Harry Boomer facts for kids

Harry Boomer was born on September 4, 1953, in Turkey, North Carolina. He is a well-known journalist who works in radio and television. He reports the news and hosts shows.

Today, he is a senior reporter for CBS channel WOIO (channel 19). He also works for CW channel WUAB (channel 43). Both of these stations are in Cleveland, Ohio.

Harry Boomer's Early Life and Career

Harry Boomer was born on September 4, 1953. He was the youngest of ten children in Turkey, North Carolina. His father, George Boomer, was a Baptist minister.

When Harry was 17, he finished high school. He then moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he got a job as a disc jockey at a nightclub. He became known as a "Super Disco Jock" at popular dance clubs.

Soon, he was hired by WPGC AM/FM as a radio personality. At the same time, he studied at Northern Virginia Community College. He also attended the Columbia School of Broadcasting.

After a while, Harry wanted to do more than play music. He decided to become a news reporter for radio stations in Washington. He even became the news director for WOL. This was a very important Black radio station in the city.

Moving to Ohio and Television News

In 1988, Harry Boomer moved to Ohio. He started working at WBXT in Canton, Ohio. A friend of his family had bought the station.

He first worked as a morning announcer. Later that year, he became the program director. He also started volunteering at WUAB, a TV station in Cleveland. He helped with their public affairs department.

After WBXT closed down, Harry became a producer and reporter at WUAB. He also worked as a reporter for WCPN, a local NPR radio station. At WCPN, he was promoted to assistant news director. He also hosted After Nine, a morning news show.

His work at WUAB grew, especially after it teamed up with WOIO. WOIO became the local CBS channel. Harry has always encouraged young African-American journalists. He believes internships are very important for them.

Growing Role in Cleveland News

Harry Boomer's duties at WOIO and WUAB kept growing. In 1997, he became the education reporter for the stations. By 2006, he was promoted again. He became a breaking news reporter and anchor for WOIO's morning news.

Later, he also started hosting 43 Focus. This was WUAB's weekly public affairs program. Today, he is the longest-serving on-air staff member at WOIO-WUAB. This means he has worked there longer than anyone else on TV.

Awards and Recognition

Harry Boomer has received many awards for his work. In 2015, he received the Silver Circle Award. This award is from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). It is given to people who have worked in television for at least 25 years.

He has also been president of the Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists. This group is part of the National Association of Black Journalists. Under his leadership, the chapter was named the NABJ Professional Chapter of the Year twice. The most recent time was in 2016.

In 2014, Harry Boomer was named a HistoryMaker. A video of his life story is kept in a special archive. This archive is at the Library of Congress.

List of Awards

• 1996 Cleveland Communicators' Award: Best Hard Single News Story (for Anti-Gingrich Protest)
• Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame 2007 inductee
• 2014 HistoryMaker/Library of Congress
• 2015 NATAS Silver Circle Award
• 2022 NATAS Gold Circle Award