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Monthlong Specials Pay Tribute To Hite, Who Leaves Channel 8 On Nov. 28

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 1, 2007

Special Section: Bob Hite

The long goodbye for Bob Hite begins today.

WFLA, Channel 8, is giving the popular anchor a monthlong send-off.

During the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts in November, 'News Channel 8' will revisit some of Hite's reports from the past 30 years.

There will be serious stories and humorous moments, environmental reports, nautical news and reports from the battlefield in Iraq.

There will be tributes to him as well on TBO.com, and a story on his career is planned for The Tampa Tribune.

WFLA, TBO and the Tribune are owned by Media General, so the coverage is coordinated. But any anchor who has put in as much time at the same station as Hite deserves it.

Hite joined WFLA in 1977 and was teamed with co-anchor Gayle Sierens in 1985. Since 1995, they have been the most-watched team in the Tampa-St. Petersburg TV market.

Hite, who turned 60 this year, is leaving the station on Nov. 28.

Don't call it a retirement because he plans to work on freelance projects. His first career love has always been photography.

'I hope to do some specials for Channel 8 in the future,' he says.

He'll be doing them from his Colorado home. He already has sold his place in Apollo Beach.

Looking back at these vintage reports has made him aware that time is fleeting.

'When you get up and shave every morning and look at yourself in the mirror, you are not aware of the aging,' he says. 'But when you see yourself from 30 years ago, then your own mortality smacks you in the face. That's one reason why I want to get out and do some things while I'm still in reasonably good shape.'

Hite already has stepped down from the 11 p.m. newscasts. Keith Cate will become the chief male anchor when Hite leaves.

COME ON DOWN: Tampa resident Lisa Herlong fulfilled a lifelong dream on Oct. 17 when she attended a taping of 'The Price Is Right' and got asked to 'Come on down!'

Herlong left with more than $70,000 in cash and prizes. The program airs at 11 a.m. Friday on WTSP, Channel 10.

Herlong, a fan of the game show for more than 20 years, says she and her sister arrived at the studio at 3 a.m. that day for the 4 p.m. taping.

'Just because you have tickets doesn't mean you can get in or get on the show,' she said in an interview Tuesday.

She was the seventh person in line.

'I was waiting to be interviewed without realizing that these CBS people walking about in red coats and talking to us were actually doing the interviews,' she says.

For years, Herlong had wanted to meet longtime host Bob Barker, but when she didn't get tickets again last year, she knew she had missed her chance. But the new host, Drew Carey, was just fine with her.

'I like Drew Carey; I really like him a lot,' she says. 'I was so nervous, and he was personable and made me feel at ease.'

She wore a University of South Florida T-shirt for luck and gave a shout-out to her 84-year-old grandmother.

Viewers can see her make it all the way to the Showcase Showdown. She won an all-expense-paid trip to Paris, a treadmill, a computer notebook, a new Corvette and $6,000 in cash.

Viewers also can see Herlong 'go crazy' and start dancing.

Herlong, a medical assistant for a Tampa doctor, says her husband, Tony, didn't want to pay for her trip to Los Angeles for the taping. But now he's proud of that investment.

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