Bill Williams was a staple on Channel 10 and in East Tennessee news for decades.
He still makes appearances on WBIR from time-to-time, including for the annual Friends Across the Mountains telethon.
Bill has worked in the news industry since the 1950s. He came to WBIR in 1977, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. He came back to the anchor desk for a few months in 2006.
Bill has had a lasting impact on East Tennessee, and he rejoined Robin Wilhoit at the anchor desk recently for a #10Chat about his life and career.
1. His greatest journalistic role model is Walter Cronkite
“Walter Cronkite, without a doubt. There’s no question. I don’t even have to stop and think about that for a while. Because he was Mr. Honest, he was Mr. Know it all, because I mean, he knew it all, and if he didn’t know it, he would go find it out. And he could deliver it truthfully, accurately and without prejudice one way or another. Walter Cronkite was and is my journalistic idol.”
2. His first job as a journalist was at a radio station
"I guess right out of college, because I started working for a little radio station where I went to school. I graduated in 1956. I went to work immediately for a little radio station. I did some news there, so you could say I started in journalism there."
3. He's a great piano player!
"I haven’t played the piano since yesterday. Since my illness I can’t sing anymore. I don’t have a voice anymore, and I can’t sing. But I can play the piano.” He also used to play the violin!
4. He's had some health scares, but is doing well
"As you may or may not know, my wife and I, we’ve both had some serious health issues over the last couple years. As a matter of fact, we are called by our doctors and our daughter, walking miracles, both of us. I almost died, she a year ago we weren’t really sure she’d live another year, but she did, and we’re both doing well now."
5. His Monday's Child series on WBIR helped hundreds of children find a family
"We did it for 30 years. We profiled about 1,600 special needs adoptable children. Of those, about 1,000 were placed in permanent homes. And they tell me that an additional number of children, and the department has no idea how many additional children were adopted by people who were inspired by what they saw and heard on Monday’s Child."
6. He loves politics
"I love politics at the national and local scale. … I vote in every election. I think they are so, so important that we get the right kind of people in to do the right kind of job."
7. And covered many political candidates and multiple national party conventions
"I met Ronald Reagan, I met George W. Bush. Went to the Democratic convention in San Francisco in '84, went to the Democratic convention in Atlanta in '88, the Republican convention in New Orleans in '88, we followed Al Gore around a couple times in New Hampshire. We went to the New Hampshire primary and followed him around while he was politicking, and of course, talked to Lamar Alexander and others."
8. He's optimistic about Vol football
“I sure am excited about what’s going to happen. Maybe not in the next year, but in the coming years. I’m excited about the new coach, about the recruits, about the new team, about the new formation. I’m a true UT fan, and I want to see them do great. And I love the basketball team.”
9. His favorite person to interview was Sen. Howard Baker Jr.
"Who should have been president of these United States, but chose instead to give up his campaigning to serve his president and his country. A true statesman. I wish every one of our senators and our congressmen were like Sen. Baker."
10. He enjoyed returning to the anchor desk for a bit, but is happy in retirement
"It is very comfortable being back in this seat at this place. I’m very glad I don’t have to be here every night or twice a night."
