Bill Kurtis will lead a special panel discussion on journalism next month as part of the Red Rocks State Historic Site’s community event schedule.
Kurtis will speak at 2 pm Sept 13 at the Emporia Granada Theatre. Across Kansas, Kurtis is best known for his coverage of the 1966 Topeka tornado on WIBW-TV. However, he also worked as a news anchor in Chicago and the anchor of the CBS Morning News in New York City before starting his own production company, which focused on crime and news documentaries. More recently, he was the narrator of the movie comedy Anchorman and the announcer for the NPR quiz show Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me. Red Rocks spokesperson Marcia Lawrence says Kurtis has done it all when it comes to reporting.
Kurtis’ appearance follows other journalism-related conversations through Red Rocks earlier this year, including Marion County Record publisher Eric Meyer and former Washington Post editor and Dallas Morning News assistant editor Patricia Weems Gaston. Kurtis has waived his speaking fee for the event, so admission is free but donations are encouraged for maintenance and upkeep at Red Rocks.
The Sept 13 panel discussion will include Kurtis’ editor at Plainspoken Books, and award-winning writer and journalist Max McCoy. Copies of Kurtis’ most recent book, “Whirlwind: My Life Reporting the News,” will be available for purchase.
The Kansas Business Hall of Fame will be present with cake to help celebrate Kurtis’ 86th birthday.
More information is available at either the Red Rocks State Historic Site or William Allen White Community Partnership Facebook pages, as well as online at kansashistory.gov/red_rocks.
