Channel 9 Hires Two New Anchors

Finally we know who will be replacing David Rose as morning and 5:30 p.m. co-anchors on WCPO-TV (Channel 9). After a six-month search, Channel 9 has hired:

--Brendan Keefe, a reporter from WCBS-TV in New York with anchor experience in Hartford, to do the 5:30 p.m. news with Tanya O'Rourke and report at 11 p.m. He starts Monday, Oct. 8.
--Bernard Watson, weekend anchor at Fox's WHBQ-TV in Memphis, to co-anchor "Good Morning Tri-State" with Kathrine Nero starting Monday, Oct. 22.

Rose's contract was not renewed in March. He's now weekend anchor/reporter at Fox's KCPQ-TV in Seattle.

"It took us longer than we thought to find these two," says Bill Fee, Channel 9 general manager. "We were looking for two things – someone with anchor experience and someone who could do special projects or investigative reporting. These men bring extensive experience to the table."

Keefe has done three combat reporting tours in the Middle East for WCBS-TV, plus covered the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and terrorist bombings in Madrid. "He has been sent all over the world," Fee says.

Keefe also has done investigative reporting in New York and for a Houston station. Before that he was a morning and weekend anchor in Hartford, Conn. He has an English degree at Kenyon College. See his bio at http://wcbstv.com/bios/local_bio_201172355.html

Watson started in news as an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter, before working for CNN and CNN International. After earning a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University, he worked for TV stations in Vermont, Virginia, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Atlanta and Memphis. See his bio at

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=785897&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=5.3.1