You are watching a livestream of NBC 7 News Today in the player above. Join us as we say goodbye to our longtime colleague, Whitney Southwick!
NBC 7's Whitney Southwick is retiring, 43 years after he got his first paying gig in broadcast television.
San Diegans have been listening to Whitney tell them the traffic or the weather since 1996 on NBC 7. That's quite an accomplishment!
As part of his work, Whitney also helps out too many charitable groups to mention here. With NBC 7, he has presented our weekly "Bikes for Kids" segment with the Salvation Army and hawks newspapers for the "Kids' News Day" every fall. He also loves to help collect toys for underprivileged kids by working alongside the U.S. Marines in the annual "Toys for Tots" toy drive!
We will miss our dear friend and colleague. His last day on the air will be Wednesday, May 22.
Whitney welcomed me to San Diego with open arms. He has been so fantastic to sit next to every morning, with tons of knowledge about the local weather and wildfires. He’s basically an encyclopedia for San Diego! Every morning he turns the fan on in the studio because he gets hot, and I end up freezing, and I will miss that. -- Sheena Parveen
Local
It’s hard to think of anyone more generous with his time than Whitney Southwick. For as long as I’ve known him he’s always given back to so many groups that if I were to start to name them I would be afraid I’d leave some out. I remember even going to his home to drop off toys for kids at the holidays because he wanted to make sure they had enough. He’s always been there for me whether I needed a last minute ride to the airport or whenever I was sick at home, he’d offer to drop something off if I needed it. -- Marianne Kushi
Images: Whitney Southwick Through the Years
One of my favorite memories of Whitney will be his memory. Every time we talk about anything related to San Diego, he’ll me the history, and all the people involved (most of them I’ve never heard of). This week I was going through a bunch of old video dating back almost 40 years, and realized the reason he knows all that history is not just because he’s lived here for decades, but because he was at those places, telling their stories. My favorite though, is a personal story, about the day he got his big break. He was an overnight producer and writer, and the anchor overslept. Whit told me he always kept a tie at the station just in case, and it paid off that day. What I’ll miss most about Whitney will be hearing those stories, and learning a little every day. Now, we’ll just tell stories about him. -- Greg Bledsoe
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My fondest memory of Whitney was when I went along with him for Bikes for Kids. We visited a school in Chula Vista and as soon as Whitney walked into that classroom, he was in his element. He was so animated and thoughtful with the kids; they couldn’t get enough of him! They loved his jokes and stories, and were so well-behaved through the whole presentation. And that’s another thing- Whitney didn’t have to do a presentation. He could have just congratulated the child getting the bike and been on his way; but he sat there, listening to stories from all the kids and showing just how much he cared about each and every one of them. It was a beautiful thing! - Ashley Matthews
Whitney was Google + Google maps before those were a thing..You won’t find a consistently nicer guy but one can’t overlook Whitney’s insanely precise knowledge of San Diego county’s geographical features, tendencies and history.Here’s when it mattered most: On those tough days over the years when a huge wildfire would prompt our doing continuous live tv coverage. Whitney was remarkable in pointing out how a fire would behave based on climate and conditions -and on the fly, he could reference what another fire did in the same area decades before- even naming canyons and residential streets that had been affected and still could be with the new fire. In the times we worked together when our schedules overlapped on breaking news days, I always admired his knowledge and ease. -- Mark Mullen
I worked with Whitney Southwick at NBC7 as a much-younger journalist from 2002 to 2004. I remembered him fondly for being the ray of sunshine on most days. 15 years later, Whitney was one of the first people to welcome me back to NBC7 with open arms and incredible support. He offered me advice but also encouraged me to be myself. It was incredibly powerful to have the newsroom veteran put his arm around you and say, “You belong here.” I will never forget that. I will miss seeing that ray of sunshine. -- Joe Little
Not only is Whitney a trusted news man he is beloved in the community, especially in the community of Scripps Ranch, a neighborhood we both call home. I will never forget walking in the Scripps Ranch Fourth of July parade with Whitney behind the wheel of our NBC7/T20 “Drone Ranger.” Everyone knows and loves Whitney. The parade was lined with fans who were also his friends - even those people he’s met only a handful of times, at the grocery store or Starbucks. He’s captured their hearts because he takes time to connect and really see people. He shares that same degree of energy, sincerity and passion that jumps out of the TV when he is on, in person, with everyone he meets and it makes them feel valued. I know, because I am one of those people. I’m grateful that no matter how busy or tired Whitney was, when I saw him he would stop and take time to ask me how I was doing. His heart for community and people is represented in the legacy he has created through the relationships he has built on and off the air. We will miss the sunshine Whitney has brought to our newsroom and to our viewers for decades. See you in “The Ranch” Whit. Love ya! - Monica Dean
I credit Whitney for jump starting my career! It’s a story most people don’t know about. I was about 14 years old! Whitney worked with my mother at the Bali Hai restaurant. At the time, he also worked at the old Channel 39. My mom introduced us and Whitney was kind enough to give me a tour of the station. I knew right then, this is what I wanted to do. Whitney was (and is) the nicest man you’ll ever meet. He encouraged me every step of the way!Oh how I wish I would have taken a selfie with him all those years ago. Because he looks exactly the same! Best wishes Whitney and thank you for being such an important part of my career. Best wishes and enjoy your retirement!I love you man! --- Artie Ojeda
As a co-worker, I will always remember Whitney for his outgoing personality and his way of putting people at ease. I love watching him interview people, live on TV. He greets every person with enthusiasm and makes them feel like an old-time friend. On a personal level, I will miss chatting with Whitney in the make-up room before and after newscasts. If I was ever having a rough day, Whitney would greet me with a smile and encouraging words. He is exactly the way he appears on-camera – warm and full of the “aloha spirit.” I will miss Whitney greatly! - Mari Payton
What can I say about the man who can do it all? Serious news, reporting on the havoc caused by rain. Light news, reporting on Toys for Tots and Bikes for Kids. Both covered with warmth and wisdom. Whitney – What can I say about the man who is a great colleague? Serious discussions, always adding a wise perspective to the conversation. Light discussions, always making us laugh at ourselves as we talk about becoming more “veteran.” Whitney – What can I say about the man I have known and worked with for so many years – so many I can’t remember all the fun times we’ve had together? What can I say, except thank you for all you have contributed. I will really, really miss you. Love Rory Devine
When I think back to my time working on the morning show, every memory I have includes Whitney. No matter if it was 2am or noon, Whitney always had a smile on his face and he always thought of those of us behind the scenes. Whitney helped me grow both professionally and personally throughout the 18 years I worked with him. I will miss him immensely. Congrats on your retirement!! Executive Producer Sage Pierce
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