Punched, Kicked, Spat On, and Sometimes Thanked: Memoirs of a Cleveland TV News Reporter

I was a TV news reporter for almost fifty years, most of them in Cleveland, specializing in investigative reports. During that time I saw a lot of things. Historic events. Horrific crimes. Bizarre behavior. Heartwarming deeds. And sometimes just hilarious, silly stuff …

That’s Paul Orlousky. After five decades on Cleveland TV (nightly on channels 3, 5, and 19), this veteran newsman has a lot of stories to share: What went on behind the camera … Racing to the scene in a tiny helicopter or crouching inside a sweltering news van on a stakeout … What he heard in a judge’s chambers or a courtroom lobby after a tense trial … How the internal workings of a news operation shaped the reporting viewers saw onscreen … Threats from angry subjects of an investigation, like shady business owners, politicians, and sometimes even cops …

Yes, over the years, Orlousky got a lot of threats–and more. He was yelled at, punched, kicked, spat on, menaced by dogs … But he was also thanked–many more times–by regular people all over Northeast Ohio for digging into stories that mattered to them.Now, Orlousky shares his favorite behind-the-camera tales in these short, candid, informative, and often funny stories.

My approach to life is simple, Orlousky writes. You can look at it either as a tragedy or a comedy. I chose comedy, in part because that was a way to get through many of the tragic situations I reported on and that people I encountered were forced to deal with.

If you’ve ever watched local TV news, you’ll enjoy these backstories behind the news stories. You’ll get a few chuckles, and might even wind up a better informed news consumer.