Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY -- Since 1981, KSL's audience has gotten to know and trust Keith McCord.
The great thing about Keith is who he appears to be on television is who he actually is in person.
"Keith is one of the good guys. You could tell right away this was someone you're going to like," said Carole Mikita, KSL's arts and religion reporter.
Carole should know. She sat beside Keith the longest at the anchor desk -- roughly seven years.
In fact, Keith's had 10 co-anchors sitting with him at the news desk through the years here at KSL. Network news pinnacle Jane Clayson Johnson also made a short stop sitting next to Keith.
"There were a couple of times I remember Keith coming in right off the course to KSL," Jane said. "And he'd sit at that anchor desk very nicely dressed with that very nice suit coat and tie. But what the viewers didn't see was that he was wearing his golf shorts as he was reading the news. Only Keith could do that."
At least those shorts were hidden. Back in the 1980s, Keith was caught on camera reporting from a seaside location wearing what he called his "old Stockton shorts."
But Keith must have thrown those old pair of shorts out years ago because he is known among the ladies here at KSL as being fashion forward.
"Keith is always ahead of the time," said KSL news anchor Deanie Wimmer. "For instance, he always wore a pocket hanky before pocket hankies were all the rage."
Speaking of rage, you'll never see Keith mad.
"In 30 years, I have never seen Keith lose his temper or rag on anybody, especially in this business," said KSL news anchor Bruce Lindsay.
And Bruce should know since he's been at KSL even longer than Keith -- 35 years!
To those of us here at KSL, Keith is lovingly known as the"Ron Burgundy" of anchormen -- calm, cool and collected.
"I was trying to think of some memory of Keith McCord that would capture some embarrassing moment that we could all have fun with, but couldn't think of a thing. So, I was thinking more about his integrity and his professionalism and the fact that he's a heck of a lot of fun when he's off camera," said John Hollenhorst, another colleague who has worked at KSL just three years longer than Keith.
Add to that another fun fact about Keith: He has helped a few of us at KSL get a job here at KSL.
"Looking back, I simply would not have this job if it were not for Keith McCord," KSL news reporter Sarah Dallof, said. "And the thing is I'm not the only person that I know that can claim this. He does this for so many people. He doesn't talk about it, he doesn't take credit for it, and he doesn't expect anything from it."
Actually, that's Keith -- a true friend.
"He's a gem of a person: a great journalist, a great anchor, a so-so golfer. He's a great guy to have around," said former KSL news director now editorial director Con Psarras.
"Most of all, you were such a good friend to me and everybody at the station," CNN reporter and former KSL News weekend anchor Samantha Hayes said of Keith.
"For 30 years, we've been the best of friends," Carole said.
Certainly, Keith McCord has been a friend to all of us here at KSL TV. Congratulations!
E-mail: lprichard@ksl.com
