The award-winning reporter and producer leaves a legacy of public service, historical storytelling and reliable reporting.
After nearly five decades in broadcast journalism, Senior Producer/Reporter Bill Kelly is retiring from Nebraska Public Media, leaving a legacy of trusted reporting and public service.
“I knew in the fourth grade that I wanted to be a television reporter,” said Kelly in a video produced for his induction into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. “I just decided that being a reporter was one of the coolest jobs on the planet, that you could be in the middle of history.”
Throughout his career, Kelly produced award-winning documentaries and news series for television and radio and explored ways for Nebraskans to engage in conversations about issues shaping their communities. Recently, he focused on rural law enforcement, 2019 Nebraska flooding, the COVID-19 pandemic and challenges facing Nebraska’s volunteer firefighters.
Early in his time at Nebraska Public Media (then known as Nebraska ETV), Kelly reported for the weekly public affairs program Statewide. He also drew from history and news coverage to produce documentaries about the death penalty, the 1968 elections and captivating Nebraska crimes.
“One of the things I enjoyed the most was telling stories from history that ended up reflecting on current events,” said Kelly. Drawing parallels from the past to the present evolved into the history podcast Once Again.
Kelly just completed a second season with new episodes exploring the invention of center pivot irrigation, the farm crisis, the history of the electric chair, UFO sightings and the TV dinner’s Omaha origins. (Listen wherever you get your podcasts!)
Beyond his storytelling, Kelly became a leading advocate for expanded courtroom access for all Nebraska journalists, working with the Nebraska Judicial Branch, Nebraska Bar Association and fellow journalists to expand camera access, strengthen cooperation and improve public access to the judicial system.
Respected for reliable, balanced and well-researched reporting, Kelly has earned state, regional and national awards for excellence in television and radio, including Regional Emmys and Associated Press awards.
He was inducted into the Omaha Press Club’s Hall of Fame in 2022 and the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2023.
The Michigan native graduated from Purdue University and worked at television stations in Lafayette, Ind., Wichita, Kan., and Omaha before joining Nebraska Public Media in 1990.