Williams suffered a stroke on Monday. A memorial is being planned.
Williams spent most of his career at KPIX, both anchoring and reporting in the 70's and 80's. He was a member of the Bay Area black journalists organization and received numerous industry awards. Before television, Williams was a reporter at the SF Examiner.
(Photo, courtesy of KPIX)
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Legend! Kind guy too!
ReplyDeleteBen,was solid as a rock,and still could be funny,or had an impish laugh when joked with. A good guy seemed like.
ReplyDeleteI watched 'Magnum Force' the other day..Karna Small,Art Brown,John Lobertini,and Bob March aka Captain Satelite. Where did they all go?
Such sad news. Mr. Williams, & his family were very good friends to my parents...Condolences, thoughts & prayers go out to the Williams Family...Godspeed.
ReplyDeleteSuch sad news. My condolences to the family and to friends.
ReplyDeleteWatched him as I was growing up, a very solid professional journalist. R.I.P. Mr. Williams.
ReplyDeleteI watched KPIX evening newscast today, and I might be wrong, but they didn't even mention the passing of Ben Williams.
ReplyDeleteI had the good fortune to work at KPIX during the 70's and made a life long friend of Ben. He was accurate and un-biased. He excelled in pressure situation and never lost his cool. One of the best ever in the Bay Area. Young folks studying Journalism should study his style.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike, he sure was. His son Alan (who also passed) was a Congressional Page with me in 1979/80 in D.C. Tim Hill
DeleteI also watched him when I was a kid. I believe he was the first black TV news reporter in the Bay Area. He was one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteHere's a nice story on his life and accomplishments.
Deletehttp://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_22234037/famed-television-broadcaster-ben-williams-dead-at-85
What a great guy. RIP...
ReplyDeleteOne of the real pioneers in local African American broadcast journalism. Ben sat up in the old press box back in the mid 1970s during a Warriors game, and it was fun talking with him. Guys like Ben inspired youngsters such as myself, and he was a very welcoming, supportive and friendly guy, and a heck of a news reporter too!
ReplyDeleteMy condolences to his family. He is a Bay Area news legend.
ReplyDeleteI can't recall if it was a station publicity photo, or if one of his colleagues got the cooperation of the camera operators to gently "rib" him on air, but do remember a shot of him on the set, dressed in a suit jacket and tie ... and tennis shorts. He was laughing, and good natured about it.
RIP