Which TV News Anchor Has Been With The Same Station The Longest?

[Bob1370]

Updating, it still looks liike Don Alhart at WHAM-TV (formerly WOKR) ch. 13 in Rochester, NY takes the prize--no one has emerged to challenge his continuous tenure dating to 1966, soon after he graduated from Ithaca College. He's survived not only a call letter change and studio relocation but a half dozen station ownership changes (at least)--which happens when you immediately boost the ratings and then build them to market leadership for every station owner, that's now lasted a generation.

Class act, classy man--can't think of anyone more deserving of his success in his home town.

 

[OldNumber7]

Updating, it still looks liike Don Alhart at WHAM-TV (formerly WOKR) ch. 13 in Rochester, NY takes the prize--no one has emerged to challenge his continuous tenure dating to 1966, soon after he graduated from Ithaca College. He's survived not only a call letter change and studio relocation but a half dozen station ownership changes (at least)--which happens when you immediately boost the ratings and then build them to market leadership for every station owner, that's now lasted a generation.

Class act, classy man--can't think of anyone more deserving of his success in his home town.

I may have you on a technicality. Alhart was a weatherman/reporter for the first several years. He didn't become an anchor (if I recall correctly) 'til maybe about '71 (co-anchoring the early evening news with Dick Burt).

 

[RadioDaze]

To update since I posted this last year, WRAL-TV did not renew Pam Saulsby's contract, so she left last October. They moved Debra Morgan (Been there since the mid-1990s to the 5 and 6pm show and brought in a lady from WPIX-TV/New York, Jackie Hyland, to take Morgan's slot at 5:30 with Gerald Owens.

At WTVD, Stogner does only the 6pm news, and does so solo. (WTVD's 6pm news is one of the few news broadcasts outside of mornings they still do at the main studio in Durham...all of the others come from a street-level newsroom in Downtown Raleigh). I should note that Stogner was a reporter at WRAL-TV for at least four years before he came to WTVD.

In Raleigh-Durham (#25), the stay is usually brief as reporters jump to even larger markets.

At top rated CBS affiliate WRAL-TV (one of the few remaining locally-owned Top 25 market stations), the evening news anchor team of David Crabtree and Pam Saulsby has been in place since 1994, when Crabtree took the place of longtime anchor Charlie Gaddy. Saulsby's been at WRAL since 1991. Morning and noon news anchor Bill Leslie has been at the station since 1984. Chief meterologist Greg Fishel just celebrated 30 years with the station, though he's only been chief since 1989 or so. Tom Suiter was the evening sports anchor from 1981 until a year or two ago when he ceded the chair for other projects (he started with WRAL in 1971). Among reporters, Amanda Lamb has the most seniority, having started in 1994.

At ABC O&O WTVD, the perennially second-place station, Larry Stogner is the market's senior news anchor, having held that chair for 29 years, following six years as a reporter. Two WTVD reporters have been there a long while as well, Fayetteville Bureau Chief Greg Barnes (1983) and Senior Reporter Ed Crump (1984). As for their weather and (especially) sports teams, you won't find a great deal of seniority, save for chief meterololgist Chris Hohmann (started in the mid-90s).

At distant-third place WNCN (NBC 17), which has only been in the news business since 1995, there has been such heavy turnover that none of the original team is still there. Morning meteorologist Bill Reh was at WTVD from 1984 into the mid/late 90s, then at the now-defunct news operation of WLFL-TV 22, before coming to WNCN. Anchor/ Kim Genardo has been there since 2000/2001.

 

[ShawnHill1]

I know that Hal Fishman at KTLA was mentioned before, a few pages back, as well as Stan Chambers (who was at KTLA from just months after it signed-on the air in 1947 until his retirement a few years ago). There are other longtime anchors such as George Putnam, Paul Moyer, Jess Marlow, Jerry Dunphy, Harold Greene, Ann Martin, Steve Edwards, and a few others that worked here in La-la-land but bounced around to different stations from time to time.

As far as current anchors at the same station: Colleen Williams (25 years at KNBC; spent several years prior at KNXT/KCBS), Marc Brown (23 at KABC; worked in Sacramento prior to L.A.), Christine Devine (22 at KTTV), Chuck Henry (18 at KNBC; 11 years before that at KABC), sports directors Fred Roggin (32 at KNBC) and Jim Hill (31 of 36 years at KNXT/KCBS, five year stint at KABC from 1987 to 1992), and KABC's lead weathercaster Dallas Raines has been with them since 1984.

Rick Garcia did 22 years (1987-2009) as sports anchor at KTTV (along with with an additional stint at KCOP doing its 11pm news just after its acquistion by Fox in '01), and is currently the lead anchor on KCAL's weeknight newscasts, as well as anchoring KCBS' 6pm news.

 

[Bob1370]

"I may have you on a technicality. Don Alhart was a weatherman/reporter for the first several years (at Channel 13 in Rochester, NY). He didn't become an anchor (if I recall correctly) 'til maybe about '71 (co-anchoring the early evening news with Dick Burt)."

IIRC he did some weekend anchoring even before '71, but even if I'm wrong and he began his weekday anchoring work as late as 1971, that still gives him 41 straight years at the anchor desk at the same station in the same city, and counting--and it doesn't look like anyone who's been mentioned in this thread can trace that far back to the start of his/her anchoring career, especially at the same station, and continuing to today...There may have been others in the past who had comparable longevity but they're either no longer at the same station, no longer working in the business or just no longer with us...

 

[mjlarochelle]

He's survived not only a call letter change

I have new found respect for Don Alhart, for surviving a call letter change.

Actually, I'll do you one better. Dick Goddard, weatherman at WJW/8 in Cleveland, has survived not only one, but two call letter changes at the same station! AND a network affiliation change, something Alhart can't claim.

;D

(By all accounts, I'm sure Alhart is an awesome anchor. I've never seen him. All jokes.)

 

[superoldiesradio]

Mike Donahue left Koin-Tv after 44 years!
----------------------------------------------
Mike Donahue announces retirement
http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Mike-Donahue/qHetQuZk_UevnC39POUKzw.cspx

 

[Kent T]

All of you forgot legendary Air talent, Luther Massengale who has been with WDEF for over 60 years in Radio and in TV. Chattanooga and maybe Eastern Tennessee's longest serving legend in broadcasting. He began sometime in the 1940's and is still working today.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Actually, I'll do you one better. Dick Goddard, weatherman at WJW/8 in Cleveland, has survived not only one, but two call letter changes at the same station! AND a network affiliation change, something Alhart can't claim.

;D

Yep - WJW to WJKW when AM 850 was sold off, then back to WJW when AM 850 became WRMR.

CBS until the mid-90s, and then Fox via the New World deal...eventually a Fox O&O until they sold it off to Local TV LLC.

He's been on the same station, despite all those changes, since the mid-1960s...he's gonna be hard to beat in this race.

News anchor-wise here in Northeast Ohio, both Wilma Smith and Leon Bibb have been around since the 1970s, but not at the same station. Wilma was part of the "Eyewitness News" team on WEWS/5 (use Ernie Anderson's voice in your head when you read that), but is now 6 PM co-anchor at WJW's "Fox 8 News".

Leon was an anchor at WKYC/3 (NBC), but is now noon anchor at WEWS.

We lost some contenders recently, when Tim Taylor (WJW) and Ted Henry (WEWS) retired after lengthy times at the same stations.

Most of the sports anchors are relatively less tenured, though Jim Donovan (WKYC) has been around for a couple of decades. And John Telich (WJW) certainly has him beat, though he's only recently been the primary sports anchor after Tony Rizzo's departure to concentrate on his midday sports talk radio show...

 

[johnnya2k6]

In my DC market,

Gordon Peterson (anchor) (WUSA-TV9) 1969-2002 (WJLA-TV7 (2002-present)

Gordon jumped to WJLA in 2004, probably due to WUSA's declining ratings.

And on Wednesday (7/25), Monica Pearson -- or Kaufman, whichever you prefer -- signed off at WSB for the last time after 37 years.

 

[rageradio]

I've heard Dave Ward say he'll work at KTRK until he's carried out feet first. He's getting up there in age. It'll be a sad day in Houston TV when that happens. I remember seeing Dave on the news when I was really little...1973ish

 

[Fenway1912]

Jack Williams of WBZ-TV, Channel 4 in Boston has been with the station since 1975 and still as strong as ever. He might not be the longest running anchor in the business, but he does deserve credit as one of Boston's longest running and best anchors in the business. A true gentleman.

Jack was first hired in part because when younger he looked a little like Johnny Carson.

CBS tried to force him out in the late 90's for a younger face and put him on weekends. Jack started getting higher ratings on weekends and was brought back. He gave up the 11 PM in March but still does the 6 PM. He is a class act.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/personality/jack-williams/

 

[VOL559]

Mike Scott of KGPE-47 Fresno. 26 years and counting

 

[Drucifer]

I've heard Dave Ward say he'll work at KTRK until he's carried out feet first. He's getting up there in age. It'll be a sad day in Houston TV when that happens. I remember seeing Dave on the news when I was really little...1973ish

Interesting story, Ward broke his hip http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8507360 and was out of work for quite sometime. He returned to the 10M news http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8556883

I agree that the day he is gone will be very, very sad. Ward has been at KTRK since 1966 and an anchor since 1967. That's 45 years as an anchor. Not sure anyone beats that!

 

[ajmcwhorter]

In Honolulu, KHON's Joe Moore has been at that anchor desk since 1978, and before that spent nine years at KGMB, where he started out in 1969 as a sports anchor.

Joe started NEWS anchoring for KHON in May 1981 and has been at the news anchor desk ever since. He was with KGMB sports from 1969-May 1978.

 

[F.M.Hertz]

In Pittsburgh, that honor would go to Bill Burns who started the news department at WDTV (3-DuMont) in 1953, which later became KDKA (2-CBS) and stayed with the station until 1989.

Another might be Paul Long who came to the Steel City to become a radio newsman for KDKA, made the transitiion to KDKA TV in the 50s then went across town to become a part of the John J. Conomikes Dream Team at WTAE (4-ABC) in 1968. He was at Channel 4 until 1994.

It's hard to believe how time flies, but after posting this I realized that at Channel 11 (WPXI-NBC), David Johnson and Peggy Finnegan have anchored together for well over 20 years. Over at Channel 2, (KDKA-CBS), Stacy Smith has been anchoring on one newscast for close to 25 years, if I can date that correctly. Ken Rice has anchored for a good 10+ years. All of these anchors are solid in this market, and huge assets to their stations.

And then there's Channel 4, (WTAE-ABC), at least they have Sally Wiggin who's been there since 1980. One of the few, if not the only bright spot at that station. The current regime over at Ardmore Boulevard has made that station into a huge wreck. Not even close to the Cannon/Long years.

 

[MDefl]

Jim Gardner joined WPVI in the early 70's as noon anchor. He moved to evenings in 1975 and
is still doing it today.

Jim Gardner came to WPVI Philadelphia in June, 1976 as a weekend anchor. He moved to the
weekday 6 and 11 pm shows in May, 1977. He is still doing 6 and 11 pm today, so that makes him
the longest-tenured current news anchor in Philadelphia.

Just heard a rumor from someone who works for that station (not on air) that next year will be his last.

 

[ChuckTiller]

I've heard Dave Ward say he'll work at KTRK until he's carried out feet first. He's getting up there in age. It'll be a sad day in Houston TV when that happens. I remember seeing Dave on the news when I was really little...1973ish

Interesting story, Ward broke his hip http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8507360 and was out of work for quite sometime. He returned to the 10M news http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8556883

I agree that the day he is gone will be very, very sad. Ward has been at KTRK since 1966 and an anchor since 1967. That's 45 years as an anchor. Not sure anyone beats that!

And, before he was at KTRK, he was news director of KNUZ/KQUE radio here in Houston.

 

[Generic]

Bob Long- 40 years (1962-2002) KSEE Fresno
Stefani Booroojian- 30 years (1982-present) KSEE Fresno

 

[patryk1243]

If you can also mention International stations, In Germany, i think Jan Hofer reads Tagesschau on Das Erste for almost 32 years, Petra Gerster is with ZDF for 19 years and Peter Kloppel anchors RTL Aktuell for almost 24 years.