When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, it’ll be more than simply the start of a new year. It’ll be the start of a new local TV station, with NBC Boston joining the fray as a fifth local TV station broadcasting in the Boston market.

The shakeup means WHDH (Ch. 7) will lose its NBC affiliation and become an all-Boston news station, while Fox, ABC and CBS affiliates will stay the same. But those looking for their daily dose of Lester Holt and Matt Lauer or their weekly fix of Saturday Night Live or This Is Us will have to tune into NBC Boston. The change will take effect on Jan. 1 after live coverage of the New Year’s Eve festivities in Copley Square from 6 pm till 12:30 am on NECN and the Countdown NBC Boston channel.

Evening news anchors Phil Lipof and Shannon Mulaire are set to usher in the new station that night, and you might recognize both: Lipof previously worked at WCVB (Ch. 5) and Mulaire worked at WFXT (Ch. 25). They won’t be the only familiar faces for local news viewers, as NBC Boston has spent the past year and a half stashing other on-air talent at sister station NECN before the big launch. We tapped a few of them to learn more about their new gigs.

Shannon Mulaire
Previous Station: WFXT (Ch. 25)
New Role: Weeknight anchor at 4, 6 and 11 pm
On the Challenges of a Brand-New Station: “The challenges are clear, but overwhelming. We don’t have a built-in viewing audience that we’ve grown over decades. Starting from scratch is obviously a challenge. However, we have a team of people who have grown up in and worked in this market for decades, and that will help us hit the ground running.”

Phil Lipof
Previous Station: WCVB (Ch. 5)
New Role: Weeknight anchor at 6, 7 and 11 pm
On His Top Reason for Making the Move: “I was most looking forward to working again for [Kenny Plotnik, who previously worked as news director at WABC in New York], my old news director. … We won’t do ‘breaking news’ just to do it. We won’t stay on longer than our competitors because we are worried about outlasting them. We will cover the communities we live in, in a responsible, professional way.”

Pete Bouchard
Previous Station: WHDH (Ch. 7)
New Role: Weeknight meteorologist at 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11 pm
On What He’s Looking Forward to Most: “Sinking my teeth into the new weather toys around here: StormRanger mobile Doppler radar, our live truck, Weather Warrior, a whole new suite of weather graphics and even more surprises down the road. And with the largest staff of meteorologists in Boston, it’s all weather, all the time.”

Joy Lim Nakrin
Previous Station: WFXT (Ch. 25)
New Role: Weeknight anchor at 4 and 7 pm
On Her Not-So-Shameful Secret: “I’m looking forward to finally sharing my longtime ‘closeted’ NBC adoration loud and proud! For years, I’ve loved watching NBC’s news…. When I was working for FOX25 here in Boston, for instance, I had a secret shame about my hidden betrayal. So, to work for a company I have truly admired for most of my news career is absolutely liberating!”

Frank Holland
Previous Station: WCVB (Ch. 5)
New Role: Weekend evening anchor
On Tapping into NBC Boston’s Sister Station: “We are building something new, on top of a strong foundation. People know and love NECN. We are growing from that. We are also building the identity of this station every day. [NECN] already had great talent and staff, and now we are adding new people.”

Latoyia Edwards
Previous Station: NECN
New Role: Breaking news morning anchor and noon anchor
On Her Boston Roots: “Anchoring the news for NBC Boston is like a dream come true for me. I am a Boston lady through and through. Born and raised in the city’s largest neighborhood, Dorchester, I know the beauty and challenges of each community.”