Emmy-winning anchorwoman Debby Knox has been a staple in Indiana homes for more than three decades.
Debby was WISH-TV’s 24-Hour News 8’s lead TV journalist, and at one time anchored the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. Debby started with WISH-TV on the noon news, was promoted to early anchor, coming from stations in the northern Indiana communities of Elkhart and South Bend. After 33 years anchoring and reporting, Debby retired from WISHTV in November 2013.
Debby’s reports have been many and varied during her years with WISH-TV. While her main focus was in the area of health and medical technology, she is also known for her one-on-one interviews with prominent newsmakers, including Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell. In addition, Debby has interviewed former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev. She also interviewed Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Desmond Tutu, Nobel Scientist Dr. James Watson, Medal of Honor Recipient Sammy Davis, Senators Elizabeth Dole, Richard Lugar, Evan Bayh, Former First Lady Barbara Bush, Boston Celtics Coach Brad Stevens and authors, John Green, Kurt Vonnegut, jr. and Anne Patchett.
Debby has been honored with many other awards and Emmy nominations during her career including those from the prestigious Society of Professional Journalists and the National American Heart Association for a documentary on a heart transplant patient. She has won Indiana State Medical Journalism awards, a coveted CASPAR, for an impactful investigative series on the Indiana Blood Center. She’s won awards from the Associated Press and United Press International and was the recipient of the Theodore Barrett Award from the Indiana Psychological Association. She is also a six-time recipient of favorite female TV news anchor by Indianapolis Woman Magazine. Most recently, Debby was inducted into the Associated Press Broadcast Hall of Fame, was a 2014 honoree of the prestigious organization, Girls Inc., and was appointed a Distinguished Hoosier in 2013 by Governor Mike Pence.
Debby, raised in Edwardsburg, Michigan was, in 1972, crowned Miss Edwardsburg and Miss Blossomtime. She is a graduate of Edwardsburg High School and the University of Michigan. Her parents are Dr. and Mrs. Robert Knox, who still reside on Eagle Lake. A mother of two grown children and wife of psychologist Richard Tirman, Debby has a full and active life both on and off the camera. Most recently Debby gained positive attention and accolades in Central Indiana by documenting her recent 60pound weight loss.
An exercise enthusiast and skier, Debby is also an avid reader. She is very committed to helping the community. Along with lead sportsanchor, Anthony Calhoun, she has raised tens of thousands of dollars for inner city youth. She is a supporter of St. Richard’s School, where her children attended, Christal DeHaan’s Global Schools, Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Butler University and the University of Michigan.
Debby is currently working with two colleagues on a documentary focusing on the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg. The film is set to be released in the spring of 2015.
