Providence TV News Was Dominated By Doug White and Patrice Wood
Many local television markets had a dynamic duo news anchor team in the "golden age" of local television. That was before cable, satellite, streaming, Zooming, podcasting and all the other ways people get their information these days.
In Boston, WCVB-TV Channel 5's Chet Curtis and Natalie Jacobson and WBZ-TV Channel 4's Liz Walker and Jack Williams ruled the roost.
The Providence television market was dominated by WJAR-TV 10 and WPRI-TV 12 battling for the top spot with viewers each night.
WLNE-TV Channel 6 offered talented anchors, including Pamela Watts, Ann Conway and Dave Layman but was never a serious contender in the ratings race.
Karen Adams and Walter Cryan were the primary anchors of WPRI-TV Channel 12's newscasts during the golden age.
Adams, a Missouri native, spent 21 years with Channel 12, making her the second-longest-serving female anchor in Providence from 1989 until her retirement in 2010.
Walter Cryan, an Attleboro native, worked in radio and television throughout the area for 50 years, including 30 years at WPRI-TV. He retired in 2017.
The king and queen of Providence television news, though, were Doug White and Patrice Wood at WJAR-TV Channel 10.
A Boston native, White served 28 years as an anchorman at Channel 10 beginning in 1978. White went on medical leave for cancer in 2005. He died on August 15, 2006 at his home in Warwick, Rhode Island at age 61.
Holly Patrice Wood was born in Rockford, Ohio. Wood arrived at WJAR-TV 10 in 1980 and remains still, making her the longest-serving female anchor in Providence.
Wood continues to anchor the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts for Channel 10.