Bob Jordan (newscaster) facts for kids

Robert Howard (Bob) Jordan, Jr. (born August 31, 1943) is a retired American television news journalist and author. He was a well-known weekend news anchor for the WGN News at Nine on WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. From 1995 until he retired in 2016, he co-anchored the weekend news with Jackie Bange. Bob Jordan also worked behind the scenes, helping to produce and write news stories. He was also a reporter, covering many different types of news.

Learning and Growing: Bob Jordan's Education

Bob Jordan is a very educated person! He earned a special advanced degree called a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Education from Loyola University Chicago in 1999. This degree focused on how people learn and important ideas about right and wrong.

Before that, in 1994, he received a Master of Arts degree in Speech from Northeastern Illinois University. His first college degree, a bachelor's degree in General Studies, came from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Serving His Country: Military Career

Before starting his career in television, Bob Jordan served in the United States Army. He worked as a Surgical Assistant, helping out in medical procedures.

A Career in News: From Nashville to Chicago

Bob Jordan's long career in television began in 1970 at WSM-TV in Nashville, Tennessee. At first, he was a booth announcer, which means he did voice-overs for commercials and other parts of the show. He also became a news anchor for a morning show and gave short news updates on camera.

Reporting the News: WGN-TV and CBS

In 1973, Bob Jordan joined WGN-TV in Chicago as a general assignment reporter. This meant he covered all sorts of news stories. He also anchored the One O'Clock News for a while.

In 1978, Jordan left WGN-TV to work for CBS News in Chicago. For two years, he reported on stories from the Midwest for the famous national news show, the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.

Bob Jordan returned to WGN-TV in 1980. By then, WGN-TV had become a "superstation," meaning its programs could be watched all over the country through cable TV. He continued his important work there.

On August 14, 2016, Bob Jordan announced he would retire from his full-time role as weekend co-anchor at WGN-TV on September 25. However, he continued to fill in as a news anchor when needed for a bit longer.

Sharing Stories: Bob Jordan's Books and Writing

After retiring from his main news anchor role, Bob Jordan published his first book in November 2017. It's called "Murder in The News: An Inside Look at How Television Covers Crime." This book gives readers a peek into how TV news reports on crime stories.

Bob Jordan has also written other things, including two movie scripts named "Anthony's Key" and "Multi-Man." He has also written articles for the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

Giving Back: Other Interests

Bob Jordan is also very involved in his community. He serves on the Board of Directors for several local organizations. These include the John G. Shedd Aquarium, which is a popular place to see aquatic animals. He also helps the Safer Foundation and The Night Ministry, which are groups that support people in need. He is also part of an advisory board for The Salvation Army.

Family Life

Bob Jordan lives in Lincolnwood, Illinois, with his wife, Sharon. They have a daughter named Karen, who has followed in her father's footsteps! Karen is also a reporter and anchor in Chicago, working for WLS-TV, the ABC-TV station. Her husband, Christian Farr, is also a reporter for WMAQ-TV, the NBC-TV station in Chicago. It's a family of news professionals!