Long time news anchor Bob Howell retired from television on June 1, 2012, ending more than 32 years working at WSFA 12 News. Bob’s presence in the river region represented a standard of excellence anchoring news on WSFA and he was a fixture on television sets in central Alabama for more than five decades. He had the job of delivering the day’s news to thousands of viewers with a calm, trusted, steady and caring approach through difficult, challenging and happy times.

Since first arriving in Montgomery in 1976, Bob anchored WSFA-TV’s coverage of almost every major event in Alabama.

After starting in radio during high school in his home town of Geneva – and five years in TV news in Dothan, Bob Howell’s career at WSFA began in August 1976 anchoring the 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. He spent the next 22 years anchoring more than 10,000 live newscasts and serving as the News Department’s Managing Editor. He also reported news from major cities around the country and had several foreign assignments covering stories in England, France, Germany, and Kuwait. During that time Howell also produced award-winning documentaries, hosted WSFA’s “Newsmakers”, “Alabama Illustrated”, “Inside Alabama’s Legislature” and co-hosted the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and the Children’s Miracle Network fund raisers.

Howell left the station in 1998, but returned in June 2004 to again anchor the news at 6 and 10 p.m. He also hosted a weekly feature called “Exploring Alabama with Bob Howell” which took him around the state reporting on interesting people, unique places and pertinent issues. Howell’s wealth of knowledge of the significant issues, personalities and news events in the communities served by WSFA 12 News was a welcome addition.