It’s been almost 30 years since Local 4’s Devin Scillian exited Oklahoma City where he was a news anchor at an NBC affiliate to come to Detroit’s WDIV-TV. After three decades of covering everything from the annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit to the assassination of a prime minister in Israel, the prolific and affable anchor has taken a friend’s words to heart, and he is retiring from WDIV. Scillian made the announcement during a 6 p.m. newscast on Oct. 15; his last newscast will be the 6 p.m. news on Friday, Dec. 13.
“My friend (Tom Sorrells, who also was in the news arena) told me, ‘It’s later than you think,’” says the Kansas native, regarding achieving life goals. “And that made me think.”
Here, the 61-year-old, who has four children living around the country, shares his favorite assignments, why he loves journalism, and whether, after his last day at the station, he’ll continue to read four newspapers every morning.
Being a journalist for 40 years, that really starts to define you, doesn’t it?
Well, yes and no. In America, we do tend to become defined by what we do. “What do you do?” shouldn’t really be the focus and I hope I’m more than a job.
You certainly are. I know you’re a musician and have written quite a few children’s books. So, what’s next?
I’ve got the freedom to do some things that I’ve promised myself for years. My younger self is telling me, “Dude, you promised you’d …” So, we’ll see. I may be involved with the station. My son and I may work on a documentary. I’m going to probably participate more with theater, which is what I started in in school at the University of Kansas, on a partial theater scholarship to study acting. I took a few broadcasting classes on the side, and started loving that, so I majored in journalism.
I don’t have a full drawn-up plan yet, but I’m not the type to sit around and do nothing. I’ll continue writing children’s books (he has 22 under his belt) and am now working on “Raccoons in the Library.”
Any novels in the works?
(Laughs) Like so many journalists I have three or four in various stages of completion. I would like to complete a novel. I have a number of ideas, but, you know, that requires discipline.
It does, but your passion for your career and your success are both proof that you are disciplined, right?
Actually, novelist Elmore Leonard gave me the best piece of advice about writing a novel. I told him once that I was intimidated by the idea of it because it’s so complex and structured. He said, remember that you can’t see LA from New York City, but you can drive there and, at night, only see the roadway to your destination as much as your headlights will provide.
What are some of your most memorable news events that you covered?
That’s hard to pin down, there are so many. In 1995, three months after I got here, Yitzhak Rabin, prime minister of Israel, was assassinated so I was on a flight to Israel immediately. I was lucky that I worked for a station that believed where the news was, we were. My favorite book is my passport and it’s sure gotten a good workout. Memorable. Well, I loved that I was here for the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup Parade in 1997. For reasons not entirely clear to me, I was actually a Red Wings fan before ever moving to Detroit.
I covered Detroit’s bankruptcy in 2013 and also that year, I was standing on St. Peter’s Square in Rome watching Cardinal Bergoglio become Pope Francis. I’ve covered the Olympic Games 10 times. Sydney, Australia is tough to beat but Paris was close. But all of that doesn’t compare to my favorite moments with my co-workers, including producers, reporters, photographers. I’m so lucky to call them family.
What would you have been if you didn’t become a journalist?
I would have given acting a chance, and may get into that more now, including voice acting (animation, video games, audio books). Jeff Daniels wrote me into his play, “Office Christmas Party, Grinch in Fight with Rudolph, Police Called,” which is on now at the Purple Rose Theatre (in Chelsea). I’m ‘playing’ (laughs) Devin Scillian, anchor man, and it’s just my recorded voice.
So, children’s book author, potential novelist, musician, actor …
They’re all related to storytelling. At the heart of it, I’m a storyteller. And that will continue.
Is there any time for hobbies?
I used to live for basketball. Now I play mostly tennis. And there’s my band, Devin Scillian & Arizona Son. (Scillian sings, plays six-string guitar, piano, and sometimes the Ukulele, and writes songs.)
What was your favorite part of the day, during your time at WDIV?
Sitting with my wife, Corey (at 8:30 a.m.), enjoying coffee, reading generally four papers, and just talking. We can sit for hours. This is a trap for my new life, because Corey doesn’t believe that I’ll stop reading so many papers, one of which is The Junction City Daily Union out of Kansas and most of which are online, except the Sunday New York Times.
Now you’ll have more time to do the things you love, right?
I can’t say that I hate the idea of having a Thanksgiving morning off. Every Thanksgiving I’ve had to wake up at the crack of dawn. But I loved every part of that parade and covering it. It’s filled with Detroit tradition.
What are your thoughts about your replacement, Ty Steele?
There’s a lot for me to like about Ty [Steele]. He’s a terrific reporter and I have always believed that’s a requirement for a great anchor. But I also love his devotion to his family — we’re both fathers of four and bonded immediately over that. He also has what I have always felt is critical for any journalist and that is an insatiable curiosity about the world around him.
This story appeared in the February 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Feb. 10.
|
|
|
