For Release: 2008-02-18 11:37:00
Veteran broadcaster Ferrell Wellman, who has appeared on KET in various capacities for more than 30 years, has been named host of Comment on Kentucky. He succeeds originating host Al Smith, who retired in November. Wellman begins as host Friday, Feb. 22 at 8/7 p.m. CT on KET1.Wellman, who has taught broadcasting at Eastern Kentucky University for 15 years, is a member of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame with decades of experience in broadcast journalism. He has appeared as a host and guest on numerous public affairs programs on KET, including stints as guest host of Comment on Kentucky and Kentucky Tonight.
Most of Wellman’s reporting career was spent with WAVE-TV in Louisville, where he was its Frankfort reporter for more than 16 years. He covered a wide range of issues as well as reporting from all 120 Kentucky counties.
“I understand the importance of Comment on Kentucky, because it’s the state’s most important news commentary program,” said Wellman. “I’m humbled and honored to be chosen.”
“Ferrell’s journalistic credentials, broadcast experience and his ability to provide audiences with current perspectives framed with the historic context all combine to make him credible, respected and trusted by audiences,” said Shae Hopkins, KET’s deputy executive director of programming and production. “With Ferrell, audiences have a familiar successor to Al Smith who will continue Comment’s tradition of insightful and independent analysis of the news and events of the day.”
A native of Pikeville, Wellman earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Eastern Kentucky University and a master’s in journalism and mass communication from the University of South Carolina.
Comment on Kentucky is a KET production, produced by Renee Shaw. More information about Comment on Kentucky, including streaming video, is available at www.ket.org/comment. More information about KET programming and education services, as well as how to support KET, can be found at www.ket.org.
Wellman Bio
• Wellman has worked at radio stations in Paris (WPDE), Ashland (WCMI), Lexington (WVLK and WLAP), Norfolk, Va. (WNOR) and Louisville (WAVE)
• He was a reporter at WAVE-TV in Louisville from 1973 to 1991. He was the Frankfort reporter there for more than 16 years, and reported from all of the Commonwealth’s 120 counties.
• Awards: national Headliner Award, national Scripps-Howard Journalism Award, Corporation for Public Broadcasting Silver Award for News. Most recently, he won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his anchor work for WLAP-AM in Lexington after the crash of Flight 5191 at Bluegrass Airport.
• Since 2000, he has been an election night political analyst for WLEX-18 News.
• Wellman has taught broadcast journalism at Eastern Kentucky University for 15 years.
• He served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy.
Contact: Amanda Stroud
###
Download this release as an RTF file - 593 Kb
Image(s) may be reproduced in connection with the print and online promotion of KET programs and services. No other uses are authorized without securing prior permission from the copyright owner. All rights reserved.
Wellman
Wellman
View or link to a public version of this release.
