Nail to Retire From NBC 24/51

Mike Nail, sports director at television station NBC 24/51, KPOM/KFAA, in Fayetteville, said he will retire after his last newscast on Nov. 26.r

Nail, 59, said he has spent 39 years in broadcast journalism. He landed his first broadcast job as a disc jockey for radio station KFAY in Fayetteville in 1963 while he was still in high school.r

Two years later, Nail moved to Conway to work for the fledgling Arkansas Educational Television Network before AETN’s building was even completed.r

“We actually helped lay bricks and do construction,” he said.r

Since then, Nail has worked for KATV-TV, Channel 7, in Little Rock and KFSM-TV, Channel 5, in Fort Smith as well as television stations in Joplin, Mo., and Oklahoma City. He did play-by-play announcing for the Philadelphia Phillies minor league baseball team in Oklahoma City, worked for the Arkansas Razorback Sports Network and wrote for the Northwest Arkansas Times of Fayetteville.r

Nail will continue to do play-by-play announcing for the Arkansas Razorbacks’ basketball games, making this his 23rd year as a Hog game caller.r

Nail said he may find other ventures to keep him busy, but they won’t be in broadcast journalism.r

“I’ve spent the majority of my life in broadcast and getting home at 11:30 or 12 at night, and it’ll be nice not to do that for a while,” Nail said.r