Longtime Local 3 Sports Director, Paul Shahen, is trading in his Friday Night Football schedule to wake up early with Local 3 News Today viewers. Mr. Shahen will co-anchor alongside Lori Mitchell and Meteorologist Alison Pryor weekday mornings from 5-7 a.m. He replaces John Martin, who recently relocated to Montana.
Mr. Shahen is a familiar face to local viewers. He joined Local 3 in 2009 as a reporter, anchoring weekend sportscasts. Mr. Shahen reported on everything from tornado outbreaks to multiple Super Bowls, College Football Playoff games, National Championships and a Stanley Cup Finals. Mr. Shahen was promoted to sports director in 2013, a role he has served in the last eight years. He has led Local 3’s Friday Night Football show, coordinating the most local coverage of high school football in the market. He’s traveled across the country with teams from Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, sharing live reports and personal stories of Tennessee Valley athletes. Mr. Shahen has received the AP TN Sportscaster of the Year three times.
“The Tennessee Valley is home for my family,” said Mr. Shahen, who begins his new role on Monday. “I’m thrilled to join a morning team that’s so committed to our viewers, giving them local information they need to start their day.”
Alyse Zwick will also join the morning news team, anchoring Local 3 News Early Today at 4:30 a.m. and reporting live from 5-7 a.m. weekdays. Ms. Zwick joined Local 3 last year as a host, then moved into a reporting position. Before joining Local 3, Ms. Zwick was a host for World Wrestling Entertainment and a traffic anchor and reporter for Spectrum News in New York City. In her role at Spectrum, Ms. Zwick was nominated for an Emmy for her work in local news.
“This community welcomed me with open arms and I’m happy to call Chattanooga home,” said Ms. Zwick. “I’m excited to join an established and respected morning news team, working alongside Lori, Paul and Alison to keep our viewers updated on the latest breaking news and preparing them for their day.”
“Paul and Alyse are the clear choices for these roles,” said Local 3 News Director Megan Roberts. “Paul brings years of knowledge and connections to our morning team and Alyse has big market experience that adds to our successful morning newscasts.”
Local 3 sports reporter Ben Bobick will step up to run the Local 3 sports department. Mr Bobick joined Local 3 in 2018, anchoring weekend sportscasts and focusing on sports storytelling during the week. Among Mr. Bobick’s many accomplishments in his time in the Scenic City, he launched “Horsing Around” to highlight high school basketball players from across the 16 counties that Local 3 serves. Mr. Bobick has produced four seasons of this highly-popular segment, that focuses on a diverse list of male and female players who are making an impact on the court and in their communities. Mr. Bobick also received the AP TN Sportscaster of the year in 2020.
“I love telling stories about athletes in this region," said Mr. Bobick. “There is no match for the Local 3 sports crew. I look forward to continuing the tradition of providing the most local sports coverage."
“It’s a real testament to our team and its commitment to local viewers that we are able to make these promotions from within our ranks,” said President and General Manager Callie Starnes. “Having people who are already involved in the communities we serve is a big advantage for Local 3 viewers.”