Linda Cavanaugh leaving KFOR after 40 years

[GoOKC1991]

Joleen Chaney taking over. Happens Mid-December.

http://kfor.com/2017/10/17/broadcast...years-at-kfor/

[stlokc]

She is such a class act.

When I was in high school, my family took a Caribbean cruise and Linda and her family happened to be on the cruise as well. Of course we got to talking. She learned of my interest in journalism, and invited me to the station for 2 hours one day where I shadowed her and sat just off the set during a newscast.

In this day of reporters moving around every few years (and younger reporters not always possessing the necessary gravitas and skills, in my opinion), Linda Cavanaugh is a treasure. She really has done groundbreaking work, especially for a local journalist in a medium-sized market. OKC has been very lucky to have her.

Good luck to her in her future endeavors.

[king183]

Her statement almost makes it seem like she is considering running for political office. That would be interesting.

[traxx]

I had Linda's husband, Will the thrill Clark (not the baseball player), as a prof at OU once. It was a lecture class. Then entire class didn't do well on a test once and he went on a lengthy tirade. It moved quickly from being upset at us for not learning and moved to him being angry at life, asking us if we knew how it felt being known as Mr. Linda Cavanaugh and on and on. I remember one point in his tirade him being upset about a bad date in high school and the girl not liking him. There was a lot more to his tirade but I don't remember it all. That was a weird day in class.

[BBatesokc]

She's a very nice lady. I've been at events (civic center, private parties, etc.) where she has also been in attendance. She has always deliberately come up to me and my wife and said hello and engaged in some chit chat. Funny thing is, she always introduces herself and doesn't assume people always know who she is on sight. Classy lady.

[HangryHippo]

I've known her most of my life and she is a very nice woman. I'm sad to see her go.

[soonermike81]

I had Linda's husband, Will the thrill Clark (not the baseball player), as a prof at OU once. It was a lecture class. Then entire class didn't do well on a test once and he went on a lengthy tirade. It moved quickly from being upset at us for not learning and moved to him being angry at life, asking us if we knew how it felt being known as Mr. Linda Cavanaugh and on and on. I remember one point in his tirade him being upset about a bad date in high school and the girl not liking him. There was a lot more to his tirade but I don't remember it all. That was a weird day in class.

Had Will Clark for Econ as well! Great class! He got a standing ovation from us on the last day of lecture.

[Geographer]

Had Will Clark for Econ as well! Great class! He got a standing ovation from us on the last day of lecture.

I had Will Clark as well for a Macro ECON and couple of upper division ECON classes. He's definitely the best professor I ever had. I wish Linda and Will the best of luck!

[Bunty]

She should stay on for 5 more years.

[Throckmorton]

Good news for all involved.

[JohnH_in_OKC]

Today, Friday, Dec 15, 2017 is Linda's last day at Channel 4. Although I've never met her, she has been the number one reason I have watched Channel 4 as my primary local news source. She is a local product, having graduated from Bishop McGuinness H.S. and OU. (I am also an OU grad only a year or two before Linda.)

I still think she could anchor another 10 years or more, if she wanted. But I imagine she prefers to spend her time with her family, traveling and doing lots of things she couldn't do while employed as a news anchor.

Good luck Linda. I hope Channel 4 or OETA offers you an opportunity to continue your television news career. Also congratulations for Channel 4 naming their news studio after you.

[JohnH_in_OKC]

Duplicate post.

[JohnH_in_OKC]

I just finished watching Linda Cavanaugh's last newscast on Channel 4. The show was a wonderful tribute to a true class act and Oklahoma icon. She has made a true impact on each and every one of us. God bless her and keep her forever. She certainly blessed Oklahoma and the world with her love and kindness.

[Bunty]

Ditto with above. I bet it's extraordinary rare for a news anchor to begin and retire from the very same TV station without ever straying. When she started at KFOR, we were young or not even born.

[JohnH_in_OKC]

Ditto with above. I bet it's extraordinary rare for a news anchor to begin and retire from the very same TV station without ever straying. When she started at KFOR, we were young or not even born.

My previous post was not as clear as I had hoped. I am sure that I'm a couple of years older than Linda.

[JohnH_in_OKC]

Lauren Daniels (who usually does Channel 4's Sunday morning newscast) posted this link commemorating Linda Cavanaugh's 40 years of service and her subsequent retirement on Lauren's Facebook page:

http://kfor.com/2017/12/15/kfor-dedi...nda-cavanaugh/

KFOR dedicates studio to longtime anchor Linda Cavanaugh
POSTED 3:59 PM, DECEMBER 15, 2017, BY KFOR-TV & K. QUERRY, UPDATED AT 05:05PM, DECEMBER 15, 2017
[Video on KFOR's webpage]

OKLAHOMA CITY - After 40 years, one of our own is leaving the anchor desk.

Linda Cavanaugh has had an extraordinary career at WKY-TV and KFOR that has spanned four decades. She started her career at Channel 4 as a reporter and soon became the station's first female co-anchor.

Over her career, Cavanaugh has been honored with more than 30 national awards, 20 regional Emmy awards and was inducted into the Oklahoma Broadcaster's Hall of Fame.

In addition to telling stories that are close to our hearts, she has also changed the laws in the Sooner State.

In the 1980s, Linda completed an investigative series on restaurants across the state. After her stories aired, state inspection records were made available to the public for the first time.

She was the first non-network journalist from the United States to be allowed into the Soviet Union under the 'glasnost policy.' She was also the first American journalist allowed inside the Hanoi Hilton prisoner of war camp in Vietnam.

On Friday, Linda took her spot on the KFOR set for the last time.

Prior to the newscasts, KFOR General Manager Wes Milbourn announced the dedication of the 'The Cavanaugh Studio."

"For more than 40 years, Linda Cavanaugh has been our state's premier storyteller. As a journalist, she consoled Oklahomans in the midst of collective tragedies and cheered their inevitable triumphs. Her contribution to journalism in our state is immeasurable. We dedicate this studio to Linda Cavanaugh, a broadcast pioneer, who photographed, edited, wrote, reported, produced and anchored 'our story' for four decades," the dedication plaque reads.

[mugofbeer]

Yet another part of my childhood is gone. It's been a sad year in that way. I do want to say that I wish her all the best.