| Wilma Smith | |
| Birth Name: | Wilma Pokorny |
| Birth Date: | 24 July 1946 |
| Birth Place: | Garfield Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Television news anchor |
| Yearsactive: | 1972–2013 |
| Education: | Bowling Green State University, 1968, B.A. (Speech, English), 1972, M.A. (Journalism) |
| Known For: | Longtime TV news anchor/reporter in Cleveland, OH market |
Wilma Smith (born July 24, 1946) is a former American local television news anchor who spent most of her career in Cleveland, Ohio. She was with Fox affiliate WJW-TV from 1994 to 2013, following 17 years at ABC affiliate WEWS-TV.[1] [2]
Born Wilma Pokorny, Smith was born and raised in the Cleveland suburb of Garfield Heights.[1] [2] She graduated from Garfield Heights High School in 1964 and then earned a bachelor's degree in speech and English from Bowling Green State University.[1] [2] She also holds a master's degree in broadcast journalism.[1] [2]
Smith began her broadcasting career in 1972 at ABC affiliate WXEX, Channel 8, in Richmond, Virginia.[2] [3] She was the host and producer of a daily one-hour talk show and anchored the 6 p.m. weekday newscasts, which made her the state's first primetime female anchor.[3]
Her broadcasting career in Cleveland started at ABC affiliate WEWS, Channel 5, on July 17, 1977, when she became co-host of Afternoon Exchange, and early evening news/interview program.[1] [2] She co-hosted the news program Live On 5 beginning in 1982 and the following year began co-anchoring the 11 p.m. newscast with longtime anchor Ted Henry.[2] Her final on-air appearance at the station was in December 1993.
After completing a contractual no-compete waiting period, Smith joined Cleveland's WJW, Channel 8, in 1994.[1] [2] The move occurred around the time that the station was switching from being a CBS affiliate to Fox. From 1995 to 2005, Smith was the co-anchor of the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts with longtime anchor Tim Taylor.[1] [2] In 2005, Smith and Taylor reduced their schedules to anchoring only the 6 p.m. newscast.[2] In December that year, Taylor retired and Smith began anchoring the newscast with Lou Maglio.[1] [2] Their newscast was number one in the local ratings.[1]
On March 18, 2013, Smith announced that she would retire from her 41-year broadcasting career two months later.[1] [2] She said, "It’s a lovely gift to be able to leave on your own terms" and "It’s been a wonderful career".[1] Her last day was May 22, 2013.[4] [5]
Smith resides in Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband Tom and their dogs.