The Local Tale of Two Brians, Adding to Reporting the News Beginning This Month

As the saying goes, "If you want something done, ask a busy person."  That certainly rings true in two local media announcements in recent weeks, both conincidentally, highlighting two well-known media names, well, one really – Brian.

WSHU Public Radio in Fairfield has announced that award-winning journalist Brian Scott-Smith has been named the new local host of Morning Edition, the station’s flagship daily morning news program.

A veteran, award-winning broadcast journalist, Scott-Smith brings decades of international and local experience to the role. Born in Great Britain, he began his career working in television and radio for the BBC, as well as in commercial radio. Scott-Smith is the creator and host of the podcast Connecticut East This Week, which highlights the people, businesses, and stories of eastern Connecticut.

Listeners can hear Morning Edition starting at 5am on 91.1FM and 89.9FM, at www.wshu.org, on the WSHU app and via smart speaker.

And in Hartford, WFSB Channel 3 announced a considerable expansion of its streaming service, to include a new weekday hour-long interview program hosted by Brian Schactman.

The new one-hour program, airing at 2 p.m., is titled "Eyewitness News Extra with Brian Shactman."  Shactman is well-known to local audiences for his popular daily radio program, heard mornings on “Brian & Company,” 5:30 – 9:00  on WTIC-AM 1080, as well as occasionally filling in as a newscast anchor on WFSB.

Shactman's new weekday streaming broadcast will feature in-depth local reporting, community conversations and coverage of "the stories shaping Connecticut," according to WFSB.

“Connecticut has incredible stories worth telling, and I can’t wait to dig into them every afternoon with our viewers," Shactman said in a news release from WFSB. "This is a real opportunity to do meaningful, community-focused journalism, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”

“Local news matters now more than ever, and our viewers deserve access to trusted, live coverage throughout the day," WFSB and WWAX General Manager David Hughes said in a news release. "WFSB+ and WWAX give us the platforms to do exactly that."  In addition to Shactman’s hour on the station’s streaming service, WFSB added two hour-long newscasts to the WFSB+ streaming service, at times when live newscasts are not available elsewhere in the market.

Scott-Smith has been a familiar and trusted voice to WSHU audiences since moving to Connecticut in 2008. He began freelancing with the station as a reporter and fill-in host, covering a wide range of topics including business, health, the environment, and local politics.

Brad Dancer, General Manager of WSHU Public Radio, welcomed Scott-Smith to the role, stating: “Brian’s deep connection to our region, his journalistic integrity, and his ability to connect with listeners make him an excellent choice to host Morning Edition. We are thrilled to have him lead our morning broadcast and continue WSHU’s tradition of trusted, high-quality journalism.”

“It’s been great working with WSHU for so long as a freelancer,” said Scott-Smith. “So, taking over as the WSHU host of Morning Edition, one of the station’s flagship shows, is not only a dream come true but also a great responsibility and privilege.”