thumb|Smith in 1987

Rolland G. Smith (born December 6, 1941) is an American retired television news reporter and anchor who was based in New York City for most of his long career.

Broadcasting career

Smith began his broadcasting career in 1957 at WONG radio in Oneida, New York while still in High School. He worked for WHCU radio While attending Ithaca College. In 1963 he was News Director for WFBL radio in Syracuse, NY and also worked in this first television job at WNYS-TV also in Syracuse.

Smith's earliest news broadcasting job was at WANE-TV Fort Wayne and then transferred toWISH-TV in Indianapolis co-anchoring the news with Mike Ahern beginning in 1967. He covered the Vietnam War in 1968 for WISH-TV and WANE-TV Corinthian Broadcasting Group. After two years he moved on to Metromedia Television, where he served as White House correspondent for Metromedia Television Group in Washington, D.C.. Metromedia would later transfer him to New York, where he would become co-anchor of WNEW-TV's Ten O'Clock News. Smith departed Metromedia for CBS in 1970, and instantly became a reporter and anchor for WCBS-TV. probably in reference to a story on hair care. The creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, incorporated scenes of South Park editor Tom Vogt dressed as a news anchor resembling Smith in a South Park holiday episode. The episode opened with the line being deadpanned by Vogt, and each segment of the show began with the line (or some variation of it). The episode ended with the anchor fighting a hairy creature.

References

  • Official website