Throughout the 60s, Ohio’s news stations

constantly aired reports of riots and protests against

the Vietnam War.

During that time, a young man -- only 17

years old -- was breaking into the media industry. He

processed black and white fi lm and worked producing

and substituting for on-air talent. That young

man would later become one of the most prominent

and well respected news anchors in South Florida.

Dwight Lauderdale has reached many

people throughout his 40-year career in broadcasting,

reporting nothing but truth to communities

throughout South Florida.

Before getting where he is today, he had to

travel. And, the road to his success was not easy.

Childhood

His journey began in a middle class suburb of

Columbus, Ohio. There is where the strong foundation-- on

which he still stands -- was laid. Ohio is where his hardworking

parents instilled in him the importance of being himself.

“They were strict disciplinarians, and while I

thought it was unfair back then, I’m glad they were that way

because it kept me out of trouble,” explained Dwight. “My

father taught me to never allow anyone to defi ne who I am,

that I am the only one who can do that. He taught me not to

think of myself as a victim.”

He didn’t.

Instead, he continued on that path and won numerous

speech awards that eventually led to public recognition of

his talent.

Dwight recalls being called into the principal’s offi ce to

return a phone call. It was a call from the news director of the

ABC station in Columbus. The person proceeded to tell him

that he read a newspaper article about Dwight winning an

oratorical contest in the state.

It was at that moment that he was made the offer

to learn the news business from the bottom up. He thought,

“what do I have to lose?” The answer, it turned out that he

had everything to gain.

In November of 1968 Dwight began working parttime

at night for WTVN-TV.

He continued in the fi eld of broadcasting when he

went to Ohio University and majored in Communications.

With the knowledge that his parents instilled in him

and what his professors taught him, he bettered himself and

graduated cum laude (with honors).

From that point, his journey only became more

interesting. He later traveled to Miami and continued his

relationship with broadcast journalism.

The Community

While there is no doubt that Mr. Lauderdale is a

big part of news in South Florida, he is also well respected.

The number of viewers who look up to him and allow him

into their living rooms every day are proud that he represents

South Florida.

“I enjoy watching him,” said high school student

Charnice James. “He‘s just so honest and passionate about

his work. He knows what he’s doing.”

Reaching out to the community is a big part of his

career, like telling aspiring students about the work it takes to

get to where he is, and the endurance it takes to stay there.

Reporting stories that warn the community about

possible disasters or informing parents about what’s going on

in their children’s school; the versatility of what he reports

is what makes the community love him. A privilege that he

does not take for granted.

“I appreciate the fact that I have a chance to come

into your living rooms, and the fact that I get a chance to tell

you what’s going on around you.”

On and off Camera

“I anchored with Dwight for about a decade,” said

Channel 10 news anchor Kristi Krueger. “He IS Local 10

news. Dwight is an incredible journalist, a professional, a

compassionate communicator, and a great friend.”

The impact that he has had on his colleagues has a

lasting effect.

“Dwight and I have co-anchored together for

two-and-a-half years now. He makes my job *so* much

easier -- I can’t imagine what life will be like at work when

he retires next year! I say that because Dwight is always the

consummate professional,” said friend and colleague Laurie

Jennings.

Laurie describes him as a man who goes beyond

the call of duty, and does not fail to mention how passionate

he is about his job, but about journalism as a whole.

That passion is evident in a news clip in which

he reprimanded a local news station that rushed to beat the

competition to get a story on air. The story was proven false.

“Now it is part of our job to bring you news as soon

as we can. But it is our responsibility to make sure that information

is right…breaking into regularly scheduled program

with a fi ctitious story does nothing but erode the credibility

of professional journalism everywhere,” said Dwight.

He makes every newscast count and accuracy is his

top priority.

”Dwight Lauderdale is a leader in our newsroom.

His experience allows him to put news events into a context

that very few other news people

have in this market. He is professional in his approach and

always

works hard to see that we get the story right. We are lucky to

have

Dwight Lauderdale on our team,” said Vice President and

General Manager Dave Boylan.

Simply expressed by his close friends, he is the

same off camera as he is on, a natural leader with a great

personality, fun and loving.

Dwight

“My biggest struggle has been with myself! I tend

to be a perfectionist and expect to be perfect every day on

live television,” admitted Dwight.

He reminisced and confessed about repeatedly

watching tapes in which he made errors during a newscast in

hopes of fi guring out what happened and why it happened.

“As I look back on it now, that was stupid. No one

is perfect. Why should I expect to be? I was putting unnecessary

pressure on myself,” he said.

That strive for excellence and that will to be perfect

helped him get the professionalism that he has acquired over

the years. But no one is perfect.

Success

Whether it was childhood or the community, all

of the roads that Dwight Lauderdale followed to success

came with its fair share of obstacles; his biggest and toughest

obstacle being himself.

“Your life isn’t determined by the condition you

fi nd yourself in… life is determined by your response to that

condition...what you decide to do about it. The only way that

something someone says about you can affect you...is if you

allow it,” he said.

For a man who stumbled into this industry by accident,

he has been a gift, touching lives young, old, and the

thriving people in between. He will be missed when he retires

this May; unfortunately, all good things must end. However,

for a man who has conquered so much, his success is well

deserved.