NECN adds Matt Reed as it prepares for regional news relaunch

Spectrum News NECN has hired former WCVB reporter Matt Reed as an anchor as the regional cable news network prepared for a mid-September relaunch.

Reed left WCVB at the end of June. His hiring marked NECN’s first major addition since Spectrum acquired the network’s assets from NBCUniversal in February.

Spectrum News acquires New England Cable News from NBCUniversal

“I’m just so excited to have an opportunity to tell the biggest stories, not just in Massachusetts, but really across New England,” Reed told The Boston Globe. “I think it’s super exciting that we’re starting a new TV station in 2026.”

Spectrum has posted various positions for the network, including anchor, meteorologist, managing director, producers, and photojournalists.

NECN launched in 1992 as a 24-hour regional news network through a partnership between Hearst and Continental Cablevision. Comcast later acquired Continental and NECN before taking control of NBCUniversal.

The February sale included NECN’s assets but did not transfer NBCUniversal employees to Spectrum. 

NECN had increasingly integrated its operations with NBC10 Boston after NBCUniversal launched the station in 2017.

NECN shut down its website and apps in January 2025, redirecting visitors to NBC10 Boston’s website.

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Under Spectrum, the relaunched network planned to emphasize weather and political coverage. NECN also planned to develop a morning program and add other programming after launch.

Parker most recently served as assistant news director at NBC Connecticut.

NECN will continue to operate out of leased office space at the NBCU Boston Media Center in Needham for the time being.