Don Harman - TVSpy

Michelle Bogowith Makes Her WDAF Debut

Merrill Knox — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:16:25 +0000

Meteorologist Michelle Bogowith made her debut on Kansas City Fox affiliate WDAF yesterday.

Bogowith will handle weather forecasts for the 9 a.m. and noon newscasts. She steps into a role vacated by Karli Ritter, who is moving to the 4:30 to 9 a.m. shift following the death of Don Harman last year.

The WDAF morning team introduced Bogowith last week. Video after the jump… continued…

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Nine Months After Don Harman’s Death, WDAF Names New Morning Meteorologist

Merrill Knox — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:30:42 +0000

Nine months after WDAF meteorologist Don Harman‘s death, the Kansas City Fox-affiliate has named a replacement for him on the morning newscast.

Bottom Line Communications reports Karli Ritter, who has worked at WDAF since 2007 and has been filling in on the morning newscast, has been named the permanent replacement. Harman, a popular Kansas City figure, committed suicide in November.

As Ritter moves into her new role from 4:30 to 9 a.m. on weekdays, she will be replaced on the 9 a.m. and noon newscasts by Michelle Bogowith, who joins WDAF next month from KOMU, the NBC-affiliate in Columbia, MO. Bogowith has worked at KOMU since 2007.

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Three Months After Don Harman’s Suicide, WDAF to Air Special on Depression

Merrill Knox — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:53:41 +0000

The colleagues of WDAF meteorologist Don Harman, who killed himself last year, will host a special program tomorrow night on depression and suicide prevention.

“After Don’s death, so many people called to show their support for us, but they also called and emailed needing help for themselves or someone they know,” WDAF anchor Mark Alford told Bottom Line Communications. “One thing is very clear, and that is we HAVE to start talking about this subject.”

The half-hour long special, “You Matter,” will air Wednesday evening at 9:30 p.m. It will be hosted by Alford, as well as Loren Halifax and Nick Vasos, Harman’s co-workers on the WDAF morning newscast.

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Hundreds Attend Public Memorial For Don Harman

Merrill Knox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:48:16 +0000

More than 300 people gathered at Kansas City’s Union Station on Saturday to mourn Don Harman, the WDAF meteorologist who committed suicide last month.

“His death feels like a family member died, and yet I’ve never met him in person,” Kansas City resident Joseph Hostetler told the Kansas City Star. “I had to come.”

The crowd gathered around a large screen and watched videos and pictures of Harman before the ceremony, which was broadcast live on WDAF, began. Several WDAF colleagues — including anchor Mark Alford, reporter Nick Vasos and station general manager Cheryl McDonald — delivered tributes to Harman. continued…

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Public Tribute Planned for WDAF’s Don Harman

Andrew Gauthier — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:27:22 +0000

WDAF is planning a public tribute for Don Harman, the station’s longtime morning meteorologist who committed suicide last week.

The tribute will take place on the morning of Saturday, December 17th at Kansas City’s Union Station.

Since Harman’s death, there has been an outpouring of support from viewers, with many offering their own personal tributes to the popular weathercaster on WDAF’s website and Facebook page.

The station recently set up a “Remembering Don Harman” site, giving people the opportunity to remember Harman and offer their condolences, as well as seek information about depression.

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KSHB, KMBC, KCTV Offer To Cover Rival Newsroom So WDAF Staffers Can Attend Harman Funeral

Merrill Knox — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:53:25 +0000

Although funeral plans for WDAF meteorologist Don Harman have not yet been released, TVSpy has learned all three rival stations in Kansas City — KSHB, KMBC and KCTV — have offered help staffing the WDAF newsroom so Harman’s friends and colleagues can attend the service.

Harman, pictured here with the WDAF morning news anchors, died by suicide last Tuesday after a lifelong struggle with depression.

WDAF news director Bryan McGruder told TVSpy the station has declined the offers for newsroom coverage during Harman’s funeral. continued…

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Friends Remember Don Harman: ‘He Always Had Us Laughing From The Minute We Saw Him’

Merrill Knox — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:06:58 +0000

In the aftermath of Don Harman‘s tragic death, TVSpy asked friends and colleagues of Harman’s to share their stories of the beloved Kansas City meteorologist. In their own words, here are their memories:

KSHB chief meteorologist Gary Lezak:

Don Harman, Joe Lauria, Jeff Penner and I would get together every year at the end of tornado season in June. We would meet at an area restaurant after Don finished his morning shift and spend a few hours talking about weather, the behind the scenes of the business, and more. He always had us laughing from the minute we saw him. We did this almost every year until he started his family a few years ago.

continued…

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News Director Peggy Phillip Explains Why KSHB Reported Don Harman’s Suicide

Merrill Knox — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:57:23 +0000

Peggy Phillip, the news director at Kansas City NBC-affiliate KSHB, writes on the RTDNA website about her station’s decision to report WDAF meteorologist Don Harman‘s suicide. Although all three WDAF rival stations reported the story, only KSHB’s coverage went into detail, detailing Harman’s struggle with depression for viewers:

We led our 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts with profile pieces on Harman followed by information to inform our viewers about warning signs and trends as well as suicide prevention telephone numbers. We tried to keep in mind how we would react if he were another local celebrity, like the Chiefs quarterback or prominent politician. It wasn’t easy and the discussions were emotional.

We received a handful of critical messages from viewers after our early evening news, complaining that the cause of death was not the public’s business and that we only reported it to make our competition “look bad.” One suggested that WDAF “sue our asses.” continued…

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WDAF Tells Viewers of Don Harman’s Suicide: ‘If You Struggle Too, Please Don’t Ever Stop Trying’

Merrill Knox — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:36:37 +0000

In a candid and emotional segment on the WDAF morning newscast today, anchors Mark Alford and Loren Halifax shared details of Don Harman‘s struggle with depression at the request of his family (video above).

“They wanted us to be frank with you about it,” Halifax, on the verge of tears, said. “They want you to know, if you struggle, or if someone else you know struggles, please don’t ever stop trying. Please don’t ever stop trying to get help.” continued…

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In Reporting Harman’s Death, Kansas City Stations Talk To Colleagues, Urge Depression Awareness

Merrill Knox — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:45:04 +0000

As WDAF mourned the death of meteorologist Don Harman, all three rival stations in Kansas City struggled with how to report the sad details surrounding the story. KSHB, KMBC and KCTV all reported on Harman, in varying degrees of detail, on their respective evening broadcasts last night.

Of the three, only NBC-affiliate KSHB included Harman’s cause of death, which is listed on the police report as a suicide, in reporting the story. The station included recollections of Harman from Toby Cook, a former anchor at WDAF, and concluded each report with information on depression, urging viewers to get help if they know someone who needs it. continued…

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Video: WDAF Tells Viewers of Meteorologist’s Death

Andrew Gauthier — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:15:13 +0000

WDAF reported the death of beloved morning meteorologist Don Harman at the top of its noon newscast today. Reporter Kathy Quinn read a statement from the station and said that “the news comes as a great shock to all the people he worked with” (video above).

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WDAF: Don Harman’s Death ‘A Great Shock’

Merrill Knox — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:01:01 +0000

WDAF has issued a statement on the death of Don Harman, saying the meteorologist “brightened our mornings for more than 10 years and made his mark on Kansas City television.”

“We are saddened by this tragic loss,” WDAF president and general manger Cheryl McDonald said in the statement. “Don wasn’t just our meteorologist, he was a part of our family and we loved him. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed.”

“To all of us, Don was like family and the news comes as a great shock to all the people he worked with at Fox 4,” anchor Kathy Quinn said in announcing the news at the top of the noon newscast.

Harman was found by his wife. The police report lists the cause of death as suicide, according to the Associated Press. continued…

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WDAF Meteorologist Don Harman Dies From Apparent Suicide

Merrill Knox — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:52:56 +0000

Don Harman, the longtime morning meteorologist at WDAF in Kansas City, died yesterday. He was 41.

Sources say Harman’s death was a suicide, although the station has not yet announced an official cause of death. The 12-year veteran of the station was on the air as recently as yesterday.

Before WDAF’s Karli Ritter delivered the weather report on this morning’s newscast, anchors Mark Alford and Loren Halifax read a statement similar to what the station posted on Facebook early this morning. continued…

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