Fond remembrances poured in Wednesday for Dennis Richmond, the storied KTVU journalist who was one of the nation’s first Black major-market news anchors and worked at the station for four decades. (Courtesy of KTVU)
Dennis Richmond, the storied journalist who anchored KTVU’s 10 o’clock news for over 30 years with his trademark thick dark mustache and no-nonsense news delivery, died Wednesday, according to the station. He was 81.
If you grew up in the Bay Area or have lived here for a while, then you probably know Richmond. Watching him was a nightly ritual for many — this reporter included.
“ Like many of our viewers, I grew up watching Dennis. My whole family watched Dennis. So when I was brought into work here, it was an incredible honor,” KTVU reporter Amber Lee said.
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After serving in the Army, Richmond started his career at KTVU as a part-time clerk and typist in 1968, eventually becoming one of the nation’s first Black anchors of a major market TV newscast in 1976 — a position he would hold until he retired in 2008.
“To the Black community, he was hope; they could turn on the TV, and there was someone who identified with us,” retired KTVU photographer Bill Moore said.
Richmond’s steady news delivery was one of his trademarks.
Legendary KTVU anchor Dennis Richmond, the face of Bay Area journalism for four decades, remained synonymous with Channel 2 long after his retirement. (Courtesy of KTVU)
“ I initially searched for an anchor voice, and I quickly decided that the best direction was just to be me,” Richmond said in a 2008 interview with KQED. “ When I started, that was during an era where everyone was doing ‘happy talks,’ and I thought it was the goofiest thing in the world. I’m just telling you what’s going on. My opinion is not involved. You won’t see me raising an eyebrow or making any kind of ‘tsk tsk’ noise or anything.”
Richmond was the face and voice many Bay Area residents turned to during the region’s most pressing times, including the assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978, the Jonestown Massacre that followed later that year, and the Oakland Hills firestorm of 1991.
Former colleagues praised his commitment to the highest standards of journalism.
“He was a tough bird, man,” said CNN anchor Sara Sidner, who worked with Richmond at KTVU earlier in her career. “ He was a stickler for really sticking with the facts and telling the best story that you possibly could with emotion, with honesty, with integrity. He made me a better journalist.”
After San Francisco Supervisor Dan White shot and killed Moscone and Milk, Richmond pulled no punches when interviewing White’s attorney.
Dennis Richmond, a steadfast presence at KTVU for four decades, was known for his no-nonsense approach and commitment to journalistic integrity. (Courtesy of KTVU)
“Other supervisors and perhaps other City Hall personnel do carry firearms presently and have carried them in the past,” White’s attorney, Doug Schmidt, said in defense of his client.
Richmond said retiring from KTVU was one of the most difficult decisions he ever made. At the time, he told longtime co-anchor Julie Haener he had a message for his fans.
“I appreciate every moment that they have spent with us, and I will cherish those moments,” Richmond said.
After retirement, he moved to the Sierra foothills town of Grass Valley, California, where he enjoyed playing golf and tennis and occasionally dropped by the KTVU studio for a visit.
Richmond suffered a heart attack and fall in December. KTVU reports that he died in Grass Valley with his wife, Deborah, at his side.
He leaves behind his wife, daughter, stepson and generations of adoring Bay Area fans who remember his calm, strong presence, which they welcomed into their homes for years.
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