Evan Johnson is a graduate of McNeese State University and has previously worked at television stations in Knoxville, Tenn.; Lake Charles, La.; and Savannah, Ga.

Laura Kennedy joins the 24-Hour News 8 team from Springfield, Mo., where she worked as a multimedia journalist and anchor for KOLR. She has also worked in Billings, Mont. She is a graduate of Arizona State University.

Jessica Lauren is native of Miami and a graduate of the State University of New York. She began her news career at KIDK Idaho Falls-Pocatello. Prior to joining WISH, she worked at WRCB Chattanooga, Tenn., and WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla., and WESH Orlando, Fla. 

Tim McNicholas, multimedia journalist, is a Midwest native from Chicago. He is a graduate of Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, and joins WISH from WNWO Toledo, Ohio. He previously worked at KHAS Hastings, Nebraska.

Joe Melillo joins 24-Hour News 8 via WISH’s sister station, WIVB Buffalo, N.Y. He is a graduate of Trinity College-Hartford and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and began his career at WENY Ithaca, N.Y.

Vi Nguyen is no stranger to the Midwest, calling Chicago home. It was there she graduated from DePaul University. She got her professional start reporting and anchoring for WTVO and WQRF Rockford, Ill. She has also worked for KSNW Wichita, Kan.