For decades, Northeast Ohio TV news viewers have tuned in to watch investigator Joe Pagonakis give voice to the voiceless, hold the powerful accountable, and tell the types of stories that only someone with his Rolodex and legendary work ethic can tell. On April 29, Pagonakis signed off from News 5 for the final time, ending a storied 48-year career in television, with 40 years on the air reporting in local communities.
“My sincere thanks and gratitude to Northeast Ohio viewers for turning to News 5 and trusting me to tell their stories for more than three decades,” Pagonakis said. “It has been such an honor and a blessing to have the opportunity to try and help others in need in my hometown for all these years.”
As a reporter, Pagonakis is known for his ability to put a spotlight on the issues Clevelanders face by telling the stories of the people affected. He converses just as easily with those who walk the halls of power as he does with everyday citizens willing to come forward and speak up because they refuse to live under unacceptable circumstances.
“It’s impressive for someone to have the impact that Joe has had throughout a 40-year career reporting on communities and serving the viewers,” said News 5 vice president and general manager Steve Weinstein.
Pago, as he’s known in the newsroom, comes to the staff editorial meeting every day with at least one story (often more) that he can turn that day to lead a newscast, all thanks to his constant communication with sources and residents who trust him to tell their stories. It’s an unbelievable streak those who have worked with him have been fortunate to witness.
He has won numerous awards for his work, including more than a dozen Associated Press, Regional Murrow and Emmy Awards. In 2022, Pagonakis was honored with the “Silver Circle” lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
His reporting has spurred scores of political officials and business owners to take action and help viewers – often before those stories air.
“Joe Pagonakis is one of those journalists you wish you could clone. He is one of the hardest working people I have ever met,” said news director Jodie Heisner. “His career is one to be celebrated, and I am honored to have been able to work along side him.”
Pagonakis traces his passion for journalism back to the pioneer television program set up by the Parma Public Schools at Normandy High School in the mid-1970s. The Parma Instructional Television program was issued the first instructional television license in the State of Ohio and was led by Phil Stella and James Bailey.
In 1976, at the age of 16, he worked in a full studio setting, complete with color cameras and one-inch video tape capabilities and performed in instructional shows that were broadcast statewide.
Pagonakis says Stella ran Parma ITV in an extremely professional way and gave him the discipline and work ethic he needed from that one-of-a-kind program.
After graduating from Normandy High School, his parents gave him the opportunity to attend Ohio University and another chance to pursue his broadcasting dream.
“I was focused on television production, and the Ohio University telecommunications curriculum, with the hundreds of hours I spent volunteering at WOUB-TV, were exactly what I needed,” Pagonakis said. “It was yet another professional environment that got me prepared for the next 43 years in commercial broadcasting, when I landed my first job upon graduation from Ohio University in 1981.”
His first job was at the station at which he’d close his career – WEWS.
“It was a thrill to be able to work at the television station I grew up watching when News 5 legend Garry Ritchie hired me onto the production crew at WEWS,” he said. “Ritchie gave me a chance to work with Northeast Ohio television icons like Dorothy Fuldheim, Fred Griffith, Ted Henry, Don Webster and Wilma Smith. In addition to working on WEWS news broadcasts, I had the opportunity to work on classic shows like Polka Varieties and The Morning Exchange.”
Henry was a role model and a mentor who encouraged Pagonakis and gave him professional feedback.
“Ted took the time to review the audition tapes I created with the help of gracious News 5 photojournalists, and Cleveland reporting icon Paul Orlousky, who allowed me to use some of his video stories,” said Pagonakis.
He got his first on-air television job at WYTV in Youngstown, Ohio, and worked with Mahoning Valley broadcasting legends Jack Bowe and Tom Mock.
“As a cub reporter, I had absolutely no experience, but I was blessed to basically have Mock teach me everything I needed to make the transition from TV production into journalism. Mock's lessons were not sugar-coated. They were real-world and absolutely invaluable in providing the extreme learning curve necessary to carry me through an on-air career.”
His next break in broadcasting would come unexpectedly when he got a call from WANE-TV Fort Wayne Indiana News Director Bill Wagman in 1987. Wagman saw an audition tape of his work assembled by a hiring firm and asked him to audition to be his anchor for the 6 and 11 PM newscasts at a time when he had only done anchor fill-in shifts in Youngstown.
“I did everything possible to fumble the opportunity, including missing the connecting flight in Chicago while playing video games at the airport and then stumbling on nearly every story during the taped audition,” Pagonakis said. “But Wagman was kind and understanding and gave me the job, starting a six-year adventure. The viewers in Fort Wayne were wonderful and accepted me under the pseudonym of Joe Gregory, utilizing my middle name. These were some of the best days of my career, with the anchor team of Ellen Akins, Sandy Thompson, Randy Schiffman, and my executive producer, Mel Watson, quickly becoming my broadcast family.”
After six years at WANE-TV, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime, returning to WEWS as a reporter in 1993.
“It was news directors John Ray and Jim Lemay who gave me my Northeast Ohio dream job, again working with Ted Henry, and learning from outstanding veteran reporters like Alan DePetro, Bill Younkin and Deborah Lee, as well as photojournalists Rich Geyser and Tom Livingston.”
While at News 5, Pagonakis launched successful initiatives, working for several years as “The Troubleshooter,” helping hundreds find justice and getting them the hundreds of thousands of dollars in goods and services they deserved.
Pagonakis also created and led the News 5 Building Better Neighborhoods initiative, which was a WEWS team effort and worked to improve living conditions and quality of life in several Northeast Ohio communities.
“And so, here I am more than 30 years later, still working in my home community,” Pagonakis said. “My gratitude goes to the E.W. Scripps Company, which has shown unwavering confidence in my work, along with more than a dozen outstanding WEWS news directors, including Lynn Heider, Jill Manuel, Jeff Harris, Sean McGarvy and Jodie Heisner."
“I give thanks to my parents, Mike and Mary Pagonakis, and my children, Nick and Nina, for cheering me on all these years. Special thanks to my amazing wife Jody for the love, care and support I needed to make this dream a reality."
“And finally, my biggest thanks is to God for giving me the opportunity, tools and strength to use the television medium to try and help those most in need.”
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Leave a comment for Joe on our Facebook post announcing his retirement.
