- People will probably ask me today will I miss talking about all the issues of the day.

- After more than 50 years in journalism.

Chris Moore retired from broadcasting in 2026, - The Chris Moore Show.

- Hi, I am Chris Moore, - A veteran of radio and tv, Chris spent 30 years in talk radio, ending his career as host of KDKA's the Moore of Pittsburgh.

- I guess the first thing we should do is go to the phones, huh?

- Hello, I'm Chris Moore and this is a special edition of Black Horizons - As the long time host of WQED'S Black Horizons, and producer of several documentaries.

His work consistently took an honest and respectful approach to Pittsburgh's African American and veterans communities.

We asked Chris to drop by and reminisce a little about his years in front of the camera and behind the mike.

- You made big news recently when you announced your retirement from KDKA radio.

Tell us what you did there and how long you were a talk show host.

- I was there since 1994 and I think it's thirty-some years.

And I had a large time doing talk radio.

You don't know what's coming next.

You don't know if the guy hates you or he loves you, but he will tell you either one.

And I, I just enjoyed it so much, especially the guys who hated me.

I would, I would tell the producers all the time, put the angry people first.

- Why was that work important to you?

To talk with a live audience about topics that weren't always easy?

- Because I guess I have had a good understanding of history for a long time.

A lot of people say, Ooh, history.

I hated history.

I loved history in high school.

I loved looking at the Roman Coliseum and, and all what it looked like, you know, before it started falling down when it was new.

I loved reading about invasions of other countries and why the Hundred Years War didn't really last a hundred years, you know, and it, to me, I, I kept that information.

So when somebody says something about, oh, this country is divided, I said, are you kidding?

This country has been divided a thousand times.

- The the airport has owed the county millions of dollars for decades.

- There was never any real debt... - Whigs versus Republicans and Democrats versus Republicans.

It's, it's been like that forever.

We have fought amongst ourselves for a long, long time and there's nothing new about it.

Also when it comes to violence.

We've been a violent country ever since I can remember.

And people are stringing people up and hanging them and shooting them.

And we talk about gangs and these kids now, it's nothing compared to what some of these cowboys did, - But how did all of that make you want to like, engage in conversations with people?

- I guess it was just fun for me, you know, either correcting people or enlightening them about what the truth was.

You know, people, people are too thin when it comes to history.

- Have you been surprised by all of the recognition of your announcement of your retirement?

- It was a joy.

I, I had a very large time and all the people who came and came through the studio and what they had to say about what I had taught them, how they learned something from me, it, it was just a joy.

And the same with the callers.

We had tons of callers and not one was negative and that was a little bit of a surprise to me 'cause I did think somebody about was going to call and say, you idiot, I'm glad you're gone now, but not one call like that.

So I was thrilled to death.

I had a large time.

Yeah.

I have been surprised that, you know me Minette, I've always been a guy who said, let's get it done.

We would talk to each other.

We're going to polish these... - Items - items, yeah and make 'em shine items.

Yeah.

And make 'em really look good.

And we did.

But I never thought it was a, something that people would appreciate for so long that WQED would, would think that these programs still have a life and they can run 'em at certain times of the year.

And people would call me and tell me they saw the Vietnam program, they saw Wylie Avenue days.

They saw any of the programs that we had done and they really liked them.

You know, I don't know why some of the people liked some of the programs like Jim Crow, Pennsylvania because that program was about racism above the Mason Dixon line.

And people didn't want to think that Pennsylvania was racist, that they hung people back in the day.

And they did.

- But going back to the documentaries, they weren't only about the bad things and the violent things.

One of the things I loved about the documentaries that we did together was that it celebrated the great things about the Black community in Pittsburgh and elsewhere.

Like Wylie Avenue days was just a valentine to what the Hill District used to be.

Torchbearers told the story of those brave men and women who put everything on the line to elevate their people and to in turn elevate the city.

So like everything else in life, it's the bitter and the sweet.

And I think that's why people like it so much.

- Maybe you've hit the head nail on the head.

I don't know.

You know, Torchbearers.

I watched that not too long ago.

And unfortunately many of those people are gone.

And I can remember that we interviewed Reverend Patrick six days before he died.

And their stories are there, - Come on, we going to the pool.

I'm not a swimmer.

So the boys went and they started, jumped in the water and every white kid in that pool came out of the water.

Every one of them.

Not one was left - For people to, to hear for him going and integrating that pool at Highland Park.

Who else is going to tell that story with Reverend Patrick?

And he's gone.

So, and several of those people are gone.

And so somebody told me once, Chris, you know, you're like Teenie Harris.

I said, what do you mean?

He said, you are documenting so much stuff that's going on.

And I thought about it once I watched that program and I said, boy, I'm, I'm not trying to be Teenie Harris.

But those shows are great as historical documents.

They got people telling their own stories.

So I think you're right.

And so, I don't know, it's, it is, it's just been too much fun.

I've had fun doing all this.

And even the retirement show was fun, fun, fun.

And and what do they say about, you, You, you never have a job.

- Oh you, if you have a job that you love, you never work a day in your life.

- Yeah.

You never work a day in your life.

And I remember all those nights or days we said we just stay one one step ahead of the wolf.

In other words, we would stay one step ahead of the editor and we would go back to the room and write and you'd write one half of it and I'd write the other half of it and then we'd edit the next day.

And then we'd have to come back and write some more.

- You might get water, they might get fresh water into you.

You would eat C-Rations, and you got a hot meal occasionally.

Right.

And you didn't sleep in a, in a nice containment area, whatever.

You slept on the ground.

- And in In Country we got to spend time with those people.

They told us their stories and their own words.

We were able to experience the things that they experienced through their memories.

So I feel like really lucky for the time that you and I spent together.

There's still a huge amount of time that you spent advocating for Veterans, for Black Veterans, for young people getting better careers in the media.

What made all those different causes so vital and important for you?

- We did a program where there were just a bunch of veterans sitting in a circle in limbo.

And I got more calls about that program from people who said, I learned so much, you know, where people were talking about what they did in Vietnam, what happened to them and all sorts of things that we talked about as a veteran's experience.

And then at the end of the program we, we gave everybody some d what's that called?

Dap?

- Yeah.

- And we did, Johnny McCoy had started that.

It was the first thing we did on veterans and we got more mail and more people.

talking about that program - In 2025, you were awarded the Gold Circle Award by the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

What did that award mean to you?

- I won an Emmy for a program that Nathalie Berry and I had done together.

And that really put the cap on the cake, you know, and Joyce said, 'cause I am, I'm a little disabled now.

Said I jumped up and ran up on the stage, stage to get it, and I think that plus that 50 year award were all the icing on the cake.

That's all I needed.

Because of that win of that Emmy and the 50 year award that they gave me, I felt like I was able to end my career with an exclamation point and not a period.

And so I came back and did two more radio shows and the last one was just full of love.

And Chris, we going to miss you.

Are you going to do a podcast?

Are you going?

No.

Are you gonna come back and fill in for somebody?

No, I'm done.

And they would fall out laughing.

- You always give credit where credit is due and you always thank your lovely wife Joyce for the support that she's given you over the years.

Can you say it a little bit about the team that is Chris Moore and Joyce Meggerson Moore?

- Well, it certainly is a team because I'd be nothing without her to tell you the truth.

Including today when I needed some help getting up out the bed and she is the light of my life and she does everything that, that a man could possibly want.

And I'm so glad that I've been good and faithful to her so that she takes care of me right now.

- So looking back over the years, what have you enjoyed most about your career?

- I don't know.

It's, I, I think it's probably giving back.

For 36 years, we did the Frank Bolden Journalism Workshop.

- Always think like you're always gonna be on, okay, you're always gonna be on.

Don't forget your ad libs.

You know when they are.

Right.

Right.

Alright, let's say a little more presence.

Know, lose that.

I want to hear that, you all look excellent.

You look good.

All we gotta do is punch it, all right?

You ready?

- KDKA TV News begins right now.

- Good afternoon.

I'm April Effort, Stacey Smith and Jennifer Antkoviac have the day off.

In the news today, the... - And leading some of those young people who came to the Emmys, like Keith Alexander and Sharon Epperson.

And they were sitting at a table right next to us.

And so young people like that who winning Pulitzer Prizes for their writing and, and the TV shows that they are doing, they're winning all sorts of awards.

They just amazed me.

And the other thing Miss Heywood told me, because I was a class clown, was Moore, she grabbed me by the ear one day and said Moore, if you are going to be a class clown, find a way to get paid for it.

And that's exactly what I did.

And sometimes on the street somebody comes up to me and says, Hey Mr.

Moore, I know you don't remember me, but my name is so and so and so and so, and I was in the Workshop in 1996 and my daughter went through it in 2 0 0 6.

I say, what?

You know, so I've been the Class Clown who, who has been able to give back to a lot of people, particularly young people.

And I, I think that's the biggest thing.

- Hi, I'm Chris Moore.

You know, one of the best things about working in television is... - Good evening Chris.

Congratulations.

I started listening to you like over nine years ago... - Medical Center.

- I know you've been in the industry for a long time.

This is a well-deserved retirement and I wish you nothing but the best.

- Well, it's the first show of the new season... - Let's go.

Let's go.

- My head wants to tell you, please stay.

Stay one more year.

But my heart knows you have to go.

Y - Yes.

- And it's not leaving, it's just moving on.

- Yes, you'll be missed, but more importantly, you'll not be forgotten.

- So Vayos Con Dios my friend.

- Thank you all.

It is time for me to get my hat.