Richard Ransom

Richard Ransom is Weeknight Anchor and Managing Editor for Local 24 News along with Katina Rankin. With more than 20 years experience reporting on the issues and people affecting Memphis and the Mid-South, the Emmy Award-winning journalist says he and his family aren’t your typical Mid-Southerners.
“We didn’t grow up here, we have no relatives here and we even moved away for awhile. But the people brought us back.”  He added, “Memphis is home.”

Richard grew up in Denver and graduated from the University of Missouri which included an internship for ABC News in London.  His first job was in Peoria, Illinois at WMBD-TV where he was a reporter and weekend anchor.  From there, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida and worked as an investigative reporter at WJXT-TV.  Shortly after he married his wife in Jacksonville, the couple moved to Memphis (the first time) and he was morning news anchor for WMC-TV.   Seven years and two children later, the Ransoms moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where WITI-TV hired him as prime-time anchor. But when an opportnity as main anchor at WREG-TV came open, Richard says it was a no-brainer to head back south.  “We missed the warmer climate and the warmth of the people,” he said.

His most recent career move didn’t require a moving van — just a different newsroom. “Every day, I can’t wait to get to work,”  Richard said. “I work for good people who understand it’s not a responsible or accurate reflection of life in Memphis to go racing around town chasing crime scenes all the time.  We want to inform people, not scare them.”

Richard also believes it’s important for a news anchor not be trapped behind the anchor desk and get out into the community and report what’s going on.  Also, on Sunday mornings, he  hosts “Local 24 News This Week” — a program which examines the week’s headlines more in-depth and brings in the expertise of other local journalists and newsmakers. “Context, perspective and relevance are important in news coverage,” he said.

Richard is the winner of numerous Regional Emmy and Associated Press awards for breaking news, feature stories and best newscast. During his career, he interviewed President Barack Obama in a one-on-one White House interview, covered the Memphis Tigers at the Final Four in San Antonio, the funeral of former president Ronald Reagan, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in Houston as well as national political conventions and hurricanes. “What I love about reporting is the access it gives me to history, and the chance it gives me to share that history with the folks at home.”

Richard always appreciates getting feedback from viewers. “I feel honored and awed with the trust people show us by letting us into their homes every night. We take that responsibility seriously.”