GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Good Morning Show launched in December 1957. Lee Kinard was the writer, producer, and anchor of the show, despite the fact that Kinard wasn't a "morning person!"
His first words that morning were, "Hi, folks. Welcome to 'The Good Morning Show.' Hope you had a great weekend and that you're on top of the world this Monday morning. WFMY-TV is beginning something new today that we believe you're going to enjoy and benefit from!"
The show started as a 30-minute show, broadcast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. Kinard was responsible for the show's format and it was his idea to add weather to the program. Initially, they started out reading morning news headlines that Kinard referred to as a "rip and read" style.
In his book, Good Morning!, Kinard shared the first show's format:
- 7:30 - OPENING: MUSIC AND KINARD
- 7:31 - LEE READS WFMY-TV DAILY PROGRAM SCHEDULE
- 7:33 - RECORD: VIDEO: CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY EVENTS
- 7:36 - WEATHERCAST
- 7:40 - TODAY'S ALMANAC: HISTORIC REVIEW
- 7:44 - WORLD NEWS
- 7:50 - RECORD: VIDEO: PUBLIC SERVICE BILLBOARDS
- 7:53 - STATE, LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS
- 7:59 - CLOSING
But over the years, they made changes to get away from that "rip and read" style and pivot to more of a community-focused program. Due to the station's philosophy that we are a family in the community, GMS pioneers wanted viewers to truly feel like the anchors were their friends, like family. In Good Morning!, Kinard said their objective was to make a television news and information program the Piedmont couldn't begin the day without.
People all over the Triad remember watching the Good Morning Show over the years. Highlights for many include daily school segments in the 70s, watching to see if the schools would be closed on snow days. Kinard served as host of The Good Morning Show for 40 years. In the years after his retirement, the anchor team grew to include Doug Allred, Pat McMurtry, Robert Marshall, Kim Jenkins, Jay Rickets, Rosemary Plybon, and Lauren Melvin.
Today, the Good Morning Show's anchor team includes Tracey McCain, Meghann Mollerus, Ed Matthews, Christian Morgan, and Eric Chilton (at 9 a.m.). Matthews has been part of the Good Morning Show team for 34 of the show's 65 years!
The Good Morning Show is the oldest and longest-running morning show in America!
Do you have a great Good Morning Show memory? Have pictures with Good Morning Show team members over the years? We want to hear from you! Text your memory or picture to (336) 379-5775! We might even share it on...the Good Morning Show!