Yesterday, FTVLive FIRST told you that KHSB (Kansas City) General Manager Brian Bracco announced to the staff that he is retiring from the station.

Bracco came to the to Scripps station in 2012 from Hearst Television where he was Vice President of News for the station group. 

FTVLive has obtained his goodbye memo to the staff: 

" To quote from comedian Bob Hope “Thanks for the memories” after 44 years in the business I love I am “rewiring” in mid-April.  

Totally my call. I told Steve, Deb and Brian way back in January that I wanted to start the next chapter. They were gracious and completely understood. Working with and for you and for Scripps has been one of the highlights of mycareer.

There have been many highlights in the past four decades and it has been quite a ride.
I have had the great fortune to work for some great broadcast companies, great journalists and great leaders. I have learned from them all. Again a quote, this one from Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. My mentors are all giants in broadcasting.There are many who helped me along the way,even when I stumbled. But a few I have to at least mention. Candy, Dino, David, Joe, Ed, John G, Sandra, Seth and most dear to me Fred Young. 

I have tried to pass on what I learned to others too. I hope in some small way I have helped mentor other people’s careers. Above all, I have always enjoyed seeing friends and colleagues succeed in this business.

For all of you here, it has been a terrific four years. Each day I could not wait to see what great things you were going to do to make the news, the stations and the community better on all the different platforms we serve. As my wife said, my tail was wagging each day as I went to work. I could not be prouder to have worked for you and with you each day. Your accomplishments are many and I could be here for an hour listing them all. The best is yet to come. You guys are on a rollon all screens. The market knows it and so do the viewers and digital consumers. 

To the journalists in the room, I started in 1973 as a reporter and as I look back, history sometimes repeats itself. In ‘73 it was Watergate and at the time President Nixon cast doubt on all journalists, their credibility and their facts.  

To you I say, remember it is about the ‘who, what,where, when, why and how’. It is about good, compelling storytelling. It is about holding those in power accountable. It is about helping our communities we serve. It is about being factual. It is about being the “trusted source” for news. It has not changed since ‘73. The only thing that has changed is the technology. A good story is still a good story no matter what the platform.  

The Founding Fathers got it right when they made it the First Amendment.

So be proud to be called a journalist, I know I am.

Finally, to my first love, my wife Sarah, who has put up with me and this crazy business for the past 43 years…to my boys Adam, Nick, their wives and five lovely, healthy grandkids words cannot express what you all mean to me. You are what is real. You are what is important to me. Past present and future. I love you with all my heart and soul. You are my giants and I stand on your shoulders each day.

So to all of you…one more time. Thanks for the memories and of course CHEERS.
Bracco"