News 12 introduces new faces, roles in Long Island newsroom

Several new anchors and reporters have joined the News 12 Long Island newsroom to work alongside longtime anchors across its daily newscasts.

News 12 Staff

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Jan 31, 2022, 2:59 PM

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Updated 824 days ago

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News 12 introduces new faces, roles in Long Island newsroom

Several new anchors and reporters have joined the News 12 Long Island newsroom to work alongside longtime anchors across its daily newscasts. This also marks a homecoming for several Long Island natives who are returning to the region to help News 12 deliver the best in hyperlocal news to viewers that rely on the network for its high-quality news content.

Starting Feb. 7, Doug Geed, a 10-time Emmy Award-winner and proud 35-year News 12 veteran, moves to the 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts. A member of the Long Island Journalism Hall of Fame and one of the longest-reigning news anchors in the country, Geed makes this move to bolster News 12’s primetime evening broadcasts and help the network deliver on its mission to provide in-depth coverage on topics and stories that have become increasingly important to News 12 viewers. He will also continue to report on general assignment and breaking news in addition to producing and hosting "The East End," now in its 25th year on News 12.

Geed will be joined on the 10 p.m. broadcast by Mackenzie Maynard, an Emmy-nominated journalist who most recently worked at Hartford, Connecticut's News 8 WTNH-TV. Maynard brings to News 12 special expertise in education reporting, which will continue to be her specialty as Long Island parents and students continue to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic both in and outside of the classroom.

Additional News 12 Long Island updates include:

Janice Lieberman, the accomplished reporter well-known for her consumer reporting for national news brands like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNBC’s Steals and Deals as well as on regional stations WABC and WCBS, makes her News 12 debut today as a consumer reporter and anchor, delivering the consumer interest stories that are top of mind to New Yorkers on topics like the season of shortages, inflation and how to find the best deals in the area.

Rich Barrabi, a Long Island native and 10-year News 12 veteran, will now spearhead the launch of the Alert Center on Mornings on 12, which will focus on developing and breaking news through the integration of broadcast, digital and social media content into the newscast. Barrabi joins Long Islanders Elizabeth Hashagen, Erin Colton, Elisa DiStefano and meteorologist Rich Hoffman on the morning broadcasts. An Emmy and Murrow Award-winning journalist, Barrabi will continue to anchor the region’s weekly "Power & Politics" broadcast and provide networkwide development of the Alert Center in all News 12 morning newscasts.

News 12 also recently introduced five-time Emmy award-winning meteorologist and Long Island native Addison Green to the network to anchor weather for Long Island and Westchester. He comes to News 12 from the CBS affiliate in Houston, Texas where he covered large weather events for the network, including Hurricane Nicholas and Hurricane Ida that both hit the region in 2021. He has also worked on the national stage covering various weather events for WeatherNation, a 24/7 weather channel. This marks Green’s return to the tri-state area, as he previously worked in the New York market at CBS News, Fios 1 and WNYW Fox 5.

Krista McNally, another Long Island native who previously reported for News 12, returns to the network today as a crime reporter. In the interim, McNally spent time at Fox News and Fios 1, specializing in reporting through digital and social media. As a crime reporter, McNally will be focused on providing in-depth coverage of criminal activity across Long Island, including trends and analysis to help keep viewers informed and safe.

News 12 is also elevating Thema Ponton to a full-time anchor/reporter. Ponton, an Emmy award-winner, will anchor weekend evenings for Long Island and Westchester while also reporting on general assignment news on weekday evenings. She had previously been a part-time anchor/reporter for News 12 since joining the network in 2019 and, before that, an anchor/reporter working in various markets around the country.

Macy Egeland will move to weekend mornings on Feb. 12, anchoring for both Long Island and Westchester and contributing reporting on the morning and 5 p.m. newscasts. Her move to weekends will strengthen News 12’s already successful weekend lineup. Egeland has been with News 12 for the past five years and, prior to that, worked in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she launched a weekend morning newscast that quickly brought it to No. 1 in the market.

“These newsroom changes increase News 12’s journalistic commitment to reporting on the local stories that matter and that are affecting the safety, livelihoods and wallets of Long Islanders,” said News 12 General Manager Jacques Natz. “The mix of our veteran News 12 anchors with new accomplished anchors, reporters and meteorologists further strengthens News 12’s role in providing high-impact content in our award-winning newscasts.”