Helene Duhamel ends era at KOTA Territory News

(KOTA)
Published: Mar. 1, 2017 at 5:57 PM CST
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After more than 30 years, Helene Duhamel has decided to leave KOTA Territory News. Her last broadcasts will be Friday, March 10.

Helene started as reporter at KOTA-TV after college; then she transferred to KDUH-TV in Scottsbluff in 1988 as news director and anchor. Helene returned to Rapid City and KOTA in 1989 as news director.

After battling cancer, Helene decided to work part time to devote more time to raising her growing family. She continued to anchor and report for the next two decades.

The family-owned Duhamel television stations were sold to Schurz Communications in 2014 and again in 2016 to Gray Television during which time Helene anchored and reported. Helene most recently anchored the Noon and 5:30 p.m. news.

Helene received many awards including the South Dakota Broadcasters’ Tom Brokaw Award in 1996. The award recognizes a significant contribution to South Dakota broadcasting.

General Manager Chris Gross said, “The Duhamel family is legendary in broadcasting in the State of South Dakota and Helene has been such a huge part of that. Although I only had the opportunity to work with Helene a short time I’ve been able to watch her work for over a decade and see the positive impact she has had on viewers and the Black Hills community”.