PARKERSBURG - For many who have listened to the local radio waves, he was the voice of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Today is the last day on the air for Doug Hess on the radio stations of Clear Channel of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
The local newsman is signing off after 31 years working in radio with the last 21 doing local news.
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Doug Hess at the mic at the radio stations of Clear Channel of the Mid-Ohio Valley. Today will be Hess’ last day on the air. He is leaving radio to take a job with The ARC of the Mid-Ohio Valley as its new communications and outreach coordinator.
"It has been fun and a lot of work," Hess said. "Doing the news has been really interesting and rewarding."
He has taken a job with The ARC of the Mid-Ohio Valley as its new communications and outreach coordinator.
Hess started in radio playing music at a time when stations were still using turntables and records. He said the business is changing. He will turn 50 next year and the time had come to change gears as his children, ages 10 and 11, and other interests are taking more of his priorities.
He came to The ARC doing some projects for it recently and has volunteered some of his time for events. He also serves on the board of directors for the Fellowship Home. The job opening at The ARC came along and it seemed like the time to move on.
"It seemed like a good time to change and do something different," Hess said.
Hess wanted to thank the late Steve McCoy for giving him his start in radio.
He will miss having the access to local leaders he has had over the years; the kind of access most people don't get to have. He will also miss having the access of being able to go and cover a number of different events around the area, again going to places the general public didn't have direct access to.
He won't miss getting up at 4 a.m. in the morning to go to work.
Being in the media, Hess held off putting political signs in his yard to maintain his own unbiasness in his job.
What is one of the first things he may do come Saturday?
"I can put campaign signs in my yard," Hess said with a laugh. "Starting Saturday, you may see signs in my yard."
Covering the news has given Hess opportunities to talk with people he might not otherwise meet and do things he would not have been able to do. He has had the chance to talk to famous people, like Charlton Heston, ride in two presidential motorcades and more.
He has always taken his responsibility in covering the news seriously.
"People depend on you to get this information out to them in a timely manner," he said. "It is an important job and it has been a privilege to do it."
