In Honor of the Extraodinary Career of Art Franklin, Cbs 42 News Anchor in Birmingham, Al

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the leadership and extraordinary accomplishments of Art Franklin, who is stepping down from his position as co-lead anchor of the CBS 42 Evening News on April 29, 2022.

A native of Detroit, Art is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Upon completing his education, he began his broadcasting career at the WDZZ-FM 93 radio station in Flint, Michigan, before leaving to join the WILX-TV 10, the NBC station in Lansing, Michigan. While at WlLX, Art worked as a Capital Reporter and Business Reporter becoming the first African American male in Lansing to regularly anchor a broadcast newscast.

Continuing to work within the NBC network, Art transitioned to WAVY- TV 10 in Norfolk, Virginia, where he served as the station's military affairs correspondent and anchor of the Bottom Line, the station's public service program. In addition to regularly reporting from the Pentagon, Art also began covering international assignments traveling to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the Caribbean. As a trailblazer in broadcast journalism, Art continued to make history upon moving to Birmingham in 1991, becoming Birmingham's first primetime African American male anchor during his 12 years at WBRC-TV. Throughout his career, Art reported on major world events such as the conflict in the Persian Gulf, the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, and the terrorist attack at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He also transitioned to political reporting, covering several United States presidents, including Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

Leaving Birmingham in 2003, Art moved to Atlanta joining another NBC affiliate, WXIA 11 Alive News, before becoming an anchor at WAGA-TV FOX5. Though he left television to start a Public Relations firm, Art's passion and dedication to his craft brought him back to Birmingham to launch the CBS 42 Morning News with Art Franklin. While at CBS 42, Art has served as a managing editor and as anchor of the 4:00 P.M., 5:00 P.M., 6:00 P.M., and 10:00 P.M. newscast.

For over three decades, Art has immersed himself in the world of journalism, serving in exclusive positions such as the producer of the National Association of Black Journalists Awards show, which aired on Black Entertainment Television (BET) and guest journalism instructor at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Diversifying his career outside of journalism, Art has served as the C.E.O. of 285 Records, an Atlanta based independent record company; background actor for multiple award-winning television shows including How to Get Away with Murder and Greys Anatomy. He is also the author of the book Give It All You Got and the founder of the Art Franklin Collection, a clothing line of male clothing, accessories, and custom suits. As a vibrant member of his community, his civic affiliations include board member of the Jefferson County Family Resource Center and member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Art has received over 100 community and journalism awards for his exemplary career and contributions to the journalism profession, including most notably, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement for spotnews coverage in Atlanta in 2005, and most recently an Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Innovation as anchor of CBS 42's Coronavirus House Calls in 2021. Art is also the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Television Programming Excellence Award in 1995, Scrips Howard Excellence in journalism Award in 1994, RTNDA Best Documentary in 1994, and Alabama Associated Press Award for the Best Documentary in 1994, and Best Reporter in 1995. Securing his place in history as one of the best news anchors of a generation, in 2017, Art was named Alabama's Best News Anchor by the Alabama Broadcasting Association. In 2019, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle recognized him for over 25 years in the industry.

On a personal note, Art has always been the consummate professional. His mere presence on air has been a source of great inspiration for little black boys and girls in Alabama. Art delivers the news with clarity and purpose which has made him my ``go-to'' anchor for the nightly news. We will miss him on CBS 42, but I know that Art will continue to make significant contributions to our community. I congratulate Art, and extend best wishes in all of his future endeavors.

On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary career of Art Franklin and his exemplary contributions to broadcast journalism.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source