Chris Clark (reporter)
Encyclopedia
Chris Clark was the lead news anchor at WTVF
(NewsChannel5) in Nashville, Tennessee
. He had been a consistent anchor at the station since 1966, but retired on May 23, 2007 after 41 years, making him one of the longest-tenured anchors in American television history. In the earlier years of his tenure, Clark also served as the News Director.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia
, he has a degree from the University of Georgia
School of Journalism
. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
. Prior to arriving at what was then WLAC-TV, he worked for WALB
-TV in Albany, Georgia
.
Among the countries documented in his reporting: Somalia, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Israel, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
He also was involved in a crisis situation when Tennessee Governor Buford Ellington
called him in to mediate the release of hostages held by an inmate at the state penitentiary.
During his time as news director at WTVF, he was a part of the station's conversion from film to electronic news coverage. Shortly before his retirement the station became the first in the Nashville market to broadcast in High Definition.
As chair of the Society of Professional Journalists
Freedom of Information Committee, Chris played a role in convincing the Tennessee Supreme Court to allow an experiment with cameras in the court. That experiment persuaded the justices to allow cameras in state courts.
He is currently a teacher at Middle Tennessee State University in the Mass Communications Department.
and also the Associated Press
"Broadcaster of the Year" award.
He has worked for decades on behalf of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Chris spent 8 years as President of the Parish Council.
During his tenure as President, Holy Trinity constructed their beautiful church and fellowship hall. It is the only example of Byzantine
architecture in Middle Tennessee.
WTVF
WTVF is the CBS-affiliated television station for Middle Tennessee that is licensed to Nashville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 5 from a transmitter north of downtown along I-24. Owned by Landmark Media Enterprises, the station has studios on James Robertson Parkway...
(NewsChannel5) in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. He had been a consistent anchor at the station since 1966, but retired on May 23, 2007 after 41 years, making him one of the longest-tenured anchors in American television history. In the earlier years of his tenure, Clark also served as the News Director.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, he has a degree from the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
School of Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
. Prior to arriving at what was then WLAC-TV, he worked for WALB
WALB
WALB is the NBC- and ABC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Georgia licensed to Albany. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Doerun along the Colquitt and Worth County line...
-TV in Albany, Georgia
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
.
Among the countries documented in his reporting: Somalia, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Israel, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
He also was involved in a crisis situation when Tennessee Governor Buford Ellington
Buford Ellington
Earl Buford Ellington , a native of Mississippi, was the 42nd Governor of Tennessee from 1959 to 1963 and again from 1967 until 1971....
called him in to mediate the release of hostages held by an inmate at the state penitentiary.
During his time as news director at WTVF, he was a part of the station's conversion from film to electronic news coverage. Shortly before his retirement the station became the first in the Nashville market to broadcast in High Definition.
As chair of the Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
Freedom of Information Committee, Chris played a role in convincing the Tennessee Supreme Court to allow an experiment with cameras in the court. That experiment persuaded the justices to allow cameras in state courts.
He is currently a teacher at Middle Tennessee State University in the Mass Communications Department.
Awards
Clark won the 1993 Emmy from the Middle Tennessee chapter of NATAS for a lifetime achievement in broadcast journalismBroadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are "broadcast", that is, published by electrical methods, instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. Broadcast methods include radio , television , and, especially recently, the Internet generally...
and also the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
"Broadcaster of the Year" award.
Rotary Club
Clark was a long time member of the Downtown Rotary Club. His fellow members honored him in 1994-95 by electing him President of the club. Since his retirement, he has moved him Rotary membership to the Brentwood area chapter.He has worked for decades on behalf of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Chris spent 8 years as President of the Parish Council.
During his tenure as President, Holy Trinity constructed their beautiful church and fellowship hall. It is the only example of Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
architecture in Middle Tennessee.