WJR’s Paul W. Smith chats about his new show timeslot after working mornings for 27 years

‘Focus’ will start airing on June 20

DETROIT – Interviewing Paul W. Smith is always a pleasure. He’s quick with a laugh and a good story. I mean, he’s interviewed every President since Ford, is a member of the Radio Hall of Fame, and Detroiters know his distinctive voice.

Wanting to finally sleep in after 27 years of mornings is no joke. The media business is a tough one, but Paul W. will tell you he’s loved every minute of it. But instead of retiring cold turkey to leave mornings, he decided to move to Noon – 2 p.m., something WJR is pretty happy about.

Enjoy our whole conversation. He even gets a little teary when talking about the most memorable interview in his career: Fred Rogers. Detroit will still benefit from Paul W.’s interview style for years to come, just at a different time.

Read: Why Paul W. Smith is moving from mornings to middays on Detroit’s WJR


About the Author:

Christy McDonald is an Emmy-Award winning TV anchor and journalist who has covered news in Detroit and Michigan for 25 years before joining WDIV in 2022.