Veteran Kansas City television personalities Kris Ketz at KMBC and Cynthia Newsome at KSHB will be inducted into the prestigious “Silver Circle” of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) for the Mid-America Chapter.
The group’s Silver Circle is considered an elite group of professionals recognized by the NATAS Chapter for making a significant contribution to television for the last 25 years or more.
Ketz and Newsome will join two others entering the Circle at this year’s Mid-America Emmy gala in Kansas City. Veteran anchor Mike Bush at KSDK in St Louis—who was the sports director at KMBC several years ago and replaced by icon Len Dawson—and a long-time engineer Terry Shoptaw at KSBS/KHOG in Rogers, AR, round out the inductees.
Ketz, who comes from a family tradition of broadcasters (his late father was a legendary anchor and his son recently took a position at his father’s former station) joined KMBC-TV on July 4, 1983. For 14 years he co-anchored the weekday editions of KMBC 9 News at 5 before being named co-anchor of KMBC 9 “First News” in October 2007. Shortly after taking over the morning anchor duties the ABC affiliate consistently became the ratings leader.
Ketz’s late father, Jim King, was inducted into the NATAS Gold Circle in 2010. Other KMBC 9 News employees who have been honored with the award include Mike Mahoney (2010) and Larry Moore (2007).
Newsome, who joined 41 Action News in January 1997, was off the air for six months last year battling breast cancer. She returned as the NBC affiliate’s weekend anchor and health reporter stronger than ever in January.
Before joining KSHB Newsome was in Oklahoma City for 13 years serving as a weekend anchor at KWTV Channel 9 and as a reporter at KFOR-TV and WKY Radio.
KSHB’s stalwart Sports Director Jack Harry was inducted into the Silver Circle last year.

Silver Circle Members

Wilber Allmeyer (1997)

John Auble ( 2002)

Wendall Anschutz (2010)

Bob Bell (2001)

Jennifer Blome (2006)

Charles Bohn (1996)

Marty Bronson (1997)

Betsy Bruce ( 2001)

Christine Buck ( 2007)

Don Burnes (1997)

Paul Campbell (2001)

Mary Cannon (2002)

Lee Cavanagh (1996)

Allan Cohen (2006)

Larry Conners (2008)

Dottye Bennett David (1996)

Irv Davis (2004)

Howard DeMere (1997)

Bonnie Dewes (1996)

Randall Dixon (2009)

Martin Duggan (2010)

Robert “Mike” Dorman (2007)

Edward Fergus (1999)

Dick Ford (1999)

Joey Ford ( 2001)

Karen Foss ( 2005)

Joe Garagiola (1996)

Harry Gibbs (1997)

Charles Guggenheim ( 2001)

Keith Gunther (1996)

Michael Hardgrove (2002)

Jack Harry (2011)

Bruce Hayward (1996)

Susan Heinket Bayer ( 2001)

Dan Henry (2010)

Art Holliday (2006)

Bob Hooss (1997)

Fran Hunt (1999)

Julius Hunter (1997)

Stan Kann (1997)

Dean Keune (1996)

Spencer Koch (2008)

Thom Lewis (1996)

Micheal Mahoney (2010)

Jim Marlowe (1996)

Don Marsh (1996)

Tom Martin (2005)

Kathi McDonald (2001)

Cheryl K. McDonald (2005)

Mike McDonald (2010)

Larry Moore (2007)

Michael Murray (2009)

Msgr. Joe O’Brien (1999)

Tom O’Neal (2009)

Dick Preston (2004)

Barbara Regnell (1999)

Bill Reed (2005)

Dr. John Rider (1996)

Dennis Riggs (2005)

Cliff St. James (1999)

Nancy St. James (1999)

Sid Savan (1999)

Suzi Schrappen (2010)

Dave Shaul (2011)

Cynthia Smith (2007)

Robin Smith, (2002)

Sharon Stevens (2009)

Leo Tevlin (1997)

Mike Thompson (2008)

Ellen Wallach (1997)

Larry Ward (1996)

Andy Werner (1997)

Diane White (1997)

Al Wiman (2002)

Phil Witt (2006)

Stacey Woelfel (2006)