A new wave of personalities is coming to WWNY, bringing changes that viewers will start noticing from March 30. The station is reshuffling roles, adding a fresh newsroom voice, and confirming a few transitions that reflect both personal paths and professional evolution in local broadcasting.
What makes this moment interesting is how WWNY balances continuity with renewal. They’re not simply swapping names; they’re weaving in new strengths while honoring long-standing commitments to the North Country audience. Here’s a closer look at who’s shifting into what roles, plus why each move matters from a viewer-with-a-voice perspective.
Makenzie Piatt: a fresh chapter beyond the desk, with lasting ties to the region
- What’s changing: After nine years as WWNY’s morning anchor, Makenzie Piatt will transition to a role outside television news to focus on family while staying in the North Country.
- Why it matters: Makenzie has been a familiar morning presence, and her decision highlights a common professional crossroads—balancing career demands with personal milestones. Her move underscores the station’s respect for life choices and its commitment to keeping her part of the WWNY family, even as she steps away from on-air duties.
- Personal reflection: This shift resonates beyond the newsroom. It’s a reminder that local newsrooms are communities, too, where people evolve and long-term audience trust can endure through changes in format and schedule. What I find compelling is how WWNY frames this as a positive transition rather than a farewell, signaling support for staff wellbeing and family priorities.
Les Shockley: stepping into the morning anchor chair and expanding his role
- What’s changing: Les Shockley will anchor 7News This Morning alongside Beth Hall. He also takes on producing and anchoring 7News at Noon with Diane Rutherford and Beth Hall. In addition, Les will launch a live 9 a.m. web show called “It’s LIVE, It’s LOCAL, It’s LES!” on WWNY’s site.
- Why it matters: Les brings nearly a decade of experience at WWNY and demonstrated versatility during Makenzie’s maternity leave last summer. His combined on-air presence and technical know-how position him as a stabilizing force for the station’s morning block and digital initiatives.
- Personal reflection: The addition of a digital show marks a thoughtful expansion from traditional newscasts to multi-platform storytelling. It signals WWNY’s recognition that audiences increasingly consume news where and how they want it, and it’s smart to have a familiar face leading both the TV studio and the online space. What stands out is the clear intent to knit together live television and digital content under one cohesive brand.
Garrett Domblewski: elevated duties as First at Five anchor
- What’s changing: Garrett Domblewski will anchor First at Five on WWNY after John Moore’s semi-retirement. Garrett has spent a decade at WWNY, anchoring the 10 p.m. news on FOX28 and the 11 p.m. on WWNY, and he also serves as Assistant News Director.
- Why it matters: This move leverages Garrett’s decade-long experience and leadership role within the newsroom. Shifting him to the 5 p.m. slot creates a more continuous early-evening news presence for viewers who start winding down their day with important updates.
- Personal reflection: Elevating a seasoned anchor who also contributes to newsroom leadership can help ensure consistency in tone, pacing, and editorial direction across time slots. It’s a practical choice that rewards internal talent while maintaining newsroom aroma—known faces delivering trusted information.
Chad Charette: late-night anchor with continued storytelling role
- What’s changing: Chad Charette moves into anchor duties for 7News Tonight at 10 p.m. on FOX28 and 11 p.m. on WWNY, transitioning from a rising reporter to a familiar late-night presence. He’s approaching his fourth year at WWNY and will also continue as a night-side reporter.
- Why it matters: Chad’s blend of on-air storytelling with anchoring helps bridge field reporting and studio delivery, ensuring viewers get coherent narratives across both daytime and overnight windows.
- Personal reflection: It’s interesting to watch a reporter grow into an anchor role—the dynamic shift often enriches the storytelling texture of late-night newscasts. Chad’s versatility could sharpen WWNY’s ability to cover nuanced stories with immediacy and context after hours.
Elizabeth Gabbert: adding newsroom depth as a new producer
- What’s changing: Elizabeth Gabbert joins WWNY as a news producer for 7NEWS at 10 p.m. on FOX28 and 11 p.m. on WWNY. She arrives from Nashville, where she worked as a news producer for WWNY’s sister station.
- Why it matters: A producer’s touch is essential for the pacing, structure, and quality of late-evening newscasts. Elizabeth’s background adds a fresh perspective to the newsroom, potentially sharpening segment planning and the editorial mix for late editions.
- Personal reflection: Bringing in a producer with experience from a sister market can foster better cross-station collaboration and share best practices. It also signals WWNY’s openness to diverse newsroom influences and styles.
John Moore: semi-retirement and continued reporting
- What’s changing: John Moore will semi-retire from anchoring First at Five but will continue to report a couple of days a week from St. Lawrence County.
- Why it matters: This arrangement preserves John’s institutional memory and storytelling voice while creating space for succession planning and new energy in prime-time slots.
- Personal reflection: Semi-retirement is a thoughtful compromise that maintains continuity for long-time viewers while allowing the newsroom to evolve. It also illustrates how traditional roles can adapt to new workflows without abruptly dissolving established on-air identities.
A cohesive move toward multi-faceted storytelling
- Beyond the specific role changes, WWNY’s ensemble shift signals a broader strategy: blend dependable anchors with flexible, digitally-savvy talent. The introduction of a live morning digital show, the elevation of experience in the evening blocks, and the infusion of fresh newsroom energy all point to a more interconnected news ecosystem.
- What many people don’t realize is how much planning goes into these transitions. It’s not just who appears on screen; it’s about how leadership, pacing, production, and cross-platform storytelling converge to keep audiences informed and engaged across multiple touchpoints.
Conclusion: navigating change with a local-first mindset
WWNY’s March announcements reflect a newsroom recalibration that honors experience while embracing new formats and formats for audience engagement. The changes are not abrupt upheavals but a thoughtful reallocation of strengths aimed at maintaining trust, expanding digital reach, and keeping the North Country well-informed. If you’re a longtime viewer, you’ll recognize familiar anchors in new roles, and if you’re a newer audience member, you’ll benefit from a more versatile, multi-channel news experience.
In my view, what makes this moment notable is the deliberate balance between continuity and experimentation. Local TV thrives when it combines trusted personalities with fresh approaches to delivery and storytelling. WWNY appears to be leaning into that balance, and the North Country audience stands to gain from a newsroom that treats both tradition and innovation with equal respect.
