Doreen is also the spokesperson for the stations health-related community outreach activities including the Fitness Expo and annual NBC4 Health. But shes best known for her reporting in the D.C. area, where she has served as the stations medical reporter for more than 30 years. Ill never forget almost three decades of Health and Fitness Expos and meeting many of her viewers in person, she said. Shes going to be with us quite a while., Gentzlers immediate appeal, Horlick says, was being the adult in the room and breaking up the long runs of Vance and Michael just bantering on the air about ridiculous guy stuff., Shed let it go on for a bit, and then shed be like, All right, guys, we get it. He was skeptical himself. Television requires on-air personalities to act out a simulacrum of family life. Who is Bret Baier? NBC4s decades-long run atop the local news ratings began in 1989 after the stations then-general manager, Allan Horlick, hired Gentzler to share the anchor desk with Vance. . But maybe its also because many of our workplaces have become so transient, pit stops where those passing through wouldnt experience the death of a colleague with the same intensity and devastation as they would a family member. In the 80s, hed even endeared himself to viewers by coming clean about his cocaine addiction and stints in rehab. During her career, she has won several Emmy Awards and has been recognized often for her work. Why is that? Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. When he spotted Gentzler in the restaurants parking lot, hed later admit, he thought, Well, at least they hired a fox., But she was sharp, and people on the set were quick to notice. His bank card was declined. She was stiff and came off as unfriendly. If youre looking for levity, look no further. Copyright 2022 by WTOP. As coworkers buzzed around her, many blotting their eyes with Kleenex, she started working up her script. Not an easy choice, but something Ive been considering for a while Ive been working here for more than half my life. He had the regions best news talentVance, Michael, and meteorologist Bob Ryanyet Channel 4 still couldnt climb out of third place in the ratings. And I think Vance would agree.. One day hed be in, Gentzler says, anchoring the 6 oclock with her, his usual self; the next hed be out, suffering from the side effects of chemo. We all know that feeling of glee, or perhaps confusion or discomfort, when we spot a colleague out dancing on a Friday night or walking into the office one morning with eyes swollen from cryingas though the curtain has been jerked back on some terrific secret. All Rights Reserved. Abigail Constantino | aconstantino@wtop.com. So when Hillary Clinton was nominated at the convention, we watched her speech together, and I think we both expected wed be working together to see the first woman elected President, too., Instead, Gentzler says she leaned heavily on Vance after Donald Trumps election. . Doreen Gentzler started her career as the anchor of Georgia Public Broadcasting's show 'The Lawmakers'. Her thoughts were amorphous and big, but she cried hardest when she thought of his laugh. You know how, normally you go through your head and ask, Okay, what happens next? Although Changing Minds has led us in many different areas, its main objective is to lessen the stigma attached to mental illness. She anchored the news at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. Gentzler was raised in the Dominion Hills neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. "Our Doreen Gentzler is retiring after 33 years at NBC4. Montgomery Community Media. 3,274 talking about this. She struggled with the shell shock of his win and what she thought would come of his presidency: Its just like, Uh, what? Who is Boyd Huppert? who is an electrician. Then she turns her head, closes her eyes, and puts her hand over her mouth because, sitting outside Raku in Cleveland Park, she has just started crying. He was born on September 24, 1957, in Washington D.C., USA. Though their desks were in the middle of the newsroomthey both liked to be amid the actionthey also shared an office outside it. After all, Vance was a hometown herohe had filled Washingtons living rooms with his born-for-TV personality for the last 50 years. Doreens average salary is $88,451 per year. During their long run on the air, Gentzler-Vance drew more viewers throughout the Washington area than CNN, Fox News and MSNBC averaged together among local viewers in prime time. Longtime WRC/NBC4 news anchor Doreen Gentzler announced today she will be retiring at the end of November. 1994). Gentzler made the announcement during the Friday night newscast, saying that it was not an easy choice that shes been considering it for a while, but Ive decided to retire.. Longtime NBC Washington anchor Doreen Gentzler is retiring after 33 years delivering the news to the D.C. area. So when Gentzler learned through the grapevine that Horlick was reluctant to hire her, she wrangled his phone number and called him at home. 1.6 m). She anchors News4 at 6 and News4 at 11 at NBC4 (WRC-TV) in Washington D.C. Doreen also serves as the station's medical reporter, filing cutting-edge health reports for all of the News4's newscasts. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Chris in 1991 and a daughter named Carson in 1994. Gentzler grew up in Arlington, Va., though she spent the latter years of her childhood living near Charleston, S.C. She attended the University of Georgia and worked as an anchor and reporter at stations in Chattanooga, Tenn., Charlotte, Cleveland and Philadelphia before she was hired to anchor with Vance, whom shed watched growing up. It certainly makes you think.. Gentzler joined the news team in 1989, welcoming the chance to return to her hometown after working in Philadelphia. Her husband, Bill Miller, nudged her awake, then headed back down to the kitchen. Interview: Doreen Gentzler Opens Up About Retiring After 33 Years at NBC4, Like this post? Doreen Gentzler interviewed Prince George's County's own tennis superstar Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday; it was her last interview before she caps off her 33-year run delivering the news to the D . How do you mourn a work wife? In April 2022, Gentzler posted a touching post about her longtime friend Wendy Rieger, who was receiving hospice care. Yet shes also human. Doreen Gentzler speaks during the memorial celebration service for Jim Vance at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, September 12 in. Before joining WRC, Gentzler worked in newsrooms in Chattanooga, Charlotte, Cleveland and Philadelphia. She switched into journalist mode: Whos your doctor? Next she worked at Philadelphia's WCAU-TV,[when?] Offers poured in. 5425 Wisconsin Ave I didnt really appreciate that everybody would be looking at me for those answers so fast.. Channel 4s 6 pm broadcast struggled during the summer and dropped from number one. In Philly, it was like [her bosses] had a preconceived notion of what an anchor should look like, he says. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/doreen-gentzler-34869.php. They put me out front, by myself, she says. After that, Gentzler worked for Philadelphia's WCAU-TV. Those were some really, really fun times, Gentzler said. I knew we needed a spark plug. It never lets up., Vance, she says, always found the positive view. Recalling this, she laughs and shakes her head at the improbability of it all. Ive been working here for more than half my life now, she said on the air on Friday. Thirty-three years later, its safe to say Vance was right. She was a surprise choice: At the time, Gentzler had been working at a station in Philadelphia that had demoted her from anchoring on weeknights the marquee shift to weekends. But not for Gentzler. They hada conversation aboutWendys forthcoming open heart surgery. Rieger's co-anchor, Doreen Gentzler, hailed her as "smart, funny and authentic." Rieger, 65, can be as cynical as anyone about the vanities and flaws of TV news. We are always concerned about losing viewers, Gentzler says. She has also made appearances as herself on NBC shows The Event and The Blacklist. She said she and Vance had different personalities, but they worked well together and made each other laugh. Shes Doreen. News4 is now just Doreenand, for her, all the pressure that comes with that. [2] It weighs on you night after night.. Gentzler made the announcement during the Friday night newscast, saying that it . She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University. Not an easy choice but something Ive been considering for a while.. Doreen is married to her husband Bill Miller. Last fall was better: From October to December, the newscast climbed back on top, edging out Channel 7, according to ratings pulled from Nielsen. It wasnt like they were drinking buddies, her husband says. All rights reserved. I hope, finally, when the smoke clears, shell be able to take more time on her own, for her own grief personally., There are so many things Gentzler cant remember right now, things she knows shell one day have to redraw but that for now feel shapeless and dark. Additionally, she has appeared as herself in the NBC programs The Event and The Blacklist. A lot of dominance is due to habits, Horlick explains. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Because even after he shared the news, Gentzler says, I never let myself think that every broadcast could be our last broadcast.. She made a full recovery, but soon discovered an even greater obstacle,a brain tumor. In the spring, Jim Vancethe 75-year-old lion of Washington TV journalismhad privately revealed to Gentzler, and later to his News4 viewers, that he had Stage 4 lung cancer. Besides this, she serves as the stations health reporter and files up medical reports for the health-related community outreach activities NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo. Since 2014, Gentzler has also been serving as the lead reporter of the stations show on mental health titled Changing Minds. So shes still largely in her public mode. NBC4 still hasnt settled on Vances replacement, so Gentzler works with a rotating cast of co-anchors for the 6 oclock show. But its also true that a rhythm has been broken: I liked it the way it was. No longer is she palling around with her old partner before airtime. Doreen Gentzler interviewed Prince George's County's own tennis superstar Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday; it's her last interview before she caps off her 33-year run delivering the news to the D.C. area. Longtime local TV news anchor Doreen Gentzler surprised many people on Oct. 28 with her on-air announcement that she would be retiring in November after 33 years at NBC4. Or maybe evolve, like Serena Williams.. Gentzlers early evening and late-night broadcast now co-anchored with Jim Handly continue to lead local stations. Gentzlers salary is estimated to be between $225,000 and $275,000. I cried a lot, she says. She has taken viewers inside hospital operating rooms, highlighted medical advances, and demonstrated how cutting-edge technology is preserving lives in her award-winning News 4 Your Health programs. Doreen Gentzler(born September 24, 1957[1] ) is an Americantelevision newsanchor. Azuz has been the host of CNN 10 for the past 14 years. Doreen Gentzler. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. June 17, 2014 Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler prepare to return to the live broadcast on WRC-TV after a commercial break. He never imagined, and neither did I, that wed see a black man elected President in our lifetime, she says. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. And how will I respond? I thought about that, but only in a very vague way. Boris Sanchez is a Cuban-born broadcast journalist. That day, Vance motioned for Gentzler to follow him in there. Her reports have taken her around the world, including the Persian Gulf, Bosnia and Ecuador. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. A few minutes later, she appeared at the foot of the stairs, still in her pajamas. Doreens mother worked as a secretary for the federal government while her father was an executive with an insurance company. Doreen lives in Washington, DC. They werent weekend comradeshe liked to take trips on his Harley; she liked to bike around the monuments and go on hikes with her dog. Read More Carl Azuz CNN 10, Age, Wife, Salary, Kids, College, Net worth, WikiContinue. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM. Doreen Gentzler (born September 24, 1957 [1]) is a retired American television news anchor . Because its TV, where the presenters are part of the story, she also talked about their friendship, how much they loved to make each other laugh. Then she signed off. Her last newscasts will be on the week of Nov. 21. Longtime NBC4 anchor Doreen Gentzler announces retirement. Doreen Gentzler (@doreen.gentzler) Instagram photos and videos doreen.gentzler Verified Follow 495 posts 9,788 followers 484 following Doreen Gentzler Longtime TV news survivor; now exploring life without daily deadlines. She has worked as a journalist for many years. Gentzler remembers absorbing the news soberly, understanding that she didnt have a lot of time left with her beloved colleague. Surrounded by family and friends, Doreen Gentzler signs off one last time after 33 years in the News4 anchor chair. Vance and Gentzler confided in each other about personal matters, drama involving their spouses, or her two children and his three. She reported that a local womans lost more than 40 pounds without any fancy diets or gym memberships by going online. We cant thank you enough for being our friend and our leader, Handly said. Gentzler may be Washingtons last connection to an era of local TV in which anchors were nearly civic institutions and newscasts were broadly watched a time rapidly fading in the internet age. NBC4's Doreen Gentzler reported that Rieger's future prognosis is good. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. Additionally, Doreen has received three Emmy awards for news writing and reporting while in Cleveland. Doreen Gentzler sat down with Wendy before her operation to talk about her cond. With Vances passing, she may have become the stations queen, as Yang puts ittheface of local news across Washingtonbut she had also become something like a widow. Im going to do this for Vance, and Im going to make sure we do it right.. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Who is Doreen Gentzler? People who are now in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties started to grow up with Jim and Doreenthats what makes a brand. By 2014, thePostwas reporting that the pair regularly drew more viewers in the Washington area than MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News togetheraffirming the old line that people dont watch the news; they watch the people on the news. . I miss her very much. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information, This was a hard decision ," Gentzler said when announcing her decision to her colleagues. Doreen Gentzler, NBC Washington's long-time senior primetime anchor, participated in the D.C. AIDS Ride with Rieger and. She has written about her past life as an Ann Coulter fangirl, how the Obamas changed Washington, and the rise and fall of Roll Call. Her bosses had informed her that she would anchor the segment on Vances death that evening. Last edited on 30 November 2022, at 22:26, Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, "Tickle The Wire Ex-Washington Post Reporter and Editor Bill Miller Becomes Spokesman for D.C. U.S. Attorney", http://thewomensfoundation.org/washington-100-member-spotlight-meet-doreen-gentzler/, "NBC4's Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler Unscripted Moments", "WKYC's Director's Cut with Frank Macek: Where Are They Now? Since May 2014, she has served as the principal reporter for the Changing Minds station-wide project which focuses on mental health. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Doreen Gentzler", 2007 "Where are they now?" The estimated net worth of Doreen is $ 835,612. There is hope though and important research going on." Gentzler goes on to share how challenging it can be for patients to find and enroll in clinical trials. I thought, Why not step away while Im healthy enough to enjoy [retirement]? she said, adding, I am very much going to miss it, especially the people Ive worked with., But Gentzler also acknowledged that shes been worn down by the news of late. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. . Since May of 2014, Doreen has been the lead reporter for Changing Minds, a station-wide project on mental health. "I think her message out of what she's experienceddon't ignore symptoms like that," Gentzler said. They were shooting a promo that would run during the Super Bowl. She joined the news team in 1989, welcoming the chance to return to her hometown after working in Philadelphia. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Kammerer, who grew up watching Gentzler, said she welcomed him with open arms. His programs were streamed on Youtube for easy accessibility. It was like an old boys club, Horlick says. Sadly, Vance died in July 2017, and Doreen led NBC4s on-air tributes. However, the reality of working in the news business is that the show must go on. Her contemporaries included a long list of familiar figures, particularly Jim Vance, with whom she co-anchored WRCs newscasts for 28 years until his death in 2017. Gentzler began her career as the host of Georgia Public Broadcasting's weeknight show The Lawmakers, broadcast during sessions of the Georgia State Legislature, around 1979. Gentzler told MyMCM that her final show on NBC4 will be either Nov. 22 or 23. But now I have just a little more responsibility, I think, in carrying thatI dont know how to put this without sounding like a jerk . Its up to me to figure out how to protect myself. We have a few more weeks to dig deep into our archives, Handly said, joking that it would be hard to find any bloopers because Gentzler is without a doubt, the best in the business., Ive been proud to be a part of this crew, and I know that NBC4s tradition of excellence will continue, Gentzler said. Fahri, Paul. . Are you sure youre with the right one? 2022 WTOP. They both had a terrific sense of humor.. Doreen Gentzler, who co-anchored the most popular local TV newscast in Washington for over three decades, said Friday that she would retire next month, closing out a nearly unbroken reign as the areas most-watched journalist. After that, Gentzler worked for Philadelphia's WCAU-TV. She anchors News4 at 6 and News4 at 11 at NBC4 in Washington D.C. Doreen also serves as the stations medical reporter, filing cutting-edge health reports for all of the NBC4s newscasts. She is a 6pm and 11pm news anchor at WRC-TV. He says that the smarts and energy she brought to the newsroom helped lure him to the station. Its as if were programmed to assume our coworkers arent prey to life, much less death. She is the health reporter for WRC-TV (NBC4) and co-anchors the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. editions of the station every weekday. Mistress of Ceremonies Doreen Gentzler from NBC4 opened the program, sharing her desire to bring awareness to the topic of mental health in our community. Gentzler first worked at Cleveland, Ohio's NBC affiliate WKYC-TV.[when?] Longtime NBC Washington anchor Doreen Gentzler is retiring after 33 years of delivering the news to the D.C. area. The scene would repeat itself in the weeks and months aheadthe entire Channel 4 newsroom leaning on Gentzler. Doreen anchored with Jim Vance for 28 years, making them one of the longest-tenured anchor teams in the U.S. Take a good look, Vance said during their first broadcast together. Doreen Gentzler announced that after 33 years anchoring for News4, she'll soon retire. Born In: Washington, District of Columbia, USA, education: Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia, https://www.facebook.com/DoreenGentzler4/photos/a.422982855059.220777.339116460059/10153544474425060/, https://www.facebook.com/DoreenGentzler4/photos/a.422982855059.220777.339116460059/10150501113740060/, https://www.nbcwashington.com/on-air/about-us/Doreen_Gentzler.html. 0. Hes gonna kick the young immigrants out? It was just one thing after the other. In Part 2 of our. Doreen Gentzler anchors News4 at 6 and News4 at 11. All rights reserved. Gentzler spoke with WTOPs Hillary Howard and John Domen Tuesday and said candidly that she does not know what its going to feel like Monday morning, when she wakes up and does not have to go to work. Currently, she anchors the stations weekday 6pm as well as 11pm editions of News4 at WRC-TV. Doreen Gentzler is an American broadcast journalist. Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. Our audience is shrinking. Soon everyone was racing to the Channel 4 offices on Nebraska Avenue. She is a native of Washington D.C. Gentzler is married to Bill Miller. His wife would elbow him and point at the testosterone-fueled panel and say, Do you see anything wrong with this picture?, It was painfully obvious that in spite of the immense talent . Horlick cut her from his shortlist. Doreen was born on September 24, 1957, in Washington, D.C., United States. Shes going to be with us for quite a while.. lawmakers push for new safety regulations after deadly Silver Spring apartment fire. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Gentzler is not retiring, instead, she is re-focusing. Doreen wishes Wendy could see the lovely blue skies that are ahead while she is currently surrounded by love and care. Gentzler, 65, broke the news herself on the 6 p.m. newscast on WRC (known as NBC4), where she has anchored since 1989. Rieger retired from WRC at the end of 2021 after battling health issues; she succumbed to brain cancer in April at 65, the same age as Gentzler. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. She previously covered Congress for National Review. It was very tough to watch what happened to her. I certainly like all of those people Im anchoring with, she says. Sadly, Vance died in July 2017, and Doreen led NBC4s on-air tributes. When she and Vance first met over dinner at La Ferme in Chevy Chase, nerves scissored through her. We had a great time working together, and then you throw in George Michael and Bob Ryan and Arch Campbell. Gentzler attended the University of Georgias Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and graduated from there in 1979. It was just before 9 am on July 22 when Doreen Gentzler got the call. Fellow NBC Washington anchor Doreen Gentzler shared a photo from her longtime friend and co-worker's home in Rappahanock County, Virginia, taken in Oct. 2020, before she underwent open-heart. He works as an anchor for New Day Weekend and a national correspondent for CNN. Shed warn him to stop smoking around her when she was pregnant. Salary, Bret Baier Fox News, Net Worth, Wife, Son, Leaving Fox News, Catholic and Salary, Emma Alberici ABC Daughter, New Partner, Height, Salary, Net Worth, Bob Nunnally NBC4 Salary, Cancer, Birthday, Wife, Net Worth, Liz McGiffin NBC 4, Salary, Bio, Age, Height, Husband, Married, Net Worth, Janice Huff NBC4, Salary, Age, Height, Husband, Wedding, Weight Loss, Net Worth. How do you grieve a work husband? Related:Janice Huff NBC4, Salary, Age, Height, Husband, Wedding, Weight Loss, Net Worth. She was at home in Chevy Chase and still asleep, a luxury the Channel 4 anchor allowed herself on Saturdays. Gentzler herself wasnt pleased with her new on-air persona. And part of the challenge of being a public figure, she reflects, especially in moments of darkness, is maintaining the awareness that many people, selfishly or not, rely on you for reassurance that everythings going to be fine. [2] Her family came back to the area when she left for college at the University of Georgia. Sadly, Vance passed away in July 2017, and Gentzler oversaw NBC4s on-air tributes. He works as the primary editor, producer, and anchor of KARE 11s Land of 10,000 Stories news segment, which has won multiple awards for photojournalism. All Rights Reserved. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. It was early 1989, and Channel 4s general manager had been plugging away at the stations 11 pm lineup for two years with little to show for it. Its kind of strange to be leaving, Gentzler said. "You all at the courts are way ahead of us in . Sadly, Vance died in July 2017, and Doreen led NBC4s on-air tributes. She was the on-air spokesperson for the station's successful NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo, held each January at the Washington Convention Center. Gentzler was the same steady and warm presence she is every night. And Jim was Jim., To be honest, I was not prepared for how public the grief process through all of this would be. Her father Ferris was an executive at an insurance company while her mother Rita O'Flinn served as a secretary for the federal government. Yet rarely do we stop to considerin our society ordered around the 9-to-5, where our coworkers are often more intimately entwined in our day-to-day than our actual partnerswhat it might be like when our work spouses die. Her family located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina when she was 11 years old and came back to the area when Doreen left for college at the University of Georgia. She and Vance sat on the set, blissfully stumped about whether they should take the first live shot of the Obamas coming onstage at their victory party or of the wild celebration on U Street. There Read More In many ways, things stayed the sameuntil, of course, the day they werent. Together, weve had to cope with some painful losses and weve celebrated so many wonderful times that I will always hold dear.. On her first newscast, Gentzlers longtime co-anchor and close friend Jim Vance welcomed her by saying, This is Doreen, folks. 2023 WTOP. But its not as though Vance and Gentzlers tastes and experiences made them naturals for the role. Can I look into this? Her coworkers, not to mention the stations many viewers, havent been shy about confiding in her and about looking to her as a surrogate for stability. She anchored with Jim Vance for 28 years, making them one of the longest-tenured anchor teams in the country. Their longevity only served to cement their place at the top. You just saw this smart, honest person who you trusted to tell it like it is.. She has won several local Emmy awards for reporting and anchoring. Lets talk, he said. Joe Yasharoff is MCM's Director of Content. Read More Mitti Hicks Husband, Age, Fox Weather, Height, Net Worth. Such as her last show with Vance. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. She joined the station in 1989 after Dave left the station. Elaina Plott joined Washingtonian in June 2016 as a staff writer. [2] Her mother, Rita O'Flinn, worked as a secretary for the federal government while her father, Ferris Gentzler, was an executive with an insurance company. Emma Alberici is an Australian journalist. He is also an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Maryland. You can tell theres a lot of responsibility on her to be a steward of his memory, says her colleague Aaron Gilchrist. Bret Baier is an American journalist working as the host of Special Report with Bret Baier on the Fox News Channel as well as the chief political correspondent for Fox. Even as someone who captured the loyalty of viewers long before cord-cutting and a whole generation who consume their news online, Gentzlers responsibility for ensuring the stations dominance is in no way assured.