Mark Williams has come a long way from the age of analogue into the digital revolution… from spinning 45 RPM records to managing and producing websites.

It’s quite a long – haul for a guy who came from the humble roots of Columbia County, in Northeastern Pennsylvania, to an award winning, multi-platform journalist read in the Halifax Area… but seen around the world as an anchor/reporter on the Nancy Grace Show on CNN Headline News.

It all had an auspicious start playing the hits when The Beatles were getting ready to break up… to turning my attention to something more stable as news… and bringing that skill into the Millennium.

As the late Ted Knight said… who played Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore TV show back in the 70’s… “It all began at a thousand watt radio station!!!”

Trust me… it did.

After bouncing around playing the hits in Berwick, Wilkes-Barre & Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania… I got serious about the news business when I was offered a job at 1290/WNBF-AM in Binghamton, New York.

It was offered in 1974 by a mentor who nurtured and taught me the ropes… literally sight unseen… a friend of my father’s… giving a 21–year old kid a big break.

There were high points… and low points… a “box walk” along the way… but after bouncing around in radio news… I found a reporter / anchor job in television in the Binghamton market.

It was at Channel 40 / WICZ – TV, which at the time, was the NBC affiliate.

I eventually became News Director… hired people when a replacement was warranted… and fired people when the economy went south in the late ‘70’s.

Then we packed the bags… going to Kearney, Nebraska to really hone my skills as a

one–man–band for Channel 13 / KHGT – TV… one of the four stations of the NTV Network.

It was an interesting 18–months as I saw people exit the door every Friday and never return. Did some reporting, anchoring and for a time, the news department’s assignment editor. I turned out to be one of those who left on a Friday and never returned.

Hey… I’ve never been to Southwest Georgia. Let’s go there!!! So the movers came into the house we’re on our way to Channel 10 / WALB – TV in Albany. Decent market, plenty of news and as the lead anchor… a very big fish in the 150th television market.

But, when one turns a certain age… one gets antsy… especially after 9–years in the pressure cooker, day in and day out.

So the decision was made to either go to Washington, DC or Central Florida. The Space Coast won out… and I’ve been here since 1991… working in Orlando radio news until I got the initial call from the Root Company and 1150 / WNDB-AM.

Stay with them for a 18 – months… until “the call” came from International Speedway Corporation’s Motor Racing Network. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was coming on line… a separate network for the trucks… and you’ll produce national broadcasts and travel the USA on someone else’s dime.

T’was a hoot for nearly seven years… then Earnhardt’s death… and 9-11 changed everything. I needed to get back in the trenches as a reporter and tell the story.

Did some TV producing for Central Florida News 13 for a year… then got the call to return to 1150 / WNDB – AM.

Was there for seven years until the economy forced station owners to eliminate the news department… and yours truly. It was stressed that it wasn’t because of job performance, but the economy… and folks were keeping ad dollars close to the vest.

Not a problem… I’m still friends with the folks at 126 W. I-S-B.

This gave me an opportunity to turn my attention fully to the digital world.

MrNews Productions is an audio / video company… that has now branched off into the internet with the introduction of http://www.HalifaxAreaNewsWatch.com.

It’s designed to give you local news covering Volusia, Flagler and North Brevard Counties.

In essence… what I did on the radio, I’ve carried over into the digital age… and I’m proud to say I wasn’t forced to do it… but rather a respect for delivering local content to you… the end user.

Warmest Regards

Mark Williams / President

MrNews Productions

http://www.HalifaxAreaNewsWatch.com