Steve Sanders (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Steve Sanders is an award-winning American
television news anchor who works for WGN-TV
(channel 9), the CW affiliate in Chicago, Illinois and a national cable superstation
. Sanders co-anchors the WGN Midday News from 11am-1pm, with Allison Payne
, as well as occasional reports during the station's other newscasts.
with a degree in political science with a minor in communications. He began his television career as a studio floor director at then-ABC
affiliate WBRC-TV in Birmingham (now a Fox
affiliate) in 1970. He became inspired to go in front of the camera as a news anchor while watching the anchor appear on camera from behind the scenes. His first on-air job was for local radio station WERC
radio as a news anchor from 1973 to 1979. During this period, Sanders was honored with numerous journalism awards for his writing and reporting.
Sanders also had a two-year stint as a local helicopter traffic reporter, which nearly cost him his life when the helicopter he flew in crashed near the Birmingham airport in 1976. He had sustained only minor injuries in the accident. He returned to television as a weekend anchor and reporter for NBC
affiliate WVTM-TV
(channel 13) in 1979.
Sanders is a veteran broadcast journalist, who began his tenure at WGN-TV as a general assignment reporter in 1982. In 1984, Sanders was promoted to being principal anchor of the station's noon newscast, then-known as "Chicago's Midday News" (now part of the "WGN Midday News"). In November 1993, Sanders became the co-anchor of the station's 9 p.m. newscast, anchoring the newscast (mostly) alongside Allison Payne for fifteen years until July 2008, when he returned to being anchor of the station's midday newscast and was re-paired with Allison Payne after anchoring the newscast with Micah Materre for a few months prior.
's "Silver Gavel Award," as well as awards from the Illinois chapter of the Associated Press
and the Chicago Bar Association.
In 1998, Sanders was honored for his writing with an award from the Associated Press for his tribute to late Chicago Tribune
columnist Mike Royko
. Since the 1990s, Sanders has also served as an honorary chairman of the annual Tophat Ball, held by Marklund's, which serves the needs of children and adults with disablities.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television news anchor who works for WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
(channel 9), the CW affiliate in Chicago, Illinois and a national cable superstation
Superstation
Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. In its most precise meaning, a superstation is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as "A television broadcast station, other than a network station, licensed by the FCC that is secondarily transmitted by a satellite...
. Sanders co-anchors the WGN Midday News from 11am-1pm, with Allison Payne
Allison Payne
Allison Payne is a Nine-time Emmy Award winner, a 21-year anchorwoman with WGN TV, a veteran international journalist, a popular Public Speaker, and an actively involved community builder. She was a longtime anchor and reporter at CW affiliate and cable superstation WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois...
, as well as occasional reports during the station's other newscasts.
Career
Sanders graduated from the University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
with a degree in political science with a minor in communications. He began his television career as a studio floor director at then-ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate WBRC-TV in Birmingham (now a Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate) in 1970. He became inspired to go in front of the camera as a news anchor while watching the anchor appear on camera from behind the scenes. His first on-air job was for local radio station WERC
WERC
WERC — branded News Radio 105.5 WERC — is a news/talk radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama, and serving the Birmingham market as a complete simulcast of sister station WERC-FM...
radio as a news anchor from 1973 to 1979. During this period, Sanders was honored with numerous journalism awards for his writing and reporting.
Sanders also had a two-year stint as a local helicopter traffic reporter, which nearly cost him his life when the helicopter he flew in crashed near the Birmingham airport in 1976. He had sustained only minor injuries in the accident. He returned to television as a weekend anchor and reporter for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate WVTM-TV
WVTM-TV
WVTM-TV, channel 13, is the NBC-affiliated television station in the Birmingham-Anniston-Tuscaloosa-Gadsden, Alabama television market. The station is owned by Media General...
(channel 13) in 1979.
Sanders is a veteran broadcast journalist, who began his tenure at WGN-TV as a general assignment reporter in 1982. In 1984, Sanders was promoted to being principal anchor of the station's noon newscast, then-known as "Chicago's Midday News" (now part of the "WGN Midday News"). In November 1993, Sanders became the co-anchor of the station's 9 p.m. newscast, anchoring the newscast (mostly) alongside Allison Payne for fifteen years until July 2008, when he returned to being anchor of the station's midday newscast and was re-paired with Allison Payne after anchoring the newscast with Micah Materre for a few months prior.
Awards and recognition
During his tenure at WGN-TV, Sanders has won numerous journalism awards. He has won five Regional News Emmys, including one for his investigative reporting in 1991. Sanders also was honored with the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
's "Silver Gavel Award," as well as awards from the Illinois chapter of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and the Chicago Bar Association.
In 1998, Sanders was honored for his writing with an award from the Associated Press for his tribute to late Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
columnist Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
. Since the 1990s, Sanders has also served as an honorary chairman of the annual Tophat Ball, held by Marklund's, which serves the needs of children and adults with disablities.