PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Reporters, producers and editors had a bittersweet moment at Friday's KYW Newsradio morning meeting as they saluted colleague Paul Kurtz, who is retiring after a 36-year career at the station.
"This is a semi retirement, and I'm not dead yet," Kurtz said with a smile. "I don't think I am."
Kurtz, a Philadelphia native, has been working as a reporter and anchor at the station since 1984. As a tribute to his career played on 1060 AM and 103.9 FM, Kurtz listened in with his colleagues as they shared stories, anecdotes and congratulations. A common thread through it all was the fun he brought to the job and the smiles he gave his colleagues.
"Welcome to the semi-retired club," said former New Jersey bureau chief David Madden, who made his own move to semi-retirement last year.
"Paul Kurtz always has three things," said reporter Justin Udo. "It's a smile on his face, something funny to say, and a grounded approach to life."
"You are one of the best anchor/reporters I have been privileged to know," said fellow anchor/reporter Lynne Adkins.
"There's nobody better, and you've got a lot of story left, and you get to keep writing your own. So how could your retirement be anything but exceptional?" said Ian Bush, who moved into a KYW morning anchor position when longtime anchor Brandon Brooks retired last year.
"In addition to having some of the best pipes in the radio business, I have always admired your ability to laugh -- and especially your ability to laugh at yourself," said reporter Mike DeNardo. "Believe me, my friend, there's a gold mine of material."
An Eagles fan is shown in a broadcast booth at KYW Newsradio's former Philadelphia location.John Ostapkovich
Kurtz was a union steward at KYW for years, representing SAG-AFTRA members in the newsroom, which crime and justice reporter Kristen Johanson called particular attention to.
"You have always been the calm in the storm for so many times in the
newsroom, and you fought for us as SAG-AFTRA members forever, and we could not be more grateful for everything you've done for us," she said.
Kurtz is an award-winning journalist and, with reporter John McDevitt, half of the Beer and Booze Bros, whose podcast takes up the enviable task of reporting on the many wine cellars, distilleries, and breweries of Philadelphia and the surrounding region.
And that knowledge went to good use over the years.
"Most of my good times with Paul were outside the newsroom. Paul always knew the bar with the most taps," said city hall bureau chief Pat Loeb.
"You are a talented storyteller who is going to be missed. But perhaps your most impressive accomplishment: scamming management into allowing you to cover
beer," said morning anchor Carol Mackenzie.
Perhaps the most heartfelt comments of the morning came from KYW reporter Kim Glovas. She and her husband Kurtz have four sons and live in Bucks County.
"Here's to you. Here's to all the laughter and fun-making that you brought into the newsroom," she said, remarking on Kurtz's signature ability to shake off the stress of covering difficult stories.
From left: KYW's Kim Glovas and Paul Kurtz are shown in the KYW Newsroom, c. 1990.Kim Glovas
"And not only did you make it fun for the newsroom, but you made it fun for me, because I got to marry you. And if it wasn't for KYW, that wouldn't have happened."
Before his colleagues got down to the business of the day, Kurtz reflected briefly on the last four decades.
"I have had a really great opportunity, a great run, for 36 years at this radio station. I came here hoping to build something in a place I could set roots in," he said.
"And I'm really going to miss the opportunity to tell these stories. It really is an amazing privilege we have as reporters to go out and ... inform people and enlighten them. And there's a great responsibility with that."
Kurtz then excused himself, saying one more time, "There's work to do."
