Ed Gordon (journalist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ed Gordon
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Gordon at 2025 National Urban League Conference.
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| Born |
Edward Lansing Gordon III
August 17, 1960 |
| Education | Western Michigan University (BA) |
| Occupation | Television journalist, talk show host |
| Years active | 1986 – present |
| Spouse(s) | Karen Haney (divorced) Leslie Howard (current) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Ed Gordon Jr. Jimmie Hunt |
Edward Lansing Gordon III (born August 17, 1960) is a well-known American television journalist. He is famous for his work with BET for many years. Ed Gordon was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father, also named Ed Gordon, was an Olympic athlete.
Ed Gordon was the main news anchor for BET from 1988 to 1996. He returned to this role from 2000 to 2001. Later, he hosted interview shows like BET Tonight (2001–2002) and Weekly with Ed Gordon (2010–2011). Besides BET, Gordon also worked for NBC News, CBS News, and NPR. From 2006 to 2010, he hosted the talk show Our World with Black Enterprise.
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About Ed Gordon's Life
Ed Gordon was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father, Ed Gordon Jr., was a schoolteacher. He won a gold medal in the 1932 Summer Olympics for the long jump. Ed's mother, Jimmie Hunt, was also a teacher.
After finishing Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Ed went to Western Michigan University. He graduated in 1982 with a degree in communications and political science.
Ed Gordon's Career Journey
Starting Out in Detroit (1983–1988)
Ed Gordon wanted to be a television journalist. He took an unpaid internship at WTVS, a TV station in Detroit. From 1983 to 1985, he worked there as a production assistant.
In 1986, Gordon became the host of a local talk show called Detroit Black Journal. At the same time, he also worked as a freelance journalist for the new cable network, Black Entertainment Television (BET).
First Time at BET (1988–1996)
In 1988, Gordon joined BET full-time. He became the anchor of BET News, a weekly show. This show covered important topics for African-American communities and popular culture. When Gordon worked at BET, the news team was small, with only about 20 people. He often produced his interviews with just one or two helpers.
Starting in 1990, Gordon also hosted special hour-long interviews. These were part of a series called Conversation with Ed Gordon. He interviewed many famous people, including President Bill Clinton, actor Sidney Poitier, and singer Whitney Houston. After the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Gordon hosted a BET special called L.A. Aftermath: Black Men Speak Out. He also conducted the first interview with U.S. President George H. W. Bush after the riots.
On January 25, 1996, Gordon was the first journalist to interview former NFL star O. J. Simpson. This interview happened after Simpson was found not guilty of murder.
Working with NBC (1996–2000)
In July 1996, Gordon left BET to join NBC News. He became a daytime anchor and host of Internight on NBC's cable network, MSNBC. He also contributed to NBC's morning show, Today.
At MSNBC, Gordon reported on big news events. These included the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 1996. He also covered the crash of Swissair Flight 111 and Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba in 1998. In March 1999, Gordon became a regular reporter for Dateline NBC.
Second Time at BET (2000–2004)
Gordon returned to BET in 2000 to host BET News again, but this time it was a nightly show.
In 2001, Gordon took over as host of the interview program BET Tonight. He conducted several notable interviews for this show. One interview in May 2002 was with a popular R&B singer. In this interview, the singer discussed accusations against him. Another important interview was in December with Senator Trent Lott. A newspaper described Gordon as "polite but firm" in this interview, saying he made sure the senator answered the questions directly.
In December 2002, BET changed its focus to entertainment. Because of this, BET Tonight and other public affairs shows hosted by Gordon were canceled. Gordon continued to contribute to BET until 2004. He interviewed presidential candidate John Kerry for a special broadcast in October that year.
CBS and NPR (2004–2006)
In November 2004, Gordon became a reporter for the CBS News show 60 Minutes II. This show ran until 2005. After another host left National Public Radio (NPR), Gordon began hosting a show there called News & Notes. This show also focused on African-American issues, and he hosted it from 2005 to 2006.
Recent Work (Since 2006)
From 2006 to 2010, Gordon hosted the talk show Our World with Black Enterprise.
In March 2010, BET announced that Gordon would return to host "a variety of news programs and specials." His latest series, Weekly with Ed Gordon, started on October 3, 2010. The first episode featured an interview with Representative Charles B. Rangel. On the show, Gordon also discussed news and culture with a panel of four people. The show ran until March 2011.
In the fall of 2016, Gordon hosted a weekly news show on Bounce TV called Ed Gordon.
In 2020, Gordon released a book titled Conversations in Black: On Power, Politics, and Leadership.
In 2023, he returned to BET as a reporter for the newsmagazine America in Black. This show is made with CBS News. He also appeared several times on the second season, which was released in 2024. He interviewed President Joe Biden in July 2024.
Awards and Recognition
Ed Gordon has received many awards for his work, including:
- Emmy Award
- NAACP Image Award
- National Association of Black Journalists Journalist of the Year award
- Communication Excellence to Black Audiences Award for Merit
- Named in People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" list
Ed Gordon's Family Life
Ed Gordon has a daughter named Taylor, who was born in 1993. She is from his previous marriage to Karen Haney. When he worked for BET in Washington, D.C., he lived in nearby Alexandria, Virginia. Ed is now married to Leslie Howard and is a stepfather to her two children.
