Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Bill Fisher, an Indianapolis television news photographer, has had an accomplished career in military photography, breaking news and feature storytelling. After serving as a combat photographer during the Vietnam War, Fisher built a career at WISH-TV for 36 years. During that time Fisher covered many defining events in Indiana news, such as the 1977 Tony Kiritsis hostage situation, the Blizzard of 1978, Hurricane Katrina, the September 11 terrorist attacks, and numerous political investigations and environmental stories. Fisher also witnessed, and embraced, the technological evolution of television news throughout his career, working through the transition from film photography to videotape, satellite broadcasting, and live internet streaming. 

Early Interest in Photography 

Born and raised on the east side of Indianapolis, Fisher discovered photography while attending Arlington High School. Fisher was interested in still photography from an early age, so when he was in high school, he helped establish the school’s darkroom by setting up its photography lab and learning to develop and print photographs himself. 

By the time he was sixteen, Fisher rarely went anywhere without a camera. During high school he photographed events for Associated Press photographer Chuck Robinson and covered the Indianapolis 500 as a freelance still photographer. 

After graduating from Arlington, Fisher enrolled at IUPUI, but his education was interrupted as the Vietnam War escalated and he joined the military.

Serving in Vietnam 

Fisher enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967 and entered active duty the following year. Trained as a motion picture photographer, he served in Vietnam as both a combat photographer and filmmaker. His military assignment required him to document combat operations using both still cameras and motion picture film. The experience taught him to remain calm while photographing dangerous situations. Following three years of military service, Fisher returned to Indianapolis and resumed taking classes at IUPUI while beginning freelance photography work. 

Building a Career Behind the Camera 

After returning from Vietnam, Fisher invested in his own professional film camera which allowed him to take on freelance assignments for local television producers. One of his most important early connections came through Don McLaughlin. McLaughlin was a WISH-TV photographer who operated a film-processing business from his basement. Fisher helped process film for high school football coaches across Indiana while also assisting with commercial and documentary productions. He also worked on racing films that were later adapted into promotional productions for companies connected to auto racing and the petroleum industry. His freelance work eventually led to opportunities at both WISH-TV and WRTV. 

WISH-TV 

Fisher first joined WISH-TV as a part-time freelance photographer before moving to a full-time position around 1973. He stayed at Channel 8 for approximately 36 years, eventually becoming one of the station’s most experienced photographers.  

His assignments ranged from daily breaking news coverage to feature reporting. Fisher regularly covered fires, traffic accidents, severe weather, political stories, and investigative reporting. He also partnered with reporter Josh Lipman on Around Indiana, a feature series that allowed them to travel throughout the state, highlighting communities and local traditions. 

Covering the Tony Kiritsis Story 

Among the biggest stories of Fisher’s career was the Tony Kiritsis hostage situation in February 1977. 

While Lipman was monitoring police activity downtown, he heard dispatches reporting “a man with a gun” and requested that a photographer be sent immediately. Fisher met him outside the mortgage company where Kiritsis was holding Richard Hall hostage with a shotgun wired around Hall’s neck. 

From there, Fisher documented nearly every stage of the situation. He followed Kiritsis and Hall as they moved through downtown Indianapolis, continued filming after Kiritsis entered a police car with Hall, and remained with the story as authorities traveled to Kiritsis’ apartment.  

Looking back, Fisher believes the Kiritsis coverage marked a turning point in local television news. The decision to remain live during portions of the crisis demonstrated television’s growing role in allowing viewers to witness major events as they unfolded.

For more on the Kiritsis hostage crisis, the IBHA has a chronological look at the story, as well as a look at the first movie adaptation of the event, Dead Man’s Wire, "The Real Dead Man's Wire."

Adapting to New Technologies 

Over the course of his career, Fisher witnessed nearly every major technological advancement in television news. As videotape replaced film, live microwave trucks and satellite technology transformed the pace of news coverage. Fisher always embraced each new generation of equipment and even purchased the newest still cameras as their quality improved. 

Memorable Assignments 

Besides daily news coverage, Fisher reported some of the most significant events in his time as a news photographer.  

Working with reporter Bob Speck, he covered investigations into corruption at the Indiana Statehouse, including bribery allegations involving state legislators. He also spent time reporting on construction problems at the Marble Hill Nuclear Power Plant, documenting issues that eventually contributed to the project’s cancellation.  

Fisher also traveled extensively for national assignments as well. He covered Hurricane Andrew in Florida and Later Hurricane Katrina. 

He also spent three days covering the Blizzard of 1978, sleeping at the station between live reports as severe weather took over central Indiana. 

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Fisher drove from Indianapolis to New York City with WISH-TV. Using a satellite truck from a sister station, the crew spent several days documenting recovery efforts around Ground Zero. 

One assignment from the trip remains especially meaningful to him. Fisher encountered firefighters washing ash from a fire truck that had survived near the World Trade Center. Throughout the previous days, people had covered the truck in handwritten messages of support.  

Retirement 

Fisher retired from WISH-TV around 2010 after spending more than three decades documenting Indiana's history through the camera lens. 

In retirement, he has focused on writing and preserving his experiences. He has authored several books about his military service, photography career, and life after television news, beginning with Two Pictures I Never Took in Vietnam. He has also maintained an extensive personal archive containing tens of thousands of still photographs taken throughout his career. 

---

Written by Katherine Maners

July 2026