After WDIV-TV’s Devin Scillian does his last newscast this Friday, Dec. 13, Ty Steele, who has been appearing on Local 4 for a few weeks, will anchor the evening news at 5, 6, and 11 p.m. Steele most recently worked in Sacramento at KCRA-TV. Since moving his family — and their Maltipoo, Blue — to Troy this past fall, he’s already garnered quite a following not only on his first news programs here (“In Your Neighborhood” segments and early-evening newscasts), but also in social media where you’ll find him and his family — his wife Stephanie Steele, PhD and four daughters — enjoying area parks, reveling in school activities, and mixing up tasty smoothies at home.
Steele started his job in the fall so Scillian could show him the ropes at the station and in Detroit. (Scillian took him to a Red Wings game and introduced him to a coney dog.)
I first met Steele at Buddy’s Pizza in Troy, his new hometown, where he was checking out the iconic, saucy pie (“Love the crispy crust and Wisconsin brick cheese!” he says) as part of his get-to-know-Detroit goals. Here, he shares a little bit about himself.
You have zero family living in Michigan, and yet you were big on moving here from California. Why?
Detroit is the comeback city, and I want to be a part of it! Plus, when you receive a great career opportunity at a powerhouse like Local 4, it’s hard to turn down. Also, I’ve always been intrigued by the Midwest. Moving here was appealing to me, especially as we have a family with young kids (ages 4 through 10) and it seems a big focus here is on family values and community engagement.
Why did you choose Troy for your city of residence?
Our biggest criteria was great schools and then we wanted good shopping, parks, friendliness, safety, and a nice house. Troy is all that.
When did you know you wanted to become a newscaster?
I was young. I remember riding around in my parents’ Chevy van in the 1990s with my three brothers where we grew up (Lacey, Washington). I’d pretend that the cars going by were my audience and I’d broadcast to them as if they were my viewers. In third grade, I was a paper boy with one of my brothers. I knew that I was delivering something important, and I felt like I had a big job. We got $150 per month and had to split it. I was a weird kid who watched the news. And I loved communications in school, debating, things like that.
The newscaster’s job has changed over the past several years or so. What are your responsibilities?
We aren’t just broadcasting news, but also writing it for online and for social media. We make public appearances, too. Did you know that journalists are competing with influencers now? I find that Detroit’s a little different than most news markets, though. People are engaged in the news. There’s a lot of Detroit pride. I’ve noticed that since day one. I’m on Local 4 News 4, 5, 5:30, and 6 p.m. news until Devin retires. Then I’ll be a news anchor at 5, 6, and 11.
The beloved Devin Scillian is a big act to follow. How’s that going so far?
He sure is. He’s a great guy in front of the camera and behind it and that takes a lot of energy. He’s a consummate professional and cares deeply about storytelling and sharing accurate and timely information that impacts the daily lives of people in the metro Detroit area. I will work extremely hard to follow in his footsteps. I have learned a lot from him so far and even enjoyed a steak dinner with him at Parc, which was my first fine-dining experience in Detroit. Devon’s been super welcoming and kind.
How about your downtime?
[When I was younger] I spent a lot of time reading, writing, drawing and painting (including watercolors). After starting a career and having kids, I haven’t devoted as much time to my artwork as I would like. But I can’t wait to find the space and time to pick it back up. And fitness is one of my hobbies. I’ve been lifting weights since the age of 14. I lift weights five days a week and try to eat a healthy diet. You could say I’m a gym rat!
And here we are at Buddy’s! So, you do splurge, then?
I don’t cheat a lot, but for me, the biggest splurge is pizza or a giant double burger with fries. I did, in fact, recently enjoy a burger at the Redcoat Tavern. Great!
Any surprises, so far, about Michigan that you weren’t expecting?
No surprises, just confirmations. I had heard that people in the Midwest were super welcoming. That’s exactly what I’ve seen.
This story appeared in the February 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Feb. 10.
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