George Riba retired from Channel 8 on February 20, 2015 after working at WFAA TV for 37 years and five months. He spent nearly 42 years on Dallas Fort Worth Television having spent time at KTVT Channel 11 and KXAS TV Channel 5.
He joined Channel 8 in September 1977 and worked as a sports reporter, weekend sports anchor, executive sports producer and sports director. Long time Channel 8 Sports anchor Dale Hansen estimated that Riba filed more than 8,000 stories during his years at WFAA.
Riba was raised on a farm and ranch in Stonewall, Texas and began his broadcasting career in 1966. At the time, he was a student at Fredericksburg High School in the Texas Hill Country. His first job was at the end of his junior year in high school and included being a country Disc Jockey for radio station KNAF in Fredericksburg, Texas. He later worked for radio stations in Fort Worth, including KFWD, KWXI, and KFJZ before turning to television.
During his years at Channel 8, his contributions have helped the News 8 Sports Department win numerous awards, including the Texas Association of Broadcasters award for Best Sportscast, the State Associated Press award for Best Sports Feature as well as regional EMMY awards, one George Foster Peabody Award for WFAA, four Texas AP Broadcasters, one UPI Broadcasters of Texas, eight Katie awards given annual by the Dallas Press Club and three Lone Star Emmy Awards.
Riba is an avid runner having logged 40 marathons. He has run the Dallas White Rock Marathon in Dallas n 30 different occasions with a personal best of 3:01.
Riba is a graduate from the University of Texas in Arlington with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Communications.