COLUMBIA, S.C. — After 55 years in broadcasting, WLTX President and General Manager Rich O'Dell has announced his retirement from the business. O'Dell has been at the helm of WLTX for the past 24 years and with Gannett, now TEGNA, for 45 years.
O'Dell came to WLTX in May 1999, moving from a Gannett station in Cleveland, Ohio. Under his supervision, the station premiered the Columbia market's first two-hour morning newscast, running from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., on Nov. 1, 1999, with anchors Keri Hamilton and J.R. Berry and Darci Strickland on weather.
Other milestones during O'Dell's career in Columbia include:
- December 31, 1999, Jim Gandy joined the team as chief meteorologist, and in March 2000, the market's first double Doppler weather radar system was launched.
- In May 2000, News19 won the station's first EMMY award for Best Newscast.
- May 2000 saw the expansion of the building at 6027 Garners Ferry Road. The $2 million construction doubled the size of the station.
- February 2001 Nielsen ratings named WLTX No. 1 for the noon broadcast
- In 2004 and 2005, News19 launched On Your Side and Restaurant Report Card
- From 2005 to 2010, WLTX was one of only 11 stations in the country to broadcast every game of March Madness on a subchannel
- August 2007 saw the launch of Friends @ 5 with Darci Strickland and Andrea Mock, live from the newsroom, and the midlandsmoms.com website aimed at moms in South Carolina.
- In June 2009, DTV (digital television) was launched.
- In addition to the WLTX staff winning numerous EMMY, Edward R. Murrow and Alfred I. duPont awards, WLTX was named South Carolina Station of the Year by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
- O'Dell received 10 EMMY Awards and was inducted into the Gold Circle by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his 50 years in the business.
- In 2018, he was named T.V. General Manager of the Year and inducted into the South Carolina Broadcasters Association's Hall of Fame.
- In 2019, O'Dell was recognized by the South Carolina House of Representatives for "distinguished service to the Palmetto State."
- In 2023, Columba Mayor Daniel Rickenmann presented O'Dell with the Key to the City.
O'Dell graduated from Southern Illinois University, began his storied career at the student-run WSIU, and worked as an announcer at four different radio stations while in college. He worked at WKYC in Cleveland for 22 years, serving as Manager of Programming & Production before joining WLTX in 1999.
"It's been a true honor and privilege to work with great people at WLTX as we created a team to make a difference in our community," said O'Dell.
His last day at WLTX will be Thursday, July 27.
