Summary: One of the area's best newsman has resigned at KMBC due to family obligations involving the health of his father. We wish him the best of luck and respect his decision. 10-09-2007
KMBC news director resigns, citing �family obligations�
By AARON BARNHART The Kansas City Star
The news director at top-rated KMBC-9 unexpectedly resigned Monday, not long after the station completed a move from downtown Kansas City to its new studios. Michael Sipes, who had been news director since 2000, e-mailed his resignation from Chicago to KMBC general manager C. Wayne Godsey late Monday. �After a long and taxing year culminating with the move into our new facility, I find myself faced with certain family obligations that may require me to be away from Kansas City for extended periods of time,� Sipes wrote. Gerry Roberts, the station�s assistant news director, will step in as interim news director, Godsey said. He will be aided by Brian Bracco, an executive at Hearst-Argyle, which owns KMBC and KCWE. As it happens, Bracco was Sipes� predecessor. Bracco left to assume a new position supervising newsrooms throughout the Hearst chain. Under Sipes, KMBC lost and then regained the top spot in local TV news at 10 p.m. and acquired Johnny Rowlands to man its news helicopter team. KMBC made a transition from its creaky old facilities in the Lyric Opera building to its high-definition studios near Swope Park, where it began broadcasting in August.
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