After 38 years, Stacy Smith anchors his last KDKA-TV newscast

In the end, the most stoic of Pittsburgh news anchors remained as steady as ever. Stacy Smith’s voice cracked just the tiniest, almost imperceptible bit as he bid farewell to a 50-year broadcasting career, 38 years of it at Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV.

Smith anchored his final KDKA-TV newscast at 6 p.m. Wednesday, which ended with him quoting song lyrics (“Here’s to Life”) and thanking all those who work behind the scenes in television and viewers for “inviting me into your home for all these years.”

Smith was surrounded by co-workers Ray Petelin, Ken Rice, Richie Walsh and Kym Gable, who has co-anchored the 6 p.m. newscast for the past year.

“You used to joke that you were not ‘an influencer,’” Gable said, choking up. “You indeed were an influencer to me. You influenced me as a broadcaster and as a friend.”

Petelin thanked Smith for “treating everybody like gold,” Walsh said working alongside Smith made him a better broadcaster and Rice said he holds Smith “in the highest regard as a newsman, as a friend. We’re gonna miss your wisdom, your vast experience even more than were gonna miss you singing the hits of the ‘50s and ‘60s, though you’re not bad.”

Earlier in the 6 p.m. broadcast the station aired the final installment of a three-part interview with Smith conducted by anchor Ken Rice, who now inherits KDKA’s senior weeknight anchor mantle from Smith. (KDKA-TV has not yet announced who will take Smith’s place at 4 and 6 p.m.)

Rice interviewed Smith about his travels in journalism, from Israel to the Vatican to shadowing famed transplant surgeon Thomas Starzl. (Rice’s complete interview with Smith streams tonight at 8 on streamer CBSN Pittsburgh.)

During the 5 p.m. newscast, Smith’s former co-anchor Patrice King Brown appeared remotely from her Southern California home to reminisce and wish Smith well, acknowledging he’s probably feeling mixed emotions.

“They are mixed emotions,” Smith said. “At the same time, you reach a point and think maybe it is time to step away and do something else and I reached that point. You just reached it 10 years before I did.”

King Brown asked if Smith ever thought he’d be in broadcasting for 50 years.

“When I got into it, I just wanted to be in broadcasting,” he said. “It just developed and things went well, and for 20 years things went really well because you were my partner sitting at this anchor desk.”

King Brown, her voice cracking a bit, ended her virtual visit, saying, “Thank you for sharing your career and I wish you all the best. And I owe you a dinner!”

Smith’s departure marks the second major anchor retirement in Pittsburgh TV news in the past five months, following on the heels of Peggy Finnegan’s December retirement from WPXI-TV. In addition, KDKA has seen a slew of departures in recent years (Jon Burnett, Ralph Ianotti, Susan Koeppen, Rick Dayton) and upcoming (Paul Martino, Dr. Maria Simbra).

While all this change may be unsettling for some Pittsburgh viewers, it’s more routine in many larger TV markets. The longevity of Pittsburgh weeknight news anchors tends to be the exception, not the rule, when compared to TV news in other cities. (Weekend anchors and reporters move on from Pittsburgh stations with much greater frequency.)

Smith’s tenure at KDKA stretches back 38 years to July 1983. He’s been a lead evening news anchor for decades, presiding over breaking news coverage, business news and traveling to report from multiple political conventions (1980-2000).

In recent days bold-faced names have showed up in KDKA’s evening newscasts to wish Smith well, including retired KDKA reporter Harold Hayes, who said, “Welcome to retirement land, it’s a great way to live.”

Susan Koeppen, who anchored alongside Smith for nine years before she was cut in a round of ViacomCBS layoffs a year ago this month, remembered Smith’s laugh, smile, jokes and songs that he’d sing, ending by saying, “Play some golf and if you need a partner, I’m available.”

A bearded Jon Burnett, the retired KDKA weathercaster, also recorded a farewell to Smith, noting the two started at KDAK within a year of one another.

“I’ve always had the utmost respect for you, Stacy,” Burnett said. “Your approach to doing the news was so professional, straight, solid and stand up, and you will be sorely missed by all of us who had the privilege of working with you and watching you over the years.”

You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow Rob on Twitter or Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.