Former Spectrum News morning anchor Scott Patterson joining WIVB's 'Wake Up!' (2024)

Former Spectrum News morning anchor Scott Patterson received what amounts to an early holiday present from WIVB-TV (Channel 4).

Patterson, whose job as morning anchor at the cable news channel was eliminated three months ago, has been hired as the morning co-anchor alongside Ali Touhey on “Wake Up! “at the start of 2024.

He is replacing Chris Horvatit*, whose decision to leave the morning program and Channel 4 was announced a few weeks ago.

Patterson, who worked at Spectrum News for almost 12 years in a 20-year news career, had said he planned to stay in the area after he was let go. His wife is from Western New York.

He was a logical choice for Channel 4. I noted his availability when Horvatit*’ departure was announced.

“Scott has a lot of history in the Buffalo market and great experience with the viewers of Western New York,” said Channel 4 General Manager Joe Abouzeid in announcing Patterson’s hiring. “We will look forward to him joining the team.”

In an email Tuesday to Channel 4’s staff, Abouzeid wrote, Scott “has received high praise from former co-workers about his work ethic and being one of the kindest people in the industry.”

He added that Patterson and Touhey know each other from their days working in Rochester.

Hours after being asked for a comment, Patterson posted a message on X, formerly Twitter: "Sometimes ... things just work out. I am beyond excited to share that I am joining News 4 Buffalo as the new co-anchor of 'Wake Up!' "

The job posting had a salary range of $65,000 to $75,000. Stations now must post the salary range of jobs under a recent New York State pay transparency law.

Spectrum eliminated Patterson's position when it decided to end the morning shows in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse to carry a statewide “Your Morning” show from Albany with anchors Julie Chapman and Dan Bazile.

Patterson just might bring the key ingredient that has been missing from “Wake Up!” – stability.

A St. Mary’s High School graduate who grew up in Lancaster before studying broadcasting and mass communication at SUNY Oswego, Horvatit* declined to comment when his departure was announced after more than a year in the morning role.

He has been at Channel 4 for at least five years and previously worked in Watertown and Rochester.

His departure continues the pattern of morning instability at Channel 4.

Touhey, a former anchor-reporter at WKBW-TV (Channel 7), became the permanent morning co-anchor in July after Abby Fridmann left for a similar role at a Rochester station. Touhey started at Channel 4 earlier in 2023 as the weekend morning anchor.

"Wake Up!” has had several anchor changes over the years. Fridmann replaced Kelsey Anderson, who replaced Mel Orlins, who replaced Brittni Smallwood, who replaced Teresa Weakley, who replaced Diana Fairbanks.

That sentence illustrates one of the significant problems with “Wake Up!”: its revolving door of female co-anchors on its morning program when audiences in that time period appreciate stability.

The station also has had turnover in its morning male co-anchors, with Jordan Williams, Dave Greber and Joe Arena all in that role over the last decade or so.

"Daybreak” (Channel 2) co-anchor Melissa Holmes has been in that role for more than a decade on the area’s first-place morning program and has worked alongside only two male co-anchors, Pete Gallivan and John Beard.

In another Channel 4 anchor announcement, Sarah Minkewicz has been officially named the anchor of “Weekend Wake Up!” after being in the role on a temporary basis.

She made the announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter: “I’m so excited for this opportunity to continue growing in my career in my hometown. Even more so, I’m proud to represent my Hispanic heritage in this role.”

In an exchange on X, Minkewicz explained that her mother’s maiden name is Middalia Maldonado. Her mother’s parents were from Puerto Rico. Sarah’s grandmother was Aurora Maldonado-Cruz.

On her father’s side, her grandmother was from Ukraine and her grandfather was from Poland. They fled their countries during World War II and ended up in Venezuela, where Sarah’s father was born. They moved to Buffalo when her father was a teenager.

In other media news, former Channel 4 and former WKBW-TV news director Lisa Polizzi has been named brand manager of WBEN-AM and will oversee the station's content strategy, talent, operations and branding.

The announcement was made by Tim Wenger, who has been working in a dual role since July when he was named senior vice president and market manager of all Audacy stations in Buffalo.

In a release, Wenger praised "Lisa's extraordinary background in leading award-winning content generation in local television news.”

“I'm thrilled to join Buffalo's legacy news/talk brand to help shape news and programming with innovation, integrity, and enthusiasm,” said Polizzi in the same release.

Polizzi anchored weekends at Entercom stations WBEN and WGR-AM more than 20 years ago. The radio group rebranded itself from Entercom to Audacy in 2021.