B+C Station Awards 2023: KCCI Des Moines’s Allison Smith Provides Vital Viewer Access to Candidates

It has been an eventful year, to say the least, for Allison Smith and KCCI Des Moines. In April, the Hearst TV station was honored with the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation’s Celebration of Service to America Award. The honor was for “Essential: Iowa’s EMS Emergency,” which investigated how emergency medical services are not deemed “essential” in Iowa, and there’s no legal obligation for EMS workers to show up when they are called. 

The idea for the story came after a KCCI photojournalist saw a sign for a fundraiser set up for a new ambulance and wondered why public funds would not pay for it. Investigative reporter James Stratton spoke with families who lost loved ones as a result. 

Each year, three stations nationwide get Service to America awards based on their market size. This is KCCI’s first. “That was a really proud moment for us,” Smith said.

KCCI also earned six regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. Stratton, who left KCCI for Hearst TV sibling WISN Milwaukee, got one for the EMS report; KCCI Storm Team 8 picked one up for its coverage of deadly tornadoes; and the station got another for a documentary on a paperboy who vanished four decades ago. 

While KCCI picked up five regional Murrows last year, Smith said the station more typically gets one or two. 

With the caucuses set to start in Iowa in January, KCCI offers Coffee With the Candidates, which sees GOP presidential candidates sit for a long-form interview. KCCI scopes out coffee shops and diners in medium-sized towns to stage them in. The specials run for 30 minutes and typically premiere at 6:30 p.m. 

Brian Sather, KCCI president and general manager, calls the segments “a refreshing way to help viewers get to know these candidates.”

Iowa residents want a little personal time with candidates before they decide who gets their vote, Smith said. “People in Iowa feel a responsibility to come out and meet the candidates,” she said. 

Smith knows the market well. She was named KCCI news director in 2018, the first woman in that role. After graduating from Drake University in Des Moines, Smith got her start at KCCI as a producer, then moved on to newsrooms in Columbus, Ohio, and Pittsburgh before heading back to Des Moines. 

KCCI is in a hot race with WHO. Year to date, KCCI has won 6 a.m. in households and total viewers (P2+), tied at 5 p.m. and took the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. battles.  

Thoughtful and Patient

In an era where newsgatherers are focused on getting their stories out as fast as possible, Smith is “thoughtful and patient,” according to Barbara Maushard, Hearst Television senior VP of news. “Allison is there to help grow the team and focus on the mission,” Maushard said. “She believes in the truth and making sure we are doing the right thing. She’s a journalist through and through.”

With an eye on growing the team, Smith hired anchor Jodi Long, who previously anchored at WHO. Long works on the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts. Smith calls the anchor “a great fit for us culturally” and “the whole package” —  good on the air, yes, but just as good when the camera is not on her. 

Sather said Smith sets the tone for the KCCI newsroom. “I love having Allison as my partner and couldn’t ask for a better steward of our newsroom and news brand,” he said. “She cares deeply about her team and our mission. Her leadership has led KCCI to improved storytelling, improved investigative and enterprise reporting, and dynamic and impactful political coverage.”