PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – After 38 years on KDKA-TV and 50 years on the radio, news anchor Stacy Smith is retiring from KDKA-TV this week.
WATCH: Stacy Smith’s final thoughts before logging out
WATCH: KDKA says goodbye
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When Stacy first started at KDKA-TV in 1983, he came to Pittsburgh from the WDAF in Kansas City and did direct coverage of politics. He covered many of the political conventions and became one of the “go to” people in election coverage. During his years of anchoring the news, Stacy made history with us when the 1994 US Air Flight 427 crash took place that earned KDKA-TV a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award. Stacy was also one of the few local journalists to briefly meet with the Pope (John Paul II) while covering the Pittsburgh Symphony’s historic trip to the Vatican. He also led the Pittsburgh viewers through the shootings of the Synagogue of the Tree of Life.
WATCH: Ken Rice interviews Stacy Smith
WATCH: Farewell to Stacy Part 1
Most recently, Stacy was instrumental in the development, implementation and execution of the election report and the footprint for the 2020 elections by KDKA-TV. He also created Around the Table, a weekly political segment that became KDKA’s first original programming foundation on the new CBSNPittsburgh streaming platform.
WEB EXTRA: Stacy Smith’s first story on KDKA
Stacy covered breakthrough medical technology and innovation – much related to organ transplantation and research. The Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) honored Stacy for reports on Dr. Thomas Starzl, known as the doctor who pioneered modern day transplantation. He was also honored by the AP and nominated for a regional Emmy in 2006 for a half-hour special that he produced, wrote, and anchored here in Pittsburgh to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the polio vaccine.
WEB EXTRA: Dr. Thomas Starzl
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to KDKA every day. I was honored to share the stories, from tragedies to triumphs to everyday events that affect our entire lives, ”says Smith.
WATCH: Message from CBS News Evening News Anchor Norah O’Donnell
Stacy is so deeply rooted in the business world and his deep sources there have helped us plan and get the news on how the UPMC & Highmark dispute should be resolved. In addition to being chartered, Stacy interviewed numerous newsmakers on the weekly KD / PG Sunday Edition show.
WEB EXTRA: 20 years after the Kennedy assassination
In 2007, Stacy was awarded the Golden Quill Pen for one hour for former Roman Catholic Bishop of Pittsburgh, Donald Wuerl. Stacy co-produced and anchored the special.
In addition to his award-winning work at KDKA-TV, Stacy hosted On-Q Magazine at WQED for eight years from the start. He also wrote, produced, and anchored a half-hour documentary on the Salk Vaccine Anniversary, which aired on KDKA and WQED.
WEB EXTRA: At the Simon & Garfunkel concert
Prior to joining KDKA-TV, Stacy anchored the evening news broadcasts on WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri for six years. Prior to that, he worked at WHAS-AM / FM / TV in Louisville and WIFE-AM (now WIBC) in Indianapolis. Stacy began his broadcasting career in December 1971 with WLBC-AM / FM in Muncie, Indiana.
WATCH: Message from former KDKA meteorologist Dennis Bowman
Community activities for Stacy include serving on the board of directors of the Harmarville Rehabilitation Center, the Three Rivers Council for Independent Living, and chairing the board of directors of the Family House of Pittsburgh. In 2007, Stacy was named chairman emeritus of the family home. He was also involved in the Shriners and was named Honorary Ambassador of the Syria Mosque. Stacy is also a founding member and chairman of the Pittsburgh Creche Endowment Committee.
WATCH: Patrice King Brown says goodbye to Stacy Smith
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