Michael McCormick, a former president of Milwaukee NBC-affiliate WTMJ, died this week at his home in Winston-Salem. He was 82.

McCormick was hired in 1972 to oversee operations at the station, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He was named president of WTMJ and senior vice president of Journal Communications in 1975, a position he held until his retirement in 1987.

McCormick was known as a strong advocate for local news, which he spoke about at his 2008 induction into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame, the Journal Sentinel reports.

“I believe very strongly in news because that’s how the audiences judge a station — by their news operation, not by some program in prime time,” McCormick said.