Maryanne Zeleznik
The voice of Cincinnati Public Radio talks about food-related programs and the importance of local news.
portrait by Michael Wilson
What’s a favorite food memory from childhood? My mom was a great cook, as was her mom, and food was such a big part of my childhood. My family is Slovakian and Slovenian and we ate a lot of those dishes; we made pirohi (like Polish pierogi) during the holidays.
How would you describe WVXU’s coverage of our food scene? On Cincinnati Edition we talk about food insecurity and sustainability and have conversations with chefs. We try to meet people where they are. It’s not a regular beat for us but we recognize the importance of food to our health and our enjoyment of life.
What’s the role of locally focused news outlets in today’s media landscape? No matter what their views are, people get mad at the news. But that tends to be more national; people tend to be very protective of their local news sources because the information we provide affects their lives and helps them connect to their communities in ways that national news doesn’t. That says to me that local news is so important.
What’s your typical day like? I usually get in between 4 and 4:30 a.m. and review what’s waiting for me as the reporters have been working. We get stories from the Ohio Newsroom and Kentucky and Indiana public radio. I gather everything we have to create our newscasts. I’m on the air until 10, and we have a news meeting at 10:15. I’m also on the management team, I edit stories, I meet with our staff, and on a fundraising day I also do that. Every day’s a little bit different.
What are you especially proud of? Our Backed Up podcast hosted by Becca Costello and Ella Rowen. There’s so much to know about our sewer system. Becca and Ella had this great idea and it’s given people so much insight. It was named one of The Atlantic’s top 20 podcasts in 2024.
Who would you most like to interview? I’m listening right now to Barbra Streisand’s book, My Name is Barbra. I’ve been a fan since I was little, and she’s so intriguing. Having listened to it, I’d love to talk with her about so many of the stories she brought up.
What food-related destinations in Greater Cincinnati do you show off when friends or family visit? When we took a staycation in October, we went to Mama’s on Main in Covington and loved it. Otto’s is also great. And we did a splurge and went to Jeff Ruby’s; I’d never been, and it was impressive. My daughter is working at the Moerlein Lager House and we like that as well. My favorite dive is Casual Chinese in Newport; they have the best takeout. I have to say, though, that you will have to take the grocery shopping out of my cold dead hands. I can’t imagine turning that over to a delivery service.
VITAL STATS
Family Husband Paul Sanow, adult daughter, dog Zoe
Hometown Lorain, OH
Lives in Ft. Thomas, KY
Career path Attended Miami University; started working for a small radio station in Illinois as the only member of the newsroom. Moved to WNKY and became news director, then joined WVXU and Cincinnati Public Radio as news director in 2005. Has awards from Ohio Associated Press, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Cincinnati Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Named Best Talk Show Host in Cincinnati in 2017 by CityBeat readers.
No. 58 Last Word
This article was originally published in a past issue of Edible Ohio Valley magazine. Subscribe to be the first to read each issue or order back copies while supplies last.
Bryn’s long career in publishing took a left turn sometime around 2010, when she discovered the joy of food writing. Since then, she’s found professional nirvana as the editor of Edible Ohio Valley, author of The Findlay Market Cookbook, and occasional instructor at The Cooking School at Jungle Jim’s. Find her seasonal recipes at writes4food.com.
