>>> LONG-TIME WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS TELEVISION ANCHOR
BARRY KREAGER IS CALLING IT A CAREER, HAVING RECENTLY
ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS OF ANCHORING THE
NEWS AT WWLP TV CHANNEL 22. HE BEGAN HIS DISTINGUISHED
CAREER IN 1982, AND HE SAT DOWN WITH "CONNECTING POINT'S" TO TO
REFLECT ON HIS CAREER AND THE CHANGING FACE OF TELEVISION IN
THE REGION. >> IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN
CONSIDERING FOR A LONG TIME. 69.
MOST PEOPLE RETIRE AT 6 THE, 66. THIS -- 65, 66.
THIS BUSINESS IS VERY DIFFERENT. BUT GOING BACK MAYBE SIX YEARS,
I NEVER REALLY KNEW FROM WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE, I SHOULD
HAVE KNOWN, WERE THEY GONNA SIGN ME UP FOR ANOTHER THREE-YEAR
HITCH? I ALWAYS THOUGHT, THIS IS
PROBABLY MY LAST CONTRACT. THIS IS PROBABLY MY LAST
CONTRACT. AND THEN THE LAST ONE THEY SAID,
AND I WAS PROBABLY -- 66 OR 67, AND THEY SAID, ANOTHER
THREE-YEAR DEAL. I SAYS, YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I DON'T WANT TO BE 70 WHEN I STOP THIS.
LET'S MAKE IT A TWO-YEAR DEAL. AND THEN -- SO I HAD TWO YEARS
AGO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I DECIDED THIS IS GOING TO BE IT.
I WANTED TO STOP. I WANTED TO START -- WHILE I'M
STILL HEALTHY, I WANTED TO GET ON WITH LIFE.
AND THEN THEY GAVE ME THE OPTION, WHEN I SAID -- WHEN THE
NEW GENERAL MANAGER CAME IN, HE SAID, WAS TALKING ABOUT PLANS
AND STRATEGY. AND I SAID, SO YOU KNOW, FULL
DISCLOSURE, I'M LEAVING AT THE END OF MAY.
AND HE SAID, WELL, I DON'T ACCEPT THAT.
[LAUGHTER] >> SO WE DID THE WINDDOWN, THE
FOUR-DAY FOUR-HOUR WEEKS. >> AND YOU'VE AN INTERESTING
CAREER. ALMOST 40 YEARS, RIGHT, IN THE
SPRINGFIELD MARKET. YET THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A
BLIP THERE A FEW YEARS AGO. YOU WENT TO PROVIDENCE FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS, THEN CAME BACK TO SPRINGFIELD, WHICH IS A BIT
UNUSUAL. SO YOU MOVED AND YOU CAME BACK.
>> WELL, I NEVER HAD ANY BAD FEELINGS ABOUT WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS. I LOVE IT HERE.
I ALWAYS DID. AND HAVING AT THAT POINT WORKED
HERE FOR -- 13 YEARS OR SO, YOU ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE BIGGER
MARKET AND MAYBE MORE MONEY AND AT SOME POINT YOU GOT TO GO.
THEN I WASR IF 4 YEARS OLD. -- I WAS 44 YEARS OLD.
AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY. AND IT'S FUNNY HOW THAT
HAPPENED, WAS SOME REPORTER HAD SENT THEM A DEMO TAPE.
AND ON THE DEMO TAPE THEY TOSSED IT BACK TO BARRY AND THE NEWS
DIRECTOR SAID, WHO'S THAT GUY. AND SO I GOT A CALL OUT OF THE
BLUE. AND IT JUST KIND OF WORKED.
AND THEN I WAS IN PROVIDENCE FOR THREE YEARS AND THERE WERE THREE
DIFFERENT STATION CHANGES, OWNERSHIP CHANGES.
AND THE LAST ONE WAS THE -- THEY GOT RID OF EVERYBODY WHO HIRED
ME AND THEY BROUGHT IN A GUY WHO HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE AND THE
GUY I WAS SUPPOSED TO REOPERATION, THEY SIGNED HIM TO
ANOTHER THREE-YEAR DEAL, AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, BARRY,
MAYBE YOU SHOULD START LOOKING. AND I GOT ANOTHER CALL OUT.
BLUE FROM BILL PEPIN. THE GUY WE REPLACED YOU WITH IS
NOT GOING TO WORK NIGHTSNIST MORE, BEFORE WE START TO SEARCH,
WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT COMING BACK.
AND I WAS LIKE, I CAN'T SAY FAST ENOUGH.
>> WELL, IT'S WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS' GAIN.
THAT'S FOR SURE. AS YOU LOOK BACK ON YOUR CAREER
OVER THE YEARS, ANY PARTICULAR HIGHLIGHT OR HIGHLIGHTS THAT
STICK OUT IN YOUR MIND IN TERMS OF EITHER STORIES YOU'VE DONE,
PEOPLE YOU'VE MET, THAT YOU WON'T FORGET?
>> THERE WERE SO MANY. AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF BEING
STUCK BEHIND THE ANCHOR DESK, I GOT TO PICK AND CHOOSE SOME OF
THE STORIES I DID. BUT THEY WEREN'T AS COPIOUS AS
THE ONES MAYBE YOU COVERED. YOU WERE IN THE TREB CHES ALL
THAT TIME -- TRENCHES ALL THAT TIME.
>> A LONG TIME. >> I RESPECT YOU.
I'M AMAZED BEING INTERVIEWED BY YOU.
BUT THIS IS VERY COOL. >> YOU'RE KIND, THANK YOU.
>> BUT ONE OF THE STORIES THAT STANDS OUT WAS I LIKE THE HEALTH
STORIES. I LIKE THE FINANCIAL STORIES.
I WAS DOING SOMETHING ON ORGAN DONATION.
AND THEY HOOKED UP -- THEY HOOKED ME ONE THIS WOMAN WAITING
FOR A KIDNEY AND SHE WAS IN DIALYSIS AND IT WAS A VERY
SPECIAL KIND THAT WENT ON OVERNIGHT.
AND SHE WAS A GREAT PERSON. IS A GREAT PERSON.
JULIE GENTILE. I DON'T THINK SHE MINDS IF I
NAME HER. SHE LIVES IN SOUTH HADLY.
AND WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE
SEARCH FOR A DONOR. AND WHEN YOU HAVE KIDNEYS,
BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS TWO KIDNEYS, A LIVING PERSON CAN
DONATE A KIDNEY. >> SURE.
>> SO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THAT.
AND ONE TIME SHE GIVES ME A CALL, SHE SAYS WE GOT SOMEBODY.
SO WE DID A STORY ABOUT THAT. WE DID A STORY ABOUT DIALYSIS.
IT WAS A SERIES. AND AN ONGOING SERIES.
AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE A CHILDHOOD FRIEND WHO LIVED IN
CALIFORNIA WHO WAS A MATCH. AND WAS GOING TO COME BACK AND
DONATE A KID KNEE. SO -- KIDNEY.
SO THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SCREENING PROCESS.
THEY DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD A VERY SMALL CANCEROUS GROWTH ON
ONE OF HIS KIDNEYS, WHICH ELIMINATED HIM FROM BEING A
DONOR. >> SURE.
>> BUT SAVED HIS LIFE BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A SMALL THING.
THERE WERE NO SYMPTOMS. THAT WAS A BLESSING FOR HIM.
>> LIFE-SAVING EVENT. >> AND BECAUSE HE WAS GENEROUS
OF SPECIALIST AND LIKE THAT, HE WANTED TO GIVE HER A KIDNEY, HIS
LIFE WAS SAVED. SHE EVENT DI DID FIND --
EVENTUALLY DID FIND ANOTHER DONOR AND I SPOKE WITH HER
RECENTLY. AND SO THAT'S A STORY THAT
STANDS OUT FOR ME. >> WHAT'S THE REACTION BEEN
LIKE? SINCE YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR
RETIREMENT? YOU'VE WORKED YOUR FINAL DAY.
BUT YOU'RE OUT EVERY DAY EITHER AT THE STORE DOING THIS OR THAT.
HAVE YOU FOUND THAT PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND ARE TELLING YOU
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MISS YOU AND THAT KIND OF THING?
WHAT'S THE REACTION BEEN AMONG THE COMMUNITY?
>> IT'S BEEN A QUIET EXPLOSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF COURSE.
BUT OF COURSE, IN MY INTERACTIONS EVERY DAY.
I GO TO COSTCO, THE SUPERMARKET, AND I'M SEEING PEOPLE ALL THE
TIME. AND YES, THEY DO SAY THAT, YOU
KNOW. WELL DESERVED, I'M GONNA MISS
YOU, I MISS YOU. I'M SURPRISED AT ALL THE
ATTENTION. IT STARTED WHEN I MADE THE
ANNOUNCEMENT TWO WEEKS AHEAD. >> YEAH.
WHEN YOU'RE ON TELEVISION, ON A REGULAR BASIS, YOU BECOME PART
OF THE AUDIENCE FAMILY OUT THERE.
YOU'RE IN THEIR LIVING ROOMS EVERY DAY.
AND YOU'RE -- THEY'RE TELEVISION FAMILY.
GOT ME TO THINKING, IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE'VE SEEN A
BIG SWING AND A BIG SWITCH IN TERMS OF NEWSCASTERS ON THE AIR
IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS. DAVE MADSON WHO HAD BEEN ON FOR
45 YEARS RETIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
YOU JUST RETIRED AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS.
>> IN NEWS. HERSHIL RETIRED AFTER 50 YEARS.
>> ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHANGING
FACE, IF YOU WILL, WON'T THERE, OF NEWSCASTERS HERE IN WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS? >> NOT ONLY A CHANGING FACE BUT
WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED IS THE END OF AN ERA.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IN THIS MARKET I DON'T THINK A PERSON
WHO'S GOING TO COME TO THIS MARKET AND STAY IN THIS MARKET
FOR THREE AND FOUR DECADES AND BE COMMITTED TO THIS MARKET.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE
BUSINESS HAS CHANGED. BECAUSE OF THE WAY -- BROADCAST
TELEVISION -- WELL, VERY GANLT AND STILL IMPORTANT --
SIGNIFICANT AND STILL IMPORTANT TO SO MANY PEOPLE IS GETTING
SMALLER. AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO THE
WEB, TO THEIR MOBILE DEVICE. THEY WANT THE NEWS RIGHT NOW
WHEN THEY WANT IT. >> AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG
CHANGES IN THE BUSINESS OVER THE YEARS.
TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU'VE NOTICED?
IS IT THE SOCIAL MEDIA ANGLE NOW AND PEOPLE GETTING THEIR NEWS
PERHAPS THROUGH iPHONES AND THE INTERNET --
>> INTERNET RUINED EVERYTHING, DIDN'T IT, RAY?
>> IT'S A DIFFERENT TIME. THAT'S FOR SURE.
>> I KIND OF LIKE WRITING FOR THE WEB.
IT'S MORE OF A LONG FORM. IT'S MORE LIKE NEWSPAPER
WRITING. BUT YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE SURE
YOUR SENTENCES ARE SHORT. BUT I DON'T GET A CHANCE TO DO
THAT OR I DIDN'T GET ENOUGH CHANCE TO DO THAT.
MOSTLY BROADCAST WRITING. BUT IT DOES GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO
DO SOMETHING MORE LONG FORM WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT ON THE WEB.
>> FOR SURE. I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ASK
YOU, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE FUTURE OR ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE
IT EASY FOR A WHILE NOW? >> I HAVE AN IMMEDIATE PLAN.
I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO GO ON A -- I GUESS WE'LL CALL IT A
VACATION. I'M GOING TO GO FOR A VISIT
OVERSEAS WITH MY BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW.
>> OKAY. >> WE'RE GOING TO BE AN AWAY FOR
ABOUT 18 DAYS OR SOMETHING. AND I'M GOING TO COME BACK.
IT WILL BE DEAD OF WINTER. MIDDLE OF JANUARY.
AND -- OR LATE JANUARY. NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY BIG, BIG
PLANS. I'VE NEVER BEEN ONE TO MAKE
PLANS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I WOULD START
NOW. I'M SORT OF CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENS AND WHAT APPEALS TO ME AND WHAT INTERESTS ME AND I'LL
GET INVOLVED THAT WITH WAY. >> ANY FINAL THOUGHTS, BARRY, AS
YOU RETIRE EITHER ABOUT THIS MARKET, THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS, AS YOU DECIDE TO START THAT NEW CHAPTER IN YOUR
OWN LIFE? ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?
>> PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO KIND TO ME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I AM VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY. FOR 22 NEWS, WWLP, WHICH GAVE ME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CAREER AND A LIFE HERE IN WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS AND A PLACE THAT I LOVE, AND I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD
JUST CHERISH THAT. I CHERISH IT AND I -- AS I SAY,
I HAVE 100,000 FRIENDS I HAVEN'T MET YET.
I WILL CONTINUE TO MEET YOU ONE AT A TIME.
AND THAT'S MY IMMEDIATE PLAN. AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY NICE
TO ME AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THIS. ♪ ♪