TVSpy
WAND-TV, an NBC-affiliate serving Decatur/ Springfield/ Champaign/ Urbana, Illinois, announced on Monday that it has named Tai Takahashi as the station’s News Director.
Takahashi comes to the Block Communications-owned station after serving as News Director at WTVQ in Lexington, Kentucky. WAND is the latest stop in a career that has spanned much of the country as Takahashi has held positions at KOMO in Seattle; WTLV/WJXX in Jacksonville; and WXIA in Atlanta.
After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in journalism, Takahashi got his first TV job at KTKA in Topeka, Kansas. Over an 18-year career, he has been honored with a handful of awards including a 2007 Edward R. Murrow Award for Spot News.
As a News Director, Takahashi’s focus has been on respecting his staff’s opinions and unifying the newsroom. “People under my watch will be respected,” he said when he was named to the WTVQ post. “Their ideas will be appreciated and their accomplishments will be celebrated.”