Ron Kershaw | |
---|---|
Born | North Carolina, US | August 19, 1943
Died | July 3, 1988 | (aged 44)
Occupation(s) | television news director, reporter |
Years active | 1974-1988 |
Known for | Action News |
Ron Kershaw (August 19, 1943 – July 3, 1988) was an American television news reporter. [1] Kershaw was the news director in several U.S. markets, including New York City, Chicago and Baltimore. [2]
Kershaw grew up in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and later moved to Arizona where he attended Glendale Community College. From 1961 to 1969 he served in the United States Air Force. [2]
In 1974, Kershaw was hired by WBAL-TV in Baltimore to shore up its sagging news ratings. He introduced the Action News format, hired new talent, such as Mike Hambrick And Ron Smith [3] and moved the station from last to first in less than a year. Sue Simmons and Spencer Christian were also among Kershaw's protégés.
In 1979, Kershaw moved on to WNBC-TV in New York, where he collaborated with Peter Sang in bringing the "control room" set into TV news, taking the station from last in the ratings to a market leader in two years. [4] Kershaw was also mentor to Bucky Gunts, [5] who worked for Kershaw in Baltimore and Chicago. In 1982, Kershaw NBC promoted Kershaw to be the program producer of NBC Sports. [2]
While in Houston, Kershaw had been dating Jessica Savitch, a news reporter with a rival television station in Texas. Kershaw helped Savitch develop her reporting skills during their stormy ten-year relationship. [6] The relationship was depicted in the made-for-television movie: Almost Golden, about Savitch's life. [7]
In 1987, Kershaw met Giselle Fernandez, whom he had hired as a reporter at WBBM-TV. They were engaged to be married when Kershaw died of pancreatic and liver cancer on July 3, 1988, at age 44. [8] [9] [10]Kershaw is survived by a daughter, Lee Ann and a son, Beau Kershaw, an award-winning photojournalist, who once worked at Kershaw's old station, WBAL-TV in Baltimore. [11] Young Kershaw's awards include an Emmy Award [12] three Emmy nominations, a Grantham Prize and the duPont-Columbia silver baton. [13]
Ron Kershaw | |
---|---|
Born | North Carolina, US | August 19, 1943
Died | July 3, 1988 | (aged 44)
Occupation(s) | television news director, reporter |
Years active | 1974-1988 |
Known for | Action News |
Ron Kershaw (August 19, 1943 – July 3, 1988) was an American television news reporter. [1] Kershaw was the news director in several U.S. markets, including New York City, Chicago and Baltimore. [2]
Kershaw grew up in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and later moved to Arizona where he attended Glendale Community College. From 1961 to 1969 he served in the United States Air Force. [2]
In 1974, Kershaw was hired by WBAL-TV in Baltimore to shore up its sagging news ratings. He introduced the Action News format, hired new talent, such as Mike Hambrick And Ron Smith [3] and moved the station from last to first in less than a year. Sue Simmons and Spencer Christian were also among Kershaw's protégés.
In 1979, Kershaw moved on to WNBC-TV in New York, where he collaborated with Peter Sang in bringing the "control room" set into TV news, taking the station from last in the ratings to a market leader in two years. [4] Kershaw was also mentor to Bucky Gunts, [5] who worked for Kershaw in Baltimore and Chicago. In 1982, Kershaw NBC promoted Kershaw to be the program producer of NBC Sports. [2]
While in Houston, Kershaw had been dating Jessica Savitch, a news reporter with a rival television station in Texas. Kershaw helped Savitch develop her reporting skills during their stormy ten-year relationship. [6] The relationship was depicted in the made-for-television movie: Almost Golden, about Savitch's life. [7]
In 1987, Kershaw met Giselle Fernandez, whom he had hired as a reporter at WBBM-TV. They were engaged to be married when Kershaw died of pancreatic and liver cancer on July 3, 1988, at age 44. [8] [9] [10]Kershaw is survived by a daughter, Lee Ann and a son, Beau Kershaw, an award-winning photojournalist, who once worked at Kershaw's old station, WBAL-TV in Baltimore. [11] Young Kershaw's awards include an Emmy Award [12] three Emmy nominations, a Grantham Prize and the duPont-Columbia silver baton. [13]