Two key behind the scenes people are leaving Syracuse broadcast television and heading to careers in public relations.   

Roger Mirabito, assistant news director at WSYR-TV Newschannel 9 is leaving the station next month. Mirabito will become the new communications manager at Onondaga Community College.

 

Mirabito joined Newschannel 9 in 1999 and served as assignment manager before moving into the role of assistant news director last year.  Before that, he worked for four years as a producer and assignment editor at WTVH 5.   

In 2009 he received the Syracuse Press Club’s Selwyn Kershaw Professional Standards Award.

His last day at channel 9 will be June 6.

CNYCentral is losing a senior producer. Kristy Smorol will join the American Heart Association in Syracuse as its communications manager.   

Smorol, a Cicero native and Newhouse graduate, spent seven years at the station.  She joined NBC 3 after an internship and started working full-time as the producer of "Today in Central New York."  She went on to produce the 11 pm news at NBC 3, and is currently producer of its 5pm news. 

In her position as a producer, Smorol won two consecutive Best Newscast awards from the Syracuse Press Club.

Your editor has had the pleasure of working with both Kristy and Roger.  They are both excellent broadcasters whose talents, institutional knowledge and experience  will be sorely missed by their stations.