Louisville biz reporter Francis retires

Bill Francis, the business reporter for WDRB in Louisville, is retiring after 42 years in journalism.

Chris Turner of the station writes, “You probably know Bill best from his years of covering the business beat for WDRB News. He’s an expert on the booming “bourbon trail.” He’s walked through years and years of Homearama homes. And he has attended decades of ribbon cuttings.

“But before he got down to business, he covered some of the most important stories in this community. In 1975, he was a reporter for WAVE radio when police used tear gas at a protest of court-ordered busing.

“‘If my voice goes a little weak here, it’s because I’m breathing the effects of tear gas right now,’ he says on a recording of that broadcast.

“Bill recovered just fine and moved on to report and anchor the news on TV, in his home town, over parts of five decades. Few people in the business can say that.

“He joined WDRB as weekend co-anchor on the original News at 10 in 1990, and was the first co-anchor of WDRB News at 4, helping launch the first newscast in that time slot in 2001.”

Read more here.