The Syracuse Press Club is proud to announce our 2022 inductee for the SPC Wall of Distinction. This is the club’s highest honor.
WWNY’s longtime news director and reporter Scott Atkinson has been named to the Syracuse Press Club’s Wall of Distinction!
Scott Atkinson’s nearly 50-year career in journalism has been one dedicated to exceptional reporting, attention to detail, storytelling, leadership, and mentorship.
At the age of 18, Scott got a start in radio and quickly transitioned to newspaper reporting in northern New York. Five years later, in 1980, he moved to TV news, reporting, anchoring, and even weathercasting for WWNY-TV in Watertown, NY. He’d later return to the TV station to lead the newsroom for 22 years.
Syracuse news watchers will remember Scott as WTVH’s “go-to” reporter in the 1980s and 1990s. With a deep knowledge of politics, he led TV 5’s government reporting. He covered Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, and was the driving force behind award-winning coverage of the corruption investigation and trial of former Syracuse Mayor Lee Alexander.
A master of the written word, Scott has always reveled in the art of storytelling. Life is more than politics. Those who have worked with him will attest to his unique ability to see stories in every facet of life. His curiosity and skill served as inspiration for countless journalists.
Scott’s innate leadership ability brought him back to Watertown in 1998, to serve as news director for WWNY. It’s a title he held into 2020, making him one of the longest running news leaders for a TV station in the U.S.
On his watch, WWNY maintained high ratings, even at a time when some people started turning away from local TV news. His newsroom garnered dozens of awards from the Syracuse Press Club, Associated Press, and New York Broadcasters Association.
He advanced the newsroom technologically, helping launch its early website, bringing the station into the age of HD broadcasting, and developing new programming and avenues for news content.
Most importantly, he taught young reporters the value of local journalism. He taught them to hone their craft and take pride in it. Under his tutelage, many WWNY reporters have gone on to mid-market, large market, and network jobs. They carry with them Scott’s legacy of quality reporting and attention to detail.
A true journalist never stops asking questions and never abandons that sense of curiosity. That’s why, in 2020, when Scott stepped back from his news director role, he took a new job.
He became a news reporter at WWNY, TV 7. He leads the team’s political coverage, enjoys slice-of-life storytelling, and continues to inspire everyone around him.
Congratulations on an incredible career, Scott. You will have a permanent place on the Syracuse Press Club’s Wall of Distinction.
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2021 inductee: Shawn Wayson named to Syracuse Press Club Wall of Distinction