In December 2011, it was announced that he would leave CBS to join WKYC in Cleveland, Ohio, as a lead anchor, starting in January 2012.

[2] He attended high school in Webster Groves in suburban St. Louis, and went on to graduate from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1982.

[3] Russ Mitchell's first television job came while he was still in high school, working as a part-time switchboard operator at KTVI in his native St. Louis.

He was also a primary substitute for Dan Rather, John Roberts, Bob Schieffer, Katie Couric and Scott Pelley on CBS Evening News.

In December 2011, it was announced that he would move to Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC as lead anchor and executive editor of the 6 and 11pm newscasts, where he remains today.