Chris Camp - WPRO Radio News
RADIO
Chris Camp hired on as a WPRO weekend news anchor in 1981. For the next 12 years he spent time as a street reporter, afternoon drive anchor, morning anchor with Jimmy Gray on PRO-FM and as WPRO’s news director.
Chris covered or directed coverage of numerous significant events including the resignation and later re-election of Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci, two Claus von Bulow murder trials, Rhode Island banking crisis, Hurricane Gloria, construction of the new Jamestown Bridge, America’s Cup races.
For a number of years, Chris also did double duty as a weekend news anchor at WBZ in Boston.
Following the sale of WPRO in 1993, Chris was named news director at WSB Radio in Atlanta. While there, he directed coverage of presidential elections including the role Georgia played in 2020, 1996 Summer Olympics, I-85 bridge collapse, Atlanta school cheating scandal, ’95/’21 Braves World Series wins, ’98/’17 Falcons Super Bowl losses (Patriots win was sweet)
Over his career, Chris’ reporting and coverage of these events has been recognized with national awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, Marconi/National Association of Broadcasters and Associated Press. Chris has also reported extensively for ABC, CBS and CNN Radio.
Danielle North – WPRI TV
Television
Danielle North has had a broadcasting career that spanned three states.. and more than 25 years. She began her Journalism journey at the ABC affiliate in Burlington Vermont, quickly moving to the ABC affiliate WMUR TV in Manchester NH. She was proud to work in a newsroom that played an integral part in the "first in the nation" primary state, where she worked alongside the great Peter Jennings as an intern when he anchored Election Coverage during the 1996 Presidential Election.
Danielle made the move to WPRI TV in 1999 working every shift under the sun. Her best times were the 13 years she spent anchoring 12 News this morning alongside Patrick Little, Michelle Muscatello and Melissa Sardelli. She has covered the Pope's visit to America, Super Bowls, Survivor series Red Carpet nights, and emceed numerous events for many local nonprofits that do meaningful work in our communities every day.
Danielle spearheaded her own internet series "Find My RI' uncovering some of the untold stories in Southern New England. She is thrilled to be a part of the HOF class of 2023. She couldn't have been on this crazy media ride without the loving support of her family Al, Emma, Ben and Mackenzie.
DOUG PALMIERI – I HEART RADIO
RADIO
Doug was born and raised in Rhode Island. His radio career started as an intern at 94HJY with Amy Hagen and includes stops in NH and Boston before returning home to Providence. Doug is now the afternoon co-host with Steve Scarpetti on 94HJY and part of the NOW 93.3 morning show with his co-host, Jenn Dower. He's been PD for 94HJY for the past 9 years and NOW 93.3 for the last 5, he also over sees two heritage Rock stations in Portsmouth and Manchester, NH and fills some air-shifts at WZLX in Boston and WMMS, Cleveland.
Gene Valicenti WJAR TV/WPRO Radio
Television/Radio
This year Gene crosses over the 30-year mark at WJAR, having started as a freelance reporter in the summer of 1992. As co-anchor of the top-rated NBC 10 News at 6, host of the "10 News Conference" political program, and morning man for WPRO radio, Gene has simply, and deservedly, come to be known as "Rhode Island's Anchorman!"
Gene began his on air Radio career in addition to his TV position in 2010. He is entering his 14th year on the radio . What a ride it has been and what a year 2023 is shaping up to be with Gene inducted into the "RI Radio & TV Hall of Fame" and the "RI Heritage Hall of Fame."
A five-time Emmy winner, and recipient of multiple AP, and Edward R. Murrow awards, Gene is the only person to ever take home 3 "Best of RI" awards in one year! In 2016, Gene was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Silver Circle for 25 years of distinguished service.
Gene's longtime support of charitable and non-profit events has earned him several Humanitarian awards, including special recognition from the RI Red Cross, The DaVinci Center for Social Progress, and the UNICO "Mille Grazie" award for fostering a positive image of Italian Americans. Gene is also a New England coordinator for the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) working on issues of importance for the community at large.
A "Street Reporter" at heart, Gene has covered many of Channel 10's biggest stories including papal visits, local and national elections, and the 9/11 attacks in New York City where he was one of the first reporters to reach ground zero. He later reported extensively from Washington, D.C., and traveled to Guantanamo, Cuba. He moderates all of the station's political debates, and was even the subject of his own "day in the life of" profile on Rhode Island PBS.
A NJ native and graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, Gene started his career as a desk assistant for WPIX in New York, and also worked at stations in New Jersey and Connecticut. He married his high school sweetheart, Diane, has three daughters, and makes his home in Kent County.
Jack White (P) WPRI
Television
Jack White joined WPRI-TV in 1985 as the television station’s chief investigative reporter. During his time there he won two New England Emmy Awards for investigative reporting along with a host of other recognitions.
White, who died in 2005 at age 63, began his career in 1969 as a reporter for the Newport Daily News. The next year he joined the Providence Journal and Evening Bulletin, where he worked as a general assignment reporter, followed by Newport bureau chief, and head of the newspaper's first permanent investigative team.
He was one of New England’s most esteemed journalists, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 when he revealed in a Providence Journal report that President Nixon had underpaid his taxes. Asked about White’s story at a news conference later that year, Nixon famously responded: “I’m not a crook.”
White was the host of WPRI’s long-running current affairs program, “Newsmakers.” White’s son, Tim, succeeded him as WPRI’s chief investigative reporter in 2006 and continues in that role today.
Born in Pawtucket, White played hockey for LaSalle Academy, including as part of a team that won a state championship. He attended Boston University.
JOHN PARENTE - VP DiPonti Communications WWRI AM/FM
Radio
John Parente has been an active part of Rhode Island’s athletic culture for over six decades. The former executive director of athletics at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, he oversaw the growth and development of a successful NCAA Division III athletic program from its infancy through its first twenty years. Serving as the commissioner of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference for five years in the 1990’s, Parente governed the athletic programs of thirteen institutions participating in nearly a dozen sports. He has been a member of the executive board and former chairman of the state’s American Legion Baseball league since 1986, and has coached the local team in his area from 1984 to 2019, a state-record 36 seasons, teaching hundreds of athletes the intangibles of the workplace which go hand in hand with success of the field—dedication to purpose, teamwork, sportsmanship, discipline, work ethic, and integrity.
Parente has also chronicled the exploits of student-athletes as both a print and broadcast journalist in central Rhode Island. After his involvement in intercollegiate athletics ended with his retirement in 2016, he resurrected a play-by-play career which originally began when he was a high school student in 1972 and continued part-time throughout his Johnson & Wales career. The winner of a dozen Associated Press state awards for news and sports coverage while at the now-defunct WKRI-AM, he is the long-time president of Words Unlimited, the Rhode Island Association of Sportswriters, Sportscasters, and Sports Publicists, and is a member of that group’s Hall of Fame, the Rhode Island American Legion Hall of Fame, the Rhode Island Baseball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame, and the West Warwick High School Hall of Fame. He is also a winner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s Thomas Lynam Lifetime Achievement Award.
PAM WATTS- RADIO & TV
Radio/Television
Pamela Watts is a veteran journalist and beloved television icon in Rhode Island, the proverbial “local kid who did good”. She grew up in Warwick, graduated from the University of Rhode Island, and has served the public on our local airwaves in some capacity for her entire career.
Pamela started in journalism at URI’s radio station, and began her professional journalism career at age 19 on WPRO Radio, followed by stints @ WEAN, WBZ and WRKO. She first appeared on television as an anchor and reporter for the ground-breaking Local Cable News, owned by the Providence Journal.
Broadcast television soon called and Pamela was hired by WLNE-TV in Providence as a reporter and news anchor. Her tenure at Channel 6 included launching the morning and 5pm newscasts. Eventually Pamela anchored the station’s evening news programs. It was during this time that Pamela was twice awarded the EMMY for best anchor in all of New England. She also received EMMY nods for coverage of breaking news and sports event.
Other awards include first place honors for reporting from The Associated Press, National Federation of Press Women, and the Massachusetts Medical Society. In addition, Pamela received the Rhode Island Commission on Women’s Hope Award for leadership, URI’s Distinguished Achievement Award and, recently, the EMMY Silver Circle Award from NATAS.
After Channel 6 she was morning anchor and reporter for WPRI-TV 12 in Providence. It was Pamela who had the daunting duty to tell viewers in February 2003 that The Station nightclub fire had killed so many local friends and loved ones. Her calm and thoughtfulness helped a devastated community get through a horrific time.
Pamela also helped launch Rhode Island’s first National Public Radio (NPR) station, the last state in the nation to have its own affiliate—anchoring and reporting for the news program, One Union Station.
Throughout her entire career in journalism, Pamela has also worked to support local charities and nonprofit organizations. Her efforts in philanthropy have helped raise millions for many worthwhile causes.
Today Pamela is co-anchor and correspondent for “Rhode Island PBS Weekly,” on WSBE-TV, a local magazine broadcast in the style of 60 Minutes. Her long-form storytelling for has been honored with more Emmy nominations.