Ralph Renick

Ralph Apperson Renick (August 9, 1928 – July 11, 1991) was a pioneer American television journalist for Miami's WTVJ, channel 4 (now channel 6), Florida's first television station. He was WTVJ's first and longest running news anchor and the driving force behind television news in South Florida from the station's inception in March 1949 until his departure nearly 36 years later in 1985.

In 1967, he hired Jane Chastain, the nation's first female sportscaster. A year later, in 1968, Renick made history again by hiring South Florida's first black reporter, C.T. Taylor.

Renick pushed WTVJ to pioneer video tape and ENG (Electronic News Gathering) in late 1974 and by November 1975 had the state's first truly mobile live truck up and running. Shortly after 3:00 pm on November 30, 1975, Renick broke into regular programming to report an attempted assassination on Ronald Reagan, in town for a speech at the Miami Airport Ramada Inn. Because WTVJ's live capability was in place, Renick was able to throw to reporter Bob Mayer for the station's first live mobile field report (See link below).

Renick, then a widower with six children, served on the board of directors of the Associated Press from October 1977 to May 1981.

Retirement During the majority of his tenure at WTVJ, Renick reported directly to Mitchell Wolfson. He was, in fact, believed to be the only news director in local American television news to report directly to a station owner rather than a station's general manager. As a result, Renick had unprecedented authority before Wolfson's death.

After the acquisition, KKR began to structure WTVJ's newsroom differently in the more traditional way of the 1980s with multiple persons in management, and slowly stripped Renick of that authority, making it uncomfortable for him to continue within his unique role as the station's top anchor, editorialist, news director, and vice president for news. As a result, Renick made the preemptive decision to resign on his terms rather than be forced out by KKR.

On April 10, 1985, Renick appeared for the last time on WTVJ, telling his audience "It is my decision, effective tonight, to step down as vice president and news director of WTVJ, and also relinquish my duties as newscaster/editorialist on this program." At the time, he did not announce what his plans were. He simply told viewers "I thank you for being the most supportive TV news audience anyone could ever hope to have." He ended his run on the station with his traditional sign-off, "Good night and may the good news be yours," but then added these three words: "... and hopefully mine."

Within six weeks, Renick announced he would be a candidate in the 1986 race for Governor as a Democrat. As his health began to fail, Renick officially retired in September 1990.

Death and legacy After spending the last months of his life hospitalized, Renick died on July 11, 1991, at Cedars Medical Center in Miami of complications from hepatitis and liver disease. He was a month away from his 63rd birthday.

Accolades 1984: Paul White Award, Radio Television Digital News Association