WLWT Hires Jennifer Smith as Assistant News Director
The Cincinnati NBC affiliate has named the veteran broadcast journalist to lead its news operation alongside News Director Jeff Benscoter.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
WLWT News 5 and owner Hearst Television announced Wednesday that Jennifer Smith has been hired as Assistant News Director. Smith previously served four years as News Director at WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, and brings more than 26 years of broadcast news experience.
Why it matters
The appointment adds a seasoned newsroom leader to one of Cincinnati's longest-running local television stations. Her experience guiding journalists through breaking news is the stated basis for the hire.
Smith holds eight Ohio Valley Emmy wins and a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, and has more than 26 years in broadcast news. Hearst Television, which owns WLWT, operates 35 television stations and two radio stations across 39 states.
The players
Jennifer Smith
Jennifer Smith is a veteran broadcast journalist and eight-time Ohio Valley Emmy winner who previously led the newsroom at WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky.
WLWT
WLWT is a Cincinnati television station that is the city's first TV station and the first NBC affiliate in the country.
Hearst Television
Hearst Television is a national broadcast company that owns and operates 35 television stations and two radio stations across 27 media markets.
Jeff Benscoter
Jeff Benscoter is the News Director of WLWT News 5 who said Smith's experience makes her the right choice for the assistant role.
The details
Smith led coverage of historic Kentucky tornadoes and flooding, as well as the UPS plane crash, during her time at WLEX-TV. WLWT, the first television station in Cincinnati and the first NBC affiliate in the country, is owned and operated by Hearst Television.
Timeline
Wednesday: WLWT and Hearst Television announced Smith's hire.
Industry Context
Hearst Television operates stations in 27 media markets reaching 24 million U.S. television households, a footprint that allows it to move experienced newsroom managers between stations. Smith's move from WLEX-TV to WLWT follows that pattern of internal talent transfer within a national group.
Viewers of WLWT News 5 in the Cincinnati market will see Smith in her new role as the station's newsroom leadership takes shape. The change does not alter station programming or broadcast schedules described in the source.
The takeaway
Experienced newsroom leaders often move between stations within a single group, and this hire shows how a manager with major breaking-news coverage can be placed in a flagship market. Readers following local media can watch for how the WLWT newsroom organizes coverage under its new leadership structure.
Further reading
For related local job openings, browse Nursing Jobs in the Cincinnati area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WLWT5.
