Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame
2024 Inductee - Richard “Dick” M. Lobo
Richard “Dick” M. Lobo
Richard (Dick) Lobo has a lengthy and storied career in broadcasting. A second-generation Floridian, born in Tampa’s historic Ybor City, he is the grandson of Cuban immigrant cigar makers who arrived in the early 1900s and joined thousands of their countrymen who created and manned the famed handmade cigar factories.
Lobo pursued his early dream to work in radio and TV, first at WPKM(FM) and WUTT(FM) in Tampa before heading to the University of Miami where legendary anchorman Ralph Renick tapped him as a WTVJ one-man reporter/photographer. Upon moving to WCKT (now WSVN) he was thrust into Latin America covering international controversies and scoring exclusive interviews with Fidel Castro, Papa Doc Duvalier and Rafael Trujillo.
WCBS-TV noticed, and Lobo moved to New York City covering breaking news and interviewing everyone from Martin Luther King, RFK, and Malcolm X, to the Beatles and Barbra Streisand.
Taking advantage of his management skills, executive news and station management positions followed at WOR TV (NYC), WKYC TV(Cleveland), WMAQ TV(Chicago), KOA Stations (Denver), WNBC TV (NYC), WTVJ TV (Miami) and WEDU TV(Tampa).
As president and general manager, he led WTVJ during its historic Hurricane Andrew coverage, garnering a Peabody, Edward R. Murrow, and many other awards. He guided WEDU out of near bankruptcy to both financial health and station prominence in Tampa
Presidents Clinton and Obama nominated him to head U.S. international broadcasting positions in Washington, DC., first at Radio and TV Marti and then as Director of the International Broadcasting Bureau.
He is an Emmy award and NATAS Silver and Gold Circle award recipient. He also served on NAB’s TV board.
Now a Tampa resident, Lobo is married to Caren Lobo, and has three children five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He is a diehard Miami Hurricanes fan!