Local anchor signs off from TV career after 30-year span

01/27/09 - As TV shows come and go, the more popular ones leave behind a memorable legacy, while other lackluster shows disappear into a sea of nothingness.Even though newscasts are the one constant on TV, the same fate that surrounds a TV show also applies to news anchors.

Whether it's the Coffee Cup Salute, the friendly morning smile, the daily First Birthdays, or just the warm friendly delivery of the news, the name "Frank Coletta" is commonly known to many Rhode Islanders.

An established news anchor in Rhode Island, Coletta celebrated his 30th year with NBC and continues to hold a prominent spot in local news.

Though the news sometimes includes fires, murders and other not-so-pleasant topics, Coletta has brought his own personal touch in, reporting efficiently and effectively, but doing it in an enjoyable way.

Although there has been some uncertainty in the field of journalism recently, Coletta has been named Rhode Island Monthly's best morning news anchor for 16 years straight.

Coletta's ambitions for success as a newsman started at a young age. Being part of the first generation to really have TV in his home, Coletta decided he would get into broadcast journalism in his early teens.

"I watched guys like Art [Lake] and a little later Doug White and a whole crew of that first generation of broadcasters and it looked like something I might want to do," said Coletta.

A graduate of Emerson College, he wasn't always in the prestigious seat in which he sits now. He first started his career in radio and moved around from station to station.

"The first jobs were with very small stations where I was the disc jockey and the newsman," said Coletta. While at some of those smaller stations, he held jobs that dealt with maintaining transmitters and even dealing with sales.

"My goal was news, but it took me a few years of playing records, and they were [vinyl] records as a disc jockey before I got a job that was exclusively news," he continued.

Though Coletta has worn many hats in the journalism business, he says that the best part of his job is seeing the different variety of topics that are in the news. He has covered stories ranging from corrupt agencies and faulty handouts to a cat becoming a real estate appraiser.

A big part of what makes Coletta so successful and what gives him longevity is the way in which he tells the news.

"I built my delivery based on all those people I told you about who inspired me and just from talking to people today - what they like to hear," said Coletta.

His conversational method of "telling" the news, rather than announcing, has been a huge part of his success.

"It's that informality that we've established. I'm glad people like it because it's a comfortable way to do the news and I'm grateful for the loyalty."

Though Coletta would like to have a longer career, current job security in journalism is uncertain, even for a popular news veteran.

"There's always that uncertainty in the business. I've had a nice 30-year run and I'd like it to be longer. If it's not, if they want to replace me with a younger person, that's the way our business [goes]."

"There will always be journalism. It may not be the same way that I watched journalism growing up and tried to model a career after. It'll always be there but the form may be radically different," he said.

In addition to local newscasts, NBC airs hit shows such as "The Office" and "Heroes."

And like any TV show, many local news anchors will try to earn loyalty from their audience, but few will ever achieve it to the capacity that West Warwick's own Frank Coletta has.