MARIA STEPHANOS JOINS WCVB CHANNEL 5 AS EVENING ANCHOR
Stephanos and Ed Harding to Co-Anchor
NewsCenter 5 at 7:00PM and 11:00PM
Boston, MA – February 1, 2016 – Highly-regarded, local journalist Maria Stephanos joins WCVB Channel 5, Boston’s News Leader, as evening anchor beginning Thursday, February 4 as announced today by Bill Fine, WCVB President and General Manager. A Massachusetts native with more than 25 years of journalism experience as an anchor and reporter in New England, Stephanos will co-anchor NewsCenter 5 at 7:00PM and 11:00PM with Ed Harding, Chief Meteorologist Harvey Leonard, and Sports Anchor Mike Lynch. Stephanos will also anchor the soon-to-be-launched The 10 O’Clock News on WCVB’s second television station MeTV Boston.
Heather Unruh, who continues as co-anchor of NewsCenter 5 at 6:00PM, will join Ed Harding as co-anchor of NewsCenter 5 at 4:30PM. In addition, she will expand her Emmy-award winning medical coverage as NewsCenter 5’s Medical Reporter.
“I’m thrilled to be back on local TV!” said Stephanos. “WCVB is my new home, and I couldn’t be prouder to be joining this team of dedicated and talented journalists.”
“Similar to many members of our team, Maria was born, raised, and educated in Massachusetts, and she has built an impressive news career right here as well,” said Fine when making the announcement. “She knows the territory, the market’s leaders and newsmakers, as well as the less high-profile members of our community who make our region a remarkable place…and they all know her, too. Maria has a proven track record for excellent journalism and being able to tell a story with local insight and understanding, and she is an ideal addition to the NewsCenter 5 team.”
“Maria is a much-respected and well-liked journalist who knows the market like the back of her hand, and she has earned the community’s trust and admiration,” said Andrew Vrees, WCVB News Director. “Maria’s commitment and skills will help to advance NewsCenter 5’s leadership position in the market across newscasts and multi-media platforms.”
“WCVB is the quintessential news station and the news leader for a reason,” added Stephanos. “Ever since I was a little girl in Groveland, I would wake up before school, wait for my TV to warm up, and watch the EyeOpener on Channel 5. ‘CVB was my station, and my dream was always to work there someday…and that dream has come true!”
Stephanos joins WCVB Channel 5 from Boston’s WFXT-TV where she was a news anchor and reporter for nearly eighteen years. Before that, Stephanos was a reporter at WJAR-TV in Providence, RI. She began her career as a Statehouse reporter working for several local stations including WBUR in Boston. She has also reported for several NPR radio stations and WCBS Radio and WABC Radio in New York.
Over the course of her distinguished career, Stephanos has covered many of the most significant news events including: the plane crash of John F. Kennedy Jr., the Worcester Cold Storage fire, the Presidential recount vote live from Florida, the 9/11 attacks reporting from both Washington DC and Boston, Red Sox World series wins, Patriots’ Super Bowl wins, the deaths of Senator Edward Kennedy and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, the Boston Marathon bombings, the capture and trial of Whitey Bulger, and many more. She recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alpha Omega Society presented by former Governor of the Commonwealth, Governor Michael Dukakis.
A self-proclaimed “…‘homer’ and proud of it,” Stephanos is a native of Groveland, MA and a graduate of Emerson College in Boston where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in mass communications. Stephanos resides in Foxboro with her husband Dale and their children. She enjoys cooking (especially Greek recipes), playing sports with her family, and vacationing in New England “anyplace there is water.”
Stephanos will also co-anchor The 10 O’Clock News on MeTV Boston beginning on Monday, February, 29 at 10:00-11:00PM. MeTV Boston is WCVB’s second television channel and is available over the air on Channel 5.2 and on the following cable channels: Comcast 292/306, Verizon 461, RCN 29, Charter 184, Metrocast 295, BELD 75. Check local listings.
WCVB NewsCenter 5’s weekday anchor line-up effective February 4, 2016:
NewsCenter 5 EyeOpener at 4:30AM Emily Riemer & Randy Price
NewsCenter 5 EyeOpener at 5:00AM Emily Riemer & Randy Price
NewsCenter 5 EyeOpener at 6:00AM Emily Riemer & Randy Price
NewsCenter 5 Midday News at 12Noon Emily Riemer & Erika Tarantal
NewsCenter 5 at 4:30PM Heather Unruh & Ed Harding
NewsCenter 5 at 5:00PM J.C. Monahan & Phil Lipof
NewsCenter 5 at 6:00PM Heather Unruh & Ed Harding
NewsCenter 5 at 7:00PM Maria Stephanos & Ed Harding
NewsCenter 5 at 11:00PM Maria Stephanos & Ed Harding
About WCVB Channel 5:
WCVB is Boston’s broadcast/digital media leader, providing news, weather, sports, community service and entertainment on multiple platforms including WCVB Channel 5, wcvb.com, WCVB mobile and MeTV Boston. Founded by community leaders in 1972, WCVB is committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local content. In addition to 36 hours of NewsCenter 5 coverage each week, original offerings include Chronicle, the nation’s longest running local news magazine; CityLine, a weekly urban magazine program; and On The Record, a weekly political roundtable. The station has been honored with numerous prestigious national broadcasting honors including the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Best Newscast” and National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation’s “Service to the Community” award. Additional top honors include the National Headliner Awards, Gracie Awards, Gabriel Awards, the regional Emmy’s, Associated Press Awards, Walter Cronkite Award, and duPont Awards. WCVB, Boston’s ABC affiliate station, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst, a leading media company whose global holdings include 30 television stations and two radio stations. Follow us on Facebook (wcvb5), Twitter (@wcvb) or Google+ (search +wcvb).