Reporter to retire from job at KCTV; Change in routine led to Gosa's exit

One of Kansas City's longest-serving broadcast reporters and a pioneer for local minority journalists is retiring from KCTV, Channel 5. Geri Gosa, who has worked 29 years as a general assignment reporter for KCTV, will leave the station after this weekend. Earlier this year Channel 5 news director Regent Ducas had moved Gosa from weekdays to a Wednesday-through-Sunday routine. That, in part, prompted her decision. "With all of the changes going on here, it was a good time," Gosa said. KCTV has been under pressure to revive advertising revenues by appealing to younger viewers. Its newscasts generally rate third or fourth in advertiser-friendly age groups, such as men in their 30s. Many of the station's veteran reporters and anchors left last summer when parent company Meredith Corp. offered an early-retirement package. Gosa, however, declined the package. In an interview Friday, she said it was not financially enticing enough for her to have quit last year. A story in Friday's edition of The Call reported that Gosa had been forced out of her position and that she had been given 60 days' notice. Ducas called the report nonsense, noting that retirement was Gosa's idea and that she and Ducas had been discussing it throughout August. Gosa also denied these details in The Call story. The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists has been closely monitoring KCTV's handling of its minority talent. The group's president, Anita Parran, wrote general manager Kirk Black earlier this year following Ducas' decision to assign Gosa and former weeknight anchor Dee Griffin to less prestigious weekend positions. Parran said the association had expressed concern about Griffin and Gosa. She said Black had replied, citing unspecified "business reasons" for moving Griffin and Gosa. "There wasn't a lot of detail" in Black's letter, Parran said, "but we were glad that he at least acknowledged our concerns." Black was on vacation and could not be reached for comment Friday. In 1997 the association honored Gosa and Kansas City Star religion editor Helen Gray with the group's first lifetime achievement awards. Gosa and Gray once were colleagues at The Star, where Gosa worked after graduating from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. In Gosa's last story for the newspaper, in December 1972, she reported on the declining health of Harry S. Truman; her first story for KCTV was on Truman's funeral. In a business that can be notoriously fickle toward talent, particularly female talent, Gosa's longevity earned her accolades and respect. "Someone came up to me just the other day and said they wanted to be like me," Gosa said. "That's wonderful. I guess it's because I've been visible so long." Her immediate plans include "some serious volunteer work" and indulging in her favorite pastime. "I'm going to shoot a lot of pool," she said. "I think more people know me around town from shooting pool than from television." Gosa is the second on-air talent to leave KCTV this month. Krista Klaus' last day was Aug. 7. She cited family reasons, Ducas said. - To reach Aaron Barnhart, call (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com @ART CAPTION:Gosa @ART:Photo