Brad Alan Edwards (born January 5, 1979) is an American journalist. He is currently the primary anchor for CBS News Chicago [1], the station's 24/7 digital streaming service. Edwards is Chicago's first openly-gay main news anchor [2].
Prior to joining CBS 2 Chicago in 2012, Edwards anchored and reported in Detroit [3]; Indianapolis [4]; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Lansing, Michigan. At each station, The Associated Press named him Reporter of the Year [5].
In 2021, Edwards opened up about a rare leukemia diagnosis to the Chicago Tribune [6].
Edwards was born in Grand Rapids, MI on January 5th, 1979 to the late Don "The Animal" Edwards, a Hall of Fame collegiate basketball player at Central Michigan University. He was later a Division I football and basketball official [7], and Francine K. Edwards, a registered nurse. Edwards attended Michigan State University as an education major, but later switched to journalism. He graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in telecommunications.
Edwards began his career as a part-time reporter in Lansing, MI at WSYM-TV/WELG-TV from 2000-2001, while attending school. Following graduation from Michigan State University in 2001, Edwards stayed in Lansing, MI and served as weekend anchor and reporter for WLNS-TV.
In 2003, Edwards moved to Grand Rapids, MI to join WOOD-TV as a weekend anchor and reporter.
Edwards relocated to Detroit, MI where he worked as a reporter and anchor for WJBK-TV from 2007-2010 [8]. His year-long inquiry into the Wayne County morgue led to the burial of dozens of indigent souls, and the fast-tracking of funding for a massive facility expansion [9].
From 2010-2011, Edwards served as anchor and investigative reporter in Indianapolis at WISH-TV.
Edwards was hired as a general assignment reporter for WBBM-TV in Chicago in March of 2012. Edwards immediately became the 10 p.m. lead reporter and joined the team of CBS 2 Investigators, working alongside longtime investigative journalists Pam Zekman and Dave Savini. Edwards was promoted to main anchor in March of 2019 [10].
In 2021, Edwards won the nation's top broadcast writing award: the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in writing [11]. His exposé on Chicago's broken water billing system - Getting Hosed - won Emmy Awards in 2019 [12], 2020 [13] and 2021 [14] and the 2020 RTDNA / NEFE award for Personal Finance Reporting [15].
In 2021, Illinois instituted two new state laws following a revelatory investigation by Edwards and his team [16]. The statutes protect the identities of sex abuse victims, after Edwards' series showed a deeply disturbing pattern of unfettered public access to such information.
In 2022, Edwards was named primary anchor to CBS News Chicago, the station's 24/7 streaming network [17].
Edwards served on the Board of Directors at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago from 2017-2021 [18] and has been a board member for Devices 4 the Disabled since 2020 [19]. He is currently the CBS 2 Chicago's SAG-AFTRA Steward.
Brad Edwards is the first openly gay, main news anchor in the City of Chicago, IL. He came out to his parents when he was 20-years-old.
He is the youngest of two sons. His brother, Matt Edwards, is an NFL official [20].
Edwards met Ginger Zee, ABC News' Chief Meteorologist, while working as an anchor at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, MI. Zee wrote extensively about their friendship in her New York Times bestselling 2017 autobiography Natural Disaster. Chapter 7 is entitled Brad [21]. Edwards and Zee dated for 18 months. The two remain close friends today.
Brad's godmother and Aunt, Barbara Edwards, was killed on September 11, 2001 [22]. She was returning home on American Airlines Flight 77 after attending a friend's wedding in Connecticut. In 2021, Brad wrote and produced her untold story that aired on CBS Chicago's Sunday night special Remembering 9/11: 20 Years Later [23].
Edwards father, Don Craig Edwards, passed away on July 30, 2005 at age 61 after a battle with cancer [24].
In 2017, Edwards was diagnosed with large granular lymphocyte ( LGL) leukemia [25]. He resides in Chicago.
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Brad Alan Edwards (born January 5, 1979) is an American journalist. He is currently the primary anchor for CBS News Chicago [1], the station's 24/7 digital streaming service. Edwards is Chicago's first openly-gay main news anchor [2].
Prior to joining CBS 2 Chicago in 2012, Edwards anchored and reported in Detroit [3]; Indianapolis [4]; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Lansing, Michigan. At each station, The Associated Press named him Reporter of the Year [5].
In 2021, Edwards opened up about a rare leukemia diagnosis to the Chicago Tribune [6].
Edwards was born in Grand Rapids, MI on January 5th, 1979 to the late Don "The Animal" Edwards, a Hall of Fame collegiate basketball player at Central Michigan University. He was later a Division I football and basketball official [7], and Francine K. Edwards, a registered nurse. Edwards attended Michigan State University as an education major, but later switched to journalism. He graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in telecommunications.
Edwards began his career as a part-time reporter in Lansing, MI at WSYM-TV/WELG-TV from 2000-2001, while attending school. Following graduation from Michigan State University in 2001, Edwards stayed in Lansing, MI and served as weekend anchor and reporter for WLNS-TV.
In 2003, Edwards moved to Grand Rapids, MI to join WOOD-TV as a weekend anchor and reporter.
Edwards relocated to Detroit, MI where he worked as a reporter and anchor for WJBK-TV from 2007-2010 [8]. His year-long inquiry into the Wayne County morgue led to the burial of dozens of indigent souls, and the fast-tracking of funding for a massive facility expansion [9].
From 2010-2011, Edwards served as anchor and investigative reporter in Indianapolis at WISH-TV.
Edwards was hired as a general assignment reporter for WBBM-TV in Chicago in March of 2012. Edwards immediately became the 10 p.m. lead reporter and joined the team of CBS 2 Investigators, working alongside longtime investigative journalists Pam Zekman and Dave Savini. Edwards was promoted to main anchor in March of 2019 [10].
In 2021, Edwards won the nation's top broadcast writing award: the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in writing [11]. His exposé on Chicago's broken water billing system - Getting Hosed - won Emmy Awards in 2019 [12], 2020 [13] and 2021 [14] and the 2020 RTDNA / NEFE award for Personal Finance Reporting [15].
In 2021, Illinois instituted two new state laws following a revelatory investigation by Edwards and his team [16]. The statutes protect the identities of sex abuse victims, after Edwards' series showed a deeply disturbing pattern of unfettered public access to such information.
In 2022, Edwards was named primary anchor to CBS News Chicago, the station's 24/7 streaming network [17].
Edwards served on the Board of Directors at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago from 2017-2021 [18] and has been a board member for Devices 4 the Disabled since 2020 [19]. He is currently the CBS 2 Chicago's SAG-AFTRA Steward.
Brad Edwards is the first openly gay, main news anchor in the City of Chicago, IL. He came out to his parents when he was 20-years-old.
He is the youngest of two sons. His brother, Matt Edwards, is an NFL official [20].
Edwards met Ginger Zee, ABC News' Chief Meteorologist, while working as an anchor at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, MI. Zee wrote extensively about their friendship in her New York Times bestselling 2017 autobiography Natural Disaster. Chapter 7 is entitled Brad [21]. Edwards and Zee dated for 18 months. The two remain close friends today.
Brad's godmother and Aunt, Barbara Edwards, was killed on September 11, 2001 [22]. She was returning home on American Airlines Flight 77 after attending a friend's wedding in Connecticut. In 2021, Brad wrote and produced her untold story that aired on CBS Chicago's Sunday night special Remembering 9/11: 20 Years Later [23].
Edwards father, Don Craig Edwards, passed away on July 30, 2005 at age 61 after a battle with cancer [24].
In 2017, Edwards was diagnosed with large granular lymphocyte ( LGL) leukemia [25]. He resides in Chicago.
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