In the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, stories are passed down through generations, shared across front porches and kitchen tables. Stories shape how people see themselves and their community. For journalist Buddy Forbes, storytelling is both a responsibility and a calling rooted deeply in the place he calls home. 

“For a long time, I thought I’d be an author, then I thought I’d write for The New York Times. Eventually I realized I could stay here in the mountains telling the stories of my people the same way anyone else tells stories in a big city,” said Forbes, who joined WYMT as a reporter in 2018. 

Forbes grew up watching local news on WYMT not just for information but for connection. Those early moments of learning what mattered in his community slowly grew into a desire to tell those same kinds of stories himself. Over time, that curiosity became a career grounded in respect for the people whose lives fill the headlines. 

Storytelling for Forbes began long before a newsroom. Like many people in Appalachia, he learned by listening. Family stories shared freely helped him understand the power of being seen and remembered. Reading and writing followed, and eventually journalism gave him a way to stay in the mountains while serving the people who shaped him. What once felt like a limitation became a gift. 

“I know how important it is for this region to have a voice. The fact that people allow me into their homes, literally through their TVs. That still amazes me today,” said Forbes, who studied print journalism at the University of Pikeville. 

“I started at the Appalachian News Express in Pikeville and expected to stay there,” he added. “But God opens doors, and you follow. I never expected to be on television. But when you find places like this, you hold on to them, and they become your passion and your life.” 

Faith has guided many of Forbes’s decisions, including staying in the region and sharing stories when people have faced their most challenging times. Because he chose to stay in Eastern Kentucky, Forbes said he has grown personally and professionally while honoring the people whose stories deserve care. “These are my people. This is my mountain family,” he said. 

Local journalism matters deeply to Forbes because it treats people as more than headlines. He believes the person always comes before the story, especially in moments of loss or hardship. His memories of the 2022 flood and the lives forever changed by it continue to shape how he approaches his work. 

“Lives start and end in local journalism. From birth announcements to everything that follows, people need their stories told,” Forbes explained. “No one is going to come into this region and truly understand it unless they care deeply about it.” 

He added, “Local journalism is an investment in the region. Someone from outside can tell a story, but it won’t be told the same way as someone who lives here and understands the struggles and successes. We’ve seen changes in the media landscape, but locally vested journalism is still crucial. If we don’t have it, our stories won’t be told the way they deserve to be told.”