Hugh L. Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 12, 1934 |
| Died | December 16, 2007 (aged 75) |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota |
| Occupation | Reporter |
Hugh L. Smith (May 12, 1934 - December 16, 2007) [1] was a reporter, news anchor, and news director at WTVT in Tampa, Florida, [2] from 1963 until his retirement in 1991. [3] [4] Having worked at WTVT for over 27 years, he is considered a television pioneer, being part of the first live color telecast in Tampa, the first remote broadcast, and the first hour-long newscast. [3]
Early life
Smith was born in Madison, South Dakota, and grew up in the small town of Pipestone, Minnesota. [3] He developed an interest in radio by listening to broadcasters Edward R. Murrow, Eric Sevareid, Douglas Edwards, and Robert Trout. [3] He earned a journalism degree at the University of Minnesota where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. [5] Smith graduated in 1956. [3] He was editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Daily student newspaper during the 1955–56 academic year.
Career
Smith's broadcast career started as staff writer for WCCO-AM in Minneapolis, Minnesota. [3] He later went to work at WHAS AM/ TV in Louisville, Kentucky, and later went to work at KVTV in Sioux City, Iowa, before coming to WTVT in 1963. [3] [4] [6] He was named assistant news director of WTVT in 1966. [7] In 1966 he anchored the first color newscast in Tampa. [3] In 1976 he did their first remote live broadcast while reporting from a helicopter hovering 500 feet over a news scene. [4] As news director he was instrumental in increasing the duration of WTVT's news coverage slots - first from 15 to 30 minutes, and then to 60 minutes. [3] He held the dual post of news director and news anchor for 15 years. [4] He left the station in 1991. [8] He then substituted in April 1991 for radio station WMTX morning broadcaster Pat Brooks, [8] and joined the WMTX's Mason Dixon morning show as news anchor. [3] He died in St. Petersburg, Florida, on December 16, 2007, from complications from melanoma. [4]
References
- ^ "Hugh L Smith". Fold3. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ Benbow, Charles (April 14, 1974). "Even off-the-air they're news". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Belcher, Walt (December 18, 2007). "Pioneering Anchor Smith Dies". Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b c d e Deggans, Eric (December 18, 2007). "Longtime local TV news anchor dies of melanoma". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
- ^ Brookins, Carleton W., ed. (1956). Minnesota Gopher yearbook (69 ed.). University of Minnesota: The Board in Control of Student Publications. p. 290. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ Broadcasting. Vol. 74. Cahners Publishing. 1968. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ "Director of News". St. Petersburg Times. May 12, 1966. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
- ^ a b Duryea, Bill (April 30, 1991). "Hugh Smith works stint at radio station". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2009-06-13. [ dead link]
External links
 | This biographical article related to television in the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 2007 deaths
- Television anchors from Tampa, Florida
- Deaths from melanoma in the United States
- People from Madison, South Dakota
- University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumni
- 1934 births
- Deaths from cancer in Florida
- Journalists from South Dakota
- People from Pipestone, Minnesota
- 20th-century American journalists
- American male journalists
- American television biography stubs