By Mark Scott
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-917624.mp3
Buffalo, NY – WBFO's Mark Scott has retired as news director. He'll continue to be heard as a fill-in host and as an occasional reporter. After recording hundreds of listener-commentaries, Mark is doing his own piece this morning, sharing some thoughts on his nearly 30 years at WBFO.
It's hard to believe it was 1981 when I first arrived at WBFO. Back then, I saw WBFO as a stepping stone to a job at one of Buffalo's big commercial radio stations. But something interesting happened.
I fell in love with public radio. Back then, I was the only professional staffer in the newsroom. I headed up a department filled with interns and volunteers. Today, there are three of us covering the news full time. That still makes us the smallest radio newsroom in Buffalo. But it pleases me to no end that we're the most honored.
I credit my newsroom team and our hosts for helping us earn the grand prize for excellence in radio news from the Associated Press in two of the past four years. This year, we were honored for the first time with regional Edward R. Murrow awards. And there are nine national PRNDI awards from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated hanging in our front hallway. I've worked with dozens, if not hundreds, of wonderful people over the last 30 years.
This morning, I single out three. Jennifer Roth, WBFO general manager during the 1990s. Jen is perhaps the finest human being I have ever met. Her leadership of WBFO made the '90s the best of times for all of us who were privileged to serve under her. The late Bill Greiner. I know the Law School and athletics were special to him. But Bill really liked us, too. He once told me his monthly Talk of the University broadcasts on WBFO were one of the things he enjoyed most as UB president. And then there's my wife, Mary Lou. We met at WBFO shortly after I arrived. She was one of our volunteers. In our 27 years of marriage, never once did Mary Lou object to the long hours I put in or my suddenly leaving the house -- once or twice in the middle of the night -- to take care of something at the station.
Which brings me to the stories I've covered. What a privilege it's been to chronicle the history of our area -- the announcement the day after Christmas in 1982 that Bethlehem Steel was closing. A year later, there was the devastating propane gas explosion in Buffalo that killed seven people, including five Buffalo firefighters. The Blizzard of '85 marked the first and only time in my career when I couldn't get to work. Howard Riedel made it in and spent 17 hours on the air before relief arrived. It was during our blizzard coverage that I was training a bright, young intern from Medaille College by the name of Eileen Galbo. You know her today by her married name of Buckley. Eileen will be taking over as interim news director.
The Gulf War in 1991 transformed NPR and WBFO. We were no longer an alternative but a credible and dependable news source. 9/11 was a horrible day for this nation. But it transformed the news agenda, making this past decade the most challenging time of my career -- culminating with the tragic crash of Flight 3407.
But what was my most memorable story? It was November 2000 when I stayed on the air overnight, taking calls from listeners who were stranded on area roadways because of a massive late afternoon lake effect snow storm that hit in the middle of rush hour. A couple of days later, there was a newspaper article about how radio, including WBFO, provided a lifeline that night. That article was personally more rewarding than all the awards we've received. Finally, I must recognize you, the listener.
Many of you give us money because you like what we're doing! That's quite astounding when you think about it. And humbling. I offer a sincere thank you because without you, I wouldn't be reflecting on this 30 year career. Again, this isn't goodbye. You'll be hearing from me. But for the final time as news director -- Mark Scott, WBFO News.