Legendary News 5 anchor Mel Showers, who worked at Mobile’s WKRG-TV for nearly 50 years, died this weekend at 78 years old, according to a recent announcement from the station.

“The family at this time requests privacy and prayers and will release arrangements at a later time,” the Showers family said in a statement to News 5.

Showers first started working part-time at WKRG-TV in 1969 as a booth announcer and became a full-time employee in 1970.

“When WKRG television, Mobile, decided to integrate the newsroom, management knew the hire would need to be a very special person. Their search started and stopped with an English professor at Bishop State Community College,” the Alabama Broadcasters Association wrote about Showers. “In addition to looking for a quick-study, the station wanted someone with the right personality since this was going to be a difficult transition for the new reporter. Hiring Mel proved to be more than a good hire. Not only had he been through military intelligence training, he would step in with broadcast training and an FCC license. Mel proved to be a talented and committed newsman.”

In 1974, Showers was named a “Newscenter 5″ reporter. Over the next decade he covered stories of racial inequity and other breaking news in Mobile. In 1981 he was named co-anchor of Morning Newscenter 5 and began anchoring the evening newscasts in 1990.

“I had a good support system from the station,” Showers told the Alabama Broadcasters Association previously. “They told me not to worry about the (negative) calls and to just do my job…if I was sitting by a white co-anchor, I told them not to touch me on the air; people were not ready for that.”

In that same interview, Showers said keeping a positive attitude and a smile on his face at all times helped him as time went on.

“It started to catch on with the viewing public, hate mail changed to fan mail,” he said,

In 2016, Showers was inducted into the Alabama Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He retired three years later and received the National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of Distinction Award that same year.

NABJ lauded Showers “for the extraordinary example of perseverance and dedication to excellence that he has been to his community and to journalists of color everywhere,” said Sarah Glover, NABJ President. “Mel’s work ethic and accomplishments span more than half a century in journalism.”

“His impact on the Mobile-Pensacola TV market and the state of Alabama cannot be underestimated,” said Jesse Grear, former vice president and general manager of WKRG, following the announcement of Showers’ distinction award. “Mel cemented his place in local broadcasting history, overcoming initial bigotry through quiet grace and utmost professionalism. He was a voice of calm during turbulent times and remains an example for all journalists to follow.”

He previously attributed his longevity at WKRG-TV to his lifelong love for Mobile.

“I’ve had some offers over the years, but this is my hometown of Mobile, Alabama,” he told Yellowhammer News in 2019. “And a lot of people in our business — we work where we can get to a position where we can go to our hometowns. Well, this is my hometown, and this is where I’ve worked all my life. And I like it here.”

In the News 5 article, former coworkers described him as warm, humble, funny, and a role model for the newsroom.

“Words cannot express what a wonderful man Mel was,” said current News 5 anchor Devon Walsh. “He was my first co-anchor and mentor. He treated everyone with respect. His legacy is kindness, professionalism, and always wanting to make sure what we reported was correct and unbiased.”