Springfield, MO, NBC affiliate KYTV is marking 60 years of broadcasting by taking its newscast on the road.
The broadcasts, called “Celebrate the Ozarks” started in July and occur every week for the ten weeks leading up to the October 1 anniversary date. The tour started at the Ozark Empire Fair and will finish in Eureka Springs, AR, for the station’s anniversary.
The station has also posted some looks back at the evolution of the area and of the station. Click here to view. One story features the woman who launched the first “Celebrate the Ozarks,” the station’s pioneering anchor and former news director, Joyce Reed.
Reed became the station’s first female anchor and moved on to becoming one of the country’s first news directors. She said she liked anchoring, but couldn’t say she loved it. “I really wanted to have an effect on the journalism.” said Reed. “I convinced them to take me off the anchor desk and give me a shot at it.”
In 1986, Reed launched the very first “Celebrate the Ozarks” taking the entire news staff on the road for two weeks with a different location each day. She is now the vice president of content for Griffin Communications’ three stations, KWTV in Oklahoma City and KOTV and KQCW in Tulsa, OK.
The station has also posted archival footage and pictures of the market dating aback to 1932.