Broadcasting is a fickle business. You can have a job one day and be out of one the next. Oddly enough, that's probably the case with any position during these economically troubling times. Even in good times, however, there is a constant revolving door in the industry.
Enter the enigma: Tom Suiter. In a sea of uncertainty, he has been the constant Triangle viewers could count on night after night for 37 years. That's right. 37 years.
Many don't last 37 months at the same station. 37 years? I can name you of no on-air personality that made it happen on the local level. I'm sure there has been one or two. But in a market the size of Raleigh-Durham? It's an unbelievable run. Add to that it was the first and only station that Tom ever worked. He may well be the only one in the country to ever make it happen.
What about Charlie Gaddy? Nope. Even the gray-haired news anchor giant only lasted 23 years at WRAL. Plus: he began his career in radio at WPTF-AM.
When I read Tom was taking a seat on the bench last week, a sense of sadness came over. While I realized this day was coming, it still is a passing you just don't want to see happen. Is the time right? Only Tom knows for sure. For those of us which love to live with a retrospective spirit ... no time is right.
If WRAL fans had their way, Gaddy would still be anchoring news with Bobbie Battista, Bob DeBardelaben would still be doing the weather, Tom would round out the news team ... and it would be called "Action News 5." WRAL NEWS? A joke. "Action News 5" -- that's purity.I have been the recipient of much fortune in my career as a Human Resources Manager -- and as a recovering broadcast journalist. There is no question, Tom Suiter was a huge influence, and, more importantly, the best mentor I ever had.
As we count down the final days of the Tom Suiter era at WRAL, I will have several entries speaking on this true LEGEND of broadcasting.
Tomorrow: EXTRA EFFORT 1989: THE INTRODUCTION.
Randy Gupton, fivesecondstoair.blogspot.com
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