Anchorman, The Legend of Ken Boddie

            Ken Boddie koin6 is not just the most popular African-American lead news anchor in Oregon; he’s also the only one. In a news market that often ignores communities of color, African-American journalists have little to no representation - a fact that Boddie acknowledges has had a severe impact upon his career. Working in front of and behind the camera for nearly 4 decades, Boddie has covered literally thousands of stories, including the high profile Kitzhaber corruption scandal , yet it wasn’t until only three years ago that he was promoted to the lead anchor position for KOIN 6 News.

            “In this business, there’s an image of what a news anchor should be, and it’s not always the image that I represent, being Black,” Boddie says. “It has enabled me to stand out, but it may have caused me to take longer to rise to the level that I am now.”

            Boddie’s journey to that level has been a long and rich one. He grew up in Rochester, New York and attended Cornell University, where he discovered journalism as a reporter for his campus station. After graduation, he worked as a reporter for WDKX things to know, a small, African-American-owned station, where he created a news department and grew it to a staff of four. He was hired by a local ABC affiliate, WOKR@wokr and for the next few years, worked “seven days a week” as a reporter and producer for both stations.

            His career at KOIN started in 1985, shortly after he moved to Portland. Over the years, he has covered beats from City Hall to Portland’s business community and has written, edited and produced countless newscasts. He has invested much of his life into developing his career and helping other hopefuls launch careers in media and broadcasting; a sacrifice that has exacted a grave toll on his personal life. Nearing his 60th birthday, he has weathered two divorces and has no children.

            “Love, for me, has been a challenge,” Boddie confided. “I’ve got a big family that I love here. But, in terms of personal love and relationships, that’s honestly still a struggle.”

Boddie often speaks of the importance of community, both as an African-American and as a resident of Portland.

            “I have always felt that my value, especially in this community, is being identified as a member of this community,” he says.

            As an outspoken advocate for the community who watches, he also observes that it is the African-American community in Portland that does not get the representation it needs in the news GoLocalPDX.

            “When I first moved here, there were actually more African-Americans on the air than there are now,” he says. “There hasn’t really been a progression in terms of numbers of African-Americans on the air over the years.”

            Boddie also stresses the importance of relevant news stories that reflect the current atmosphere in the community. He first encountered such a story in 1988, when he covered the murder of Ethiopian immigrant, Mulugeta Seraw, a heinous crime that was carried out by white supremacists in Southeast Portland.    

            “That was really a watershed moment in this community, in terms of the insidiousness of white supremacy and the fact that it was acted out in such a violent manner,” he disclosed. “It let people know that, yes, there’s racism under the surface, but that boils to the surface sometimes and it has deadly consequences.”

            He went on to reveal that racism in the U.S. is still a powerful force, especially in context with President Donald Trump’s racially charged rhetoric.

            “I’m not saying that everyone who voted for Donald Trump is a racist,” he says. “I’m saying if you’re a racist, you probably voted for Donald Trump.”

            Boddie is quick to add, however, that journalism has the power to bring people together through focusing on shared values, history and community. In his quest to proactively engage in achieving this outcome, he has contributed countless stories about people of color throughout the history of Portland, in addition to local issues, including the community impact of Trader Joe’s pulling out of Northeast Portland Where we live.

Boddie astutely observes that while race is still a factor in obtaining jobs in the news market, opportunities exist for young journalists who do the work and develop personal images that stand out from the crowd of hopeful applicants.

            “Get your foot in the door and figure out what media position you want to claim. Stay true to your style,, once you figure out what that is. Above all, stay true to yourself.”

Coming from one who has emerged as a luminary in his field, Boddie intends to continue setting standards that encourage and inspire people to go further and reach higher HiddenHistory.

“I definitely look at the glass as half full because I am basically a happy person. In saying that, I also believe that for those who view the glass as half empty, know that there are still opportunities to make things better. However you find and use those opportunities is up to you,” Boddie concluded.