Dave Woodman Saying His Final Goodbye
By: KARK 4 Today
Updated: July 27, 2012
Dave Woodman has made his mark in broadcasting over the years, especially here in Arkansas.
His retirement today comes 60 years after his career began.
His name alone stands for so much at Channel 4 and to generations of viewers
At one time he was the voice of the Razorbacks, the host of the Miss Arkansas pageant, sports director, sports anchor and news anchor.
But before all that he was a kid growing up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, delivering groceries on his bike.
This was what Dave was meant to do and that is for sure.
He hit the mic at 17, and has been broadcasting ever since.
"I started in public broadcasting at the University of Alabama. I was a student. That was 60 years ago," he recalls.
A few jobs followed in a few cities after college.
"Then, I got the opportunity to come to Channel 4 in sports, in 1970 and join a great news team of Roy Mitchell, Tom Bonner and later Carolyn Long joined us. It's been a great run for the past 42 years"
In 1970, Apollo 13 was playing out in space, not in theaters. Vietnam was on-going. Watergate was an apartment building, not yet a political firestorm. Michael Jackson was 11. Channel 4 had a new man in town, and that's the way it was. Men gave the news.
"It was a man's game, it was a man's game," Dave remembers.
When the boys moved over to make room for a lady by the name of Carolyn Long, they became the team to turn to, lead by the late Roy Mitchell, the team was unbeatable.
"Yeah, Roy Mitchell, bless his heart, Roy was a trend-setter in this market. Every anchor wanted to be like Roy. He lead this team," Dave says of his former colleague.
Tom Bonner, now a media executive with Arkansas Children's Hospital, headed up weather.
"If he had wanted to, he could still be on top, I think, in this market. He'd still be the number one weatherman had he decided to maintain that career," says Dave.
It was a news team with unparalleled viewer loyalty.
"That's true. That came from the charisma," Dave says.
That was not the only first Dave lived through.
"Technology changes. I have seen from black and white film to digital HD, computer, internet, what will we see in the next 40 years," he says.
Dave rubbed elbows with a lot of people over the years and has admiration for colleagues and competitors. One of them stands out.
"Paul Eells. We were competitors when I was in sports. I migrated to news and we stayed friends. His tragic loss was stunning," Dave says.
Dave had quite a send off at this year's Community Service Awards. Former co-anchor Carolyn Long summed it up in song.
Dave is a guy who burns the candle at both ends, and while much is changing, that is not.
"I can't sit still. I'm not the kind of person who can sit around the house. There is only so much yard work you can do," he says.
At one time he was the voice of the Razorbacks, the host of the Miss. Arkansas pageant, sports director and sports anchor and news anchor. However, before all that, he was a kid growing up in Tuscaloosa delivering groceries on his bike.
He hit the mic at 17-years-old and has been broadcasting ever since.
"In 1970 I join a great news team of Roy Mitchell, Tom Bonner and Carolyn Long. It's been a great run for the past 42 years," says Dave Woodman.
Dave Woodman will be anchoring his last show at noon today with KARK 4's Mallory Hardin.
His retirement today comes 60 years after his career began.
His name alone stands for so much at Channel 4 and to generations of viewers
At one time he was the voice of the Razorbacks, the host of the Miss Arkansas pageant, sports director, sports anchor and news anchor.
But before all that he was a kid growing up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, delivering groceries on his bike.
This was what Dave was meant to do and that is for sure.
He hit the mic at 17, and has been broadcasting ever since.
"I started in public broadcasting at the University of Alabama. I was a student. That was 60 years ago," he recalls.
A few jobs followed in a few cities after college.
"Then, I got the opportunity to come to Channel 4 in sports, in 1970 and join a great news team of Roy Mitchell, Tom Bonner and later Carolyn Long joined us. It's been a great run for the past 42 years"
In 1970, Apollo 13 was playing out in space, not in theaters. Vietnam was on-going. Watergate was an apartment building, not yet a political firestorm. Michael Jackson was 11. Channel 4 had a new man in town, and that's the way it was. Men gave the news.
"It was a man's game, it was a man's game," Dave remembers.
When the boys moved over to make room for a lady by the name of Carolyn Long, they became the team to turn to, lead by the late Roy Mitchell, the team was unbeatable.
"Yeah, Roy Mitchell, bless his heart, Roy was a trend-setter in this market. Every anchor wanted to be like Roy. He lead this team," Dave says of his former colleague.
Tom Bonner, now a media executive with Arkansas Children's Hospital, headed up weather.
"If he had wanted to, he could still be on top, I think, in this market. He'd still be the number one weatherman had he decided to maintain that career," says Dave.
It was a news team with unparalleled viewer loyalty.
"That's true. That came from the charisma," Dave says.
That was not the only first Dave lived through.
"Technology changes. I have seen from black and white film to digital HD, computer, internet, what will we see in the next 40 years," he says.
Dave rubbed elbows with a lot of people over the years and has admiration for colleagues and competitors. One of them stands out.
"Paul Eells. We were competitors when I was in sports. I migrated to news and we stayed friends. His tragic loss was stunning," Dave says.
Dave had quite a send off at this year's Community Service Awards. Former co-anchor Carolyn Long summed it up in song.
Dave is a guy who burns the candle at both ends, and while much is changing, that is not.
"I can't sit still. I'm not the kind of person who can sit around the house. There is only so much yard work you can do," he says.
At one time he was the voice of the Razorbacks, the host of the Miss. Arkansas pageant, sports director and sports anchor and news anchor. However, before all that, he was a kid growing up in Tuscaloosa delivering groceries on his bike.
He hit the mic at 17-years-old and has been broadcasting ever since.
"In 1970 I join a great news team of Roy Mitchell, Tom Bonner and Carolyn Long. It's been a great run for the past 42 years," says Dave Woodman.
Dave Woodman will be anchoring his last show at noon today with KARK 4's Mallory Hardin.
