Longtime WFLA Anchor Bill Ratliff Dies

Longtime WFLA anchor Bill Ratliff passed away this afternoon. The Tampa NBC-affiliate reports that he died after complications with surgery.

Ratliff worked at WFLA for nearly three decades, from 1982 to 2009, during which time he anchored the station’s morning newscast and also served as the show’s managing editor.

Before joining WFLA, Ratliff worked at WFAA in Dallas, WDIV in Detroit, and WLWT in Cincinnati, among other places.

“Our NewsChannel 8 family is deeply saddened today by the loss of our dear friend Bill Ratliff,” veteran WFLA anchor Gayle Sierens wrote on her Facebook page.  “We will all miss him so.”

Here’s a WFLA video marking Ratliff’s retirement…