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Wilma Smith
Wilma Smith
Born	Wilma Pokorny; July 24, 1946 (age 78); Garfield Heights, Ohio, U.S.
Education	Bowling Green State University, 1968, B.A. (Speech, English), 1972, M.A. (Journalism)
Occupation	Television news anchor
Years active	1972–2013
Known for	Longtime TV news anchor/reporter in Cleveland, OH market
Spouse	Tom Gerber (m. 1982)

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]

Early life and education

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]

Career

WXEX-TV (1972–1977)

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]

WEWS-TV (1977–1994)

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.

WJW-TV (1994–2013)

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]

Awards and honors

10-time Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award winner.^[1]^[2]
1999 Silver Circle Award winner (Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards)^[6]
In various polls, she won several titles such as "Cleveland’s Most Watchable Woman", "Best Anchorperson in Cleveland", "Anchor of Excellence", "Newscaster of the Year", and "Best Anchorperson".^[1]
Appeared on the cover of Cleveland Magazine five times.^[1]
Interviewed four presidents.^[1]
Named "Cleveland’s Citizen of the Year for Community Service and Contribution to the Arts".^[3]
Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee (class of 1993)^[7]
Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2003)^[8]
A proclamation from the Garfield Heights City Council and Mayor's office on May 13, 2013.^[9]
Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2014)^[10]