Veteran NewsChannel 5 Anchor Ted Henry Retires
Cleveland – After nearly 38 years at WEWS-TV, anchor Ted Henry will retire effective May 20, 2009. In an announcement to station colleagues today, Ted says he “will leave with feelings of satisfaction, fulfillment and with expectations for an enjoyable retirement of continued learning.” Ted plans to spend more time traveling around the world with his wife, Jody.
Ted began his broadcasting career in 1964 at a radio station in his home town of Canton. He then worked as a news reporter at WAKR-TV23 in Akron. In 1968, Ted traveled to Paraguay to work for the Peace Corps on community health, agriculture and education issues. When Ted returned to Ohio, he worked at WKBN-TV in Youngstown.
Ted joined the WEWS staff in 1972, working first as a news producer, then as weekend anchor. Ted was named weekday anchor of the 6 and 11pm news in 1975 and has held that position ever since. Currently Ted co-anchors NewsChannel 5 at 6 and 11pm with Danita Harris.
“Ted set the standard for excellence at this station in this market, and will be sorely missed,” said Vice President and General Manager of WEWS-TV, Viki Regan.
In addition to reporting on issues of importance to residents in Northeast Ohio, Ted has traveled extensively to bring significant stories of interest home to WEWS viewers. Ted has covered nearly every political convention since 1972. Ted went to Israel six times to cover the war crimes trial of John Demjanjuk, documented the Berlin Wall’s fall and reported live from Rome after the death of Pope John Paul II.
Ted’s story on political turmoil in Peru made Cleveland television history because it was the first time a live international feed was broadcast in this market.
In 1995, Ted won numerous national awards for the documentary “Finding Aliza.” Ted reported and executive produced this story about the reunion of two holocaust survivors who met at Auschwitz in 1944 but lost track of one another until the International Red Cross came to their aid. Ted accompanied University Heights resident Agnes Greenfeld on her journey to Israel to find Aliza Grunwald. Ted has also won five local TV Emmys during his career.
Henry says “it’s been a tremendous privilege to have been invited into the homes of two generations of Clevelanders to report the news of the region and the world.” Ted credits Northeastern Ohio viewers for “allowing me the career I began daydreaming about at the age of seven when I saw Dorothy Fuldheim commenting on the news on TV5 when my family bought our first television set.”
“Ted has served as a strong leader and mentor in our newsroom. The NewsChannel 5 staff will continue Ted’s legacy of serving viewers with extensive relevant local news coverage. However, there is only one Ted Henry,” Regan notes.
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