Lee Giles, arguably the dean of local news directors, told his staff
Wednesday that he'd be retiring in May after 35 years of running the news at WISH-TV
Indianapolis.
Giles' legendary career includes nearly 40 years at the station and nearly 50
in news.
Giles' length of service as a news director is especially unusual in a job
where tenure is better measured in dog years.
Giles told Broadcasting & Cable he'd hold onto his vice president
stripe through the summer so he can hit the 40-year mark with WISH-TV, and he added that the search for a replacement is on and is wide open.
Friends and admirers can toast Giles' retirement next week at the Radio-Television News Directors Association's
annual conference in Las Vegas.
Among many achievements, Giles is well known as an early mentor for NBC's
Jane Pauley, who herself recently announced her retirement.
