‘A true journalist.’ Lexington news anchor Sam Dick retiring after 34 years
The man at the helm of WKYT’s evening newscasts for the past 34 years is retiring.
Sam Dick, who started at WKYT in 1979, will depart in November, he announced Tuesday night. The local news veteran spent all but five years of his career at WKYT. He worked in New York and Orlando in the mid-1980s before returning to WKYT in 1987.
“When I first walked in the door at WKYT in March of 1979, I was 23 years old. The newsroom still had typewriters, we shot film for news, and there were just four channel options on TV for viewers,” Dick said in a statement. ”A lot has changed since then, but what hasn’t changed is my focus as a journalist: be a truth seeker, be fair, accurate, and compassionate.”
In 34 years, Dick covered a wide variety of stories, from the University of Kentucky’s three national championships in basketball since 1993 to the fatal crash of Comair Flight 5191 in 2006. He said the plane crash near Blue Grass Airport was probably the most important story he covered.
“When my phone rang, my news director, said ‘I need for you to come in. We think there’s been a plane crash,’” Dick said in a statement. “I was on the air live by 7:30 a.m., and the news only got worse by the hour. It was a horrible day for people in Kentucky and beyond, but I take pride in knowing our news team treated the disaster with the utmost respect and compassion.”
Dick has anchored WKYT’s evening news alongside Amber Philpott for the last 17 years. Dick said he and his wife, Noelle, will stay in Kentucky. He said he looks forward to more family time and more grandchildren in the years to come.
“Sam is a true journalist. He’s an icon in the business and has been an integral part of our newsroom and overall team for more than three decades. We wish him the best in his well-earned retirement,” said Jeff Anderson, WKYT’s vice president and general manager.
Dick’s retirement from the station follows anchor Barbara Bailey. She retired in September after four decades.
This story was originally published May 26, 2021 at 7:36 AM.