According to station employees — but not yet confirmed by newsroom management — KSTP's top male anchor, John Mason, has been promoted to managing editor, and new hire Bill Lunn will take over 5, 6 and 10 p.m. anchor duties.

Mason would fill a job that was held for years by Gary Hill, who now works for DFL State Sen. Larry Pogemiller and the Senate Majority caucus. Although Mason lacked star power in the anchor chair (seemingly a KSTP job requirement), he is well-respected in the newsroom for his journalistic chops, and Channel 5 deserves kudos for actually adding someone to its news infrastructure.

Lunn was hired last month from Memphis, where until his December layoff he worked for WMC-TV. He previously worked in Duluth. Another new anchor, Megan Newquist, will reportedly handle Hubbard's 4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. newscasts.

In the May ratings, in the prime 25-54-year-old demographic, KSTP finished second of four local stations at 5 p.m., third of three at 6 p.m. and third of four at 10 p.m.