Full Name Wilma Pokorny Name Wilma Smith Years active 1972-2013 | Nationality American Role News anchor | |
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Known for Longtime TV news anchor/reporter in Cleveland, OH market Spouse(s) Tom Gerber. 1982-Present Education | ||
Occupation Television news anchor Similar Tim Taylor (newscaster), Robin Swoboda, Don Webster (media personality) | ||
Fun with former wews anchor wilma smith
Wilma Smith (born July 24, 1946) is a former American local television news anchor who spent most of her career in Cleveland, Ohio. She was with Fox affiliate WJW-TV from 1994 to 2013, following 17 years at ABC affiliate WEWS-TV.
Contents
- Fun with former wews anchor wilma smith
- Early life and education
- WXEX TV 19721977
- WEWS TV 19771994
- WJW TV 19942013
- Awards and honors
- Personal life
- References
Early life and education
Born Wilma Pokorny, Smith was born and raised in the Cleveland suburb of Garfield Heights. She graduated from Garfield Heights High School in 1964 and then earned a bachelor's degree in speech and English from Bowling Green State University. She also holds a master's degree in broadcast journalism.
WXEX-TV (1972–1977)
Smith began her broadcasting career in 1972 at ABC affiliate WXEX, Channel 8, in Richmond, Virginia. She was the host and producer of a daily one-hour talk show and anchored the 6 p.m. weekday newscasts, which made her the state's first primetime female anchor.
WEWS-TV (1977–1994)
Her broadcasting career in Cleveland started at ABC affiliate WEWS, Channel 5, on July 17, 1977, when she became co-host of Afternoon Exchange, and early evening news/interview program. She co-hosted the news program Live On 5 beginning in 1982 and the following year began co-anchoring the 11 p.m. newscast with longtime anchor Ted Henry. Her final on-air appearance at the station was in December 1993.
WJW-TV (1994–2013)
After completing a contractual no-compete waiting period, Smith joined Cleveland's WJW, Channel 8, in 1994. The move occurred around the time that the station was switching from being a CBS affiliate to Fox. From 1995 to 2005, Smith was the co-anchor of the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts with longtime anchor Tim Taylor. In 2005, Smith and Taylor reduced their schedules to anchoring only the 6 p.m. newscast. In December that year, Taylor retired and since then Smith has been anchoring the newscast with Lou Maglio. Their newscast is number one in the local ratings.
On March 18, 2013, Smith announced that she would retire from her 41-year broadcasting career two months later. She said, "It’s a lovely gift to be able to leave on your own terms" and "It’s been a wonderful career". Her last day was May 22, 2013.
Awards and honors
Personal life
Smith resides in Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband Tom and their dogs.