A beloved, longtime, WFLA TV team member is retiring after working for more than four decades at the Tampa NBC affiliate.
Assignment editor Rocky Glisson has been with WFLA for 46 years. His last day at the station is March, 16 2018.
Rocky was a 21-year-old USF grad when he started working on a part-time basis at WFLA in 1972. He was hired to work full-time on Jan. 2, 1973. Back then, the WFLA studio was located on East Jackson Street in Tampa. News that was making headlines on Rocky’s first day at work included the $10 million sale of the New York Yankees by CBS to a 12-person syndicate led by George Steinbrenner.
Richard Nixon was president back then, Carly Simon’s single ‘Your So Vain’ was at the top of the charts, Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull was a most-read book, and Rocky Glisson was a reporter-photographer who covered Tampa City Hall.
Since Rocky’s first day at WFLA, nine presidents have moved in and out of the White House, countless news directors have worked at the TV station and Rocky has worked in at least six positions there including newscast producer, TV news photographer, chief photographer, Target 8 producer and assignment editor.
WFLA Sr. Executive Producer Christine Bowley shared a story that truly represents how important Rocky is to the newsroom. Bowley praised Rocky’s actions during major breaking news.
“It was the night after a quadruple murder in Pasco County. The suspect disappeared with the little boy from inside the home where his mom, her boyfriend and her parents were brutally murdered and there was an Amber Alert out for him. Turns out, they were in a hotel right in downtown Tampa a few blocks from the station. We found out because Rocky found out.
He called TPD and the contact there knew Rocky well enough to know he could be trusted. He admitted to Rocky that the little boy was there – but asked that we please not report it until they got inside to make sure the boy was safe. He promised Rocky that – as soon as that happened – he would tell us first. And that’s exactly what happened.
Reporter Adrienne Pedersen stationed herself outside the hotel and went live before any of the other stations even knew what happened. I credit Rocky with getting us way out ahead of that breaking news. That kind of connection is not easily replaced,” said Bowley.
Longtime co-worker and former WFLA news director Dan Bradley remembers Rocky’s strong work ethic.
“Rocky was the chief photographer when I started back at WFLA in July, 1979. He was always a hard working photog with a good eye.
One of my favorite memories of Rocky was one day back in the early ‘80s, there was some work/renovation going on in the old Jackson Street building. We came to work one day and there was Rocky digging through a big dumpster out back.
Someone had decided that all that old film on shelves was just eating up valuable space and, without consulting with anyone in the news department ordered it be thrown away.
YIKES! Rocky to rescue. He waded through the mess holding up strands of film trying to identify some that might be saved. Among the pieces he managed to rescue was 16mm film of President Kennedy’s fateful last visit to Tampa, the day BEFORE being assassinated in Dallas,” Bradley recalled.
Steve Overton worked at WFLA as an anchor and 8 On Your Side reporter from 1983 to 2000. Overton shared some observations about Rocky, having worked with him on and off for 17 years.
- Rocky once spent the day on board eagle 8 shooting amazing promotional video aerials of bay area landmarks only to drop the video tape into the Gulf of Mexico right out of the helicopter door.
- Rocky uses about five packets of sugar for every cup of coffee he drinks.
- Rocky said he would never retire and that the company would have to pry his job from his cold dead hands.
- When asked a question, instead of simply answering “yes” Rocky says “10-4 backdoor.”
- Rocky almost never used a tripod.
- Rocky’s father used to tell him, “Rocky there’s always a place in this world for a man with a strong back and a weak mind” and Rocky went on to fulfill that prophecy. Although now he has a bad back.
- Rocky started out as a reporter at channel 8, but that was so long ago, William F. Poe was still the mayor and not yet the parking garage.
- Rocky was one of the few people that was actually in the hot tub with anchor Suzanne Bates in the very early 80s.
- Rocky used to wear a ball cap weighted down with every imaginable kind of pin
- Rocky is a fun, reliable, and harmonious worker, a strong Christian man and husband and a faithful and loyal friend.
“It won’t be the same on Parker Street without the rock,” –Steve Overton
“Good luck Rocky, you out lasted all of us, now it’s time to start getting a good night’s sleep and enjoying life… retirement is great!” -Dan Bradley
From all of us at WFLA to you Rocky, it’s been great working with you. Enjoy your retirement, you deserve it!
