William Andrew “Bill” Payer, Former TV News Director, Passes Away

By Paul Greeley
817-578-6324, Paul@NewsBlues.com

William Andrew “Bill” Payer, 78, of Charleston, South Carolina, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Payer was news director at WIAT in Birmingham and WKBW in Buffalo.

Born on October 16, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Payer moved to Cleveland, Ohio at a young age. There, he developed a lifelong passion for Cleveland sports teams and the Buckeyes. Go Bucks!

Payer earned a degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University, which paved the way for a successful career in broadcast television. T

Throughout his career, he built enduring friendships and cultivated a vast network of colleagues nationwide, leading many stations to award-winning status for excellence in investigative journalism and audience growth.

In retirement, Payer dedicated himself to volunteering with various organizations, using his time and talents to impact the lives of others quietly yet profoundly.

He was admired for his intellectual depth, sharp wit, strong sense of fairness, and unapologetically being himself and true to what he believed was just and accurate.

Above all else, family was the cornerstone of Payer’s life.

He cherished his fifty-six-year marriage to Veronica, whom he met in high school and adored deeply.

Payer’s legacy will be remembered by those who knew him as one of integrity, humor, and devotion. May his memory bring comfort to all who were fortunate enough to spend time with him.

He often recited a quote from one of his favorite authors, Hunter S. Thompson: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!'”.