Merlyn Klaus Bids Viewers Goodbye

Veteran WOWT (Cox Channel 8) sports anchor and reporter Merlyn Klaus signed off for the last time Friday night.

An award-winning sports journalist at the station since 1984, Klaus is leaving the business to take a position at The Steier Group, an Omaha-based development consulting company that specializes in serving non-profit organizations.

Klaus told viewers at the end of Friday's newscast, "I'm going to miss being here. It's been a great run. I'll say hello and goodbye to everybody and thanks for making it a great 20-plus years."

Klaus says one night in particular stands out from his career of reporting on hundreds of games and thousands of athletes.

"When Nebraska won the 1994 national championship, we were on the air live for three hours," Klaus said. "It was not only fun but it was a momentious occasion. At the time, we were the only one with a satellite truck and the only Omaha station doing an extensive postgame. I was back here in the studio and we just kept going and going and going."

Klaus said he will also miss covering University of Nebraska at Omaha and Creighton University sports.

"The guys there (at UNO) are so great to work with and the NCAA road trips with Creighton have been great too," he said.

An award-winning sports journalist at WOWT since 1984, Klaus began his broadcast career at WLS (ABC) in Chicago in 1977. His first job in Nebraska was at KDUH (ABC) in Scottsbluff, where he handled news, weather and sports reporting. He later worked as sports director at KHGI (ABC) in Kearney before coming to Omaha.

Klaus is the latest of several former Omaha TV personalities who have gone to work for The Steier Group. The list includes John Glenn (KMTV), Rich Roberts (KMTV), Sean McMahon (KETV) and Tom Elser (KETV).