Channel 5’s Maria Stephanos to coanchor new newscast
WCVB Channel 5’s Maria Stephanos will coanchor a new show, “NewsCenter 5 at 4:30,’’ beginning Tuesday, Jan. 1, the station announced Wednesday. Stephanos will be joined by coanchor Ben Simmoneau and chief meteorologist Harvey Leonard.
Stephanos, a Groveland native, currently coanchors “NewsCenter 5’’ at 6, 7, and 11 p.m., as well as MeTV Boston’s “10 O’Clock News.’’
The new evening newscast is part of a greater shake-up at WCVB to start off 2019. WCVB “Weekend EyeOpener’’ coanchor Doug Meehan will become the third anchor on NewsCenter 5’s “Weekday EyeOpener.’’ His weekend role will be filled by general assignment reporter Jennifer Eagan.
“The launch of ‘NewsCenter 5 at 4:30,’ as well as moving Doug to weekday mornings and Jennifer to weekend mornings, provides NewsCenter 5 with added time and resources to continue to produce the market’s most compelling, comprehensive, and enterprising newscasts,’’ said Bill Fine, WCVB president and general manager, in a release. “We are confident that these changes will bolster Channel 5’s already dominant leadership position in the community.’’
