Walter Jacobson

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Walter David Jacobson (born July 28, 1937) is a former Chicago television news personality and a current Chicago radio news personality.

He currently provides opinion segments for WGN Radio AM 720.

From 2010 until 2013, he was an anchor of the 6 p.m.

news on WBBM-TV in Chicago, where he also had worked from 1973 until 1993.

From 1993 until 2006, he was principal anchor on WFLD-TV's FOX News at 9 and the host of FOX Chicago Perspective, a one-hour news and political show that aired Sunday mornings on WFLD.

Early life

Walter David Jacobson was born at Michael Reese Hospital on Chicago's South Side, the son of insurance agent Sam Jacobson and Anne Jacobson. His family lived on Kenmore Avenue in Chicago's far north side. A Chicagoan during his youth, Jacobson's love for the Chicago Cubs led him to become a batboy for the team in 1952 and 1953, and motivated him to his first journalism job as the sports editor for his grammar school newspaper.

In sixth grade, Jacobson's family moved to Glencoe, Illinois. Jacobson attended New Trier High School (Class of 1955), received his bachelor's degree in political science from Grinnell College in 1959 and his master's degree in journalism from Columbia University in New York.

Personal life

Jacobson has been married three times. He wed his college sweetheart, Lynn Straus, in 1960. The couple divorced in the 1970s after having two children together, Peter (born March 24, 1965) and Wendy (born July 1963). "God, can you imagine naming kids Peter and Wendy? I'd never even read 'Peter Pan,'" Jacobson told the Chicago Tribune in a profile in 1984.

In 1982, Jacobson married Diane Dybsky, a former schoolteacher. They later divorced, after having two daughters, Julia and Genevieve. In March 1995, Jacobson married advertising executive Susan G. "Susie" Jacobson. She died in 2019.

Walter Jacobson's son, Peter Jacobson, is an actor who has appeared in the television programs Will & Grace, Law & Order, and House and films like Good Night, and Good Luck, Transformers and Failure to Launch. Peter Jacobson also has done stage work in New York City.

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Newspaper career

Jacobson began his career at the Chicago City News Bureau and later joined United Press International's Chicago bureau. He joined the Chicago American newspaper's news staff, where he was the legman for legendary columnist Jack Mabley.

Broadcasting career

Jacobson left the Chicago American in 1963 to join WBBM-TV as a news reporter, and was appointed as a full-time reporter in 1968. In 1970, he became the WBBM's political editor. Jacobson was shot by WBBM-TV in 1971 and moved to WMAQ for two years. With Bill Kurtis, he returned to WBBM as an investigative reporter and anchor, co-anchoring the 10 p.m. news for the next 16 years. Kurtis and Jacobson formed a legendary anchor team in Chicago, and the team enjoyed unprecedented ratings dominance from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. Kurtis left for three years in 1982 to go to CBS News in New York, and WBBM fell out of first place four years later. Following a controversies with WBBM's leadership, Jacobson left for WFLD in 1993. Two years ago, the station was downgraded to last place.

While at WBBM, Jacobson's "Walter Jacobson's Perspective" commentaries, which were broadcast live from his own office during the station's 10 p.m. newscasts, caused a lot of controversies. Government waste and political hypocrisy were often criticized by the commentators. Jacobson sluggishly chastised Chicago's mayor, Harold Washington, for claiming that Washington used city employees to paint and redecorate his apartment in May 1983. Washington said that city employees were only used for security-related improvements. "You're at the bottom of the barrel," Washington called out Jacobson at a television academy luncheon months later.

Jacobson was also known for his temper when he first joined the WBBM. In March 1977, he was banned from work for two days for being what his news chief called a "disruptive component" in the newsroom. Jacobson wrote the Chicago Tribune at the time, "I think arguments are valid, and I certainly don't think I've been cruel." Jacobson, a WBBM executive news producer, engaged in a shouting contest in a bank near WBBM's studios in April 1986. Boles was fired a few weeks later. With reference to the previous evening's newscast, another shouting match took place in the middle of the newsroom between Jacobson and an assignment desk reporter in February 1988. Jacobson was found to have thrown a book at a newsroom employee's head, causing him and the employee to be summoned to the station's general manager's office in February 1992. Jacobson later told the Tribune that the incident was simply his publisher's book over a divide, and Jacobson then "toss it back." "You fuck you!" Jacobson exclaimed in February 1994, after bouncing to WFLD. During a live newscast, a director from an off-camera director was introduced to an off-camera producer. "I just snapped for an instant," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I muttered a swear word under my breath." I exploded. I'm human."

Jacobson was approached by Chicago liberals in September 1973 about a bid for mayor against Richard J. Daley, but they declined. He was the sole anchor of the 5PM newscast from 1976 to 1986, co-anchor of afternoon newscasts from 1986 to September 1991, and co-anchor of the 10pm newscast for 16 years before being replaced by Linda MacLennan in 1989.

Jacobson had an exclusive interview with serial killer John Wayne Gacy in 1992 — an interview in which he described "the biggest scoop of my life." Jacobson won the lottery to be one of 12 journalists and onlookers to watch Gacy's execution two years ago.

While the usual anchor, Rob Johnson, was attending a friend's wedding, Jacobson returned to Chicago for one evening with his co-anchor Bill Kurtis 20 years ago.

Jacobson and Bill Kurtis will anchor the 6 p.m. newscast beginning on September 29, 2010.

When their terms were not renewed, Jacobson and Kurtis resigned as WBBM's news anchors in February 2013.

Jacobson became the station's top male news anchor in 1993, co-anchoring the station's historic 9 p.m. newscast with Robin Robinson. Jacobson, Byron Harlan, Nancy Pender, and Corey McPherrin were among the station's most popular news personalities, including Robin Robinson, Tamron Hall, Byron Harlan, Nancy Pender, and Corey McPherrin. largely due to his celebrity, WFLD's newscasts have less of a tabloid feel than other FOX stations. However, they are much more flashy than other newscasts in Chicago, particularly when compared to WBBM during Jacobson's time there.

Walter Jacobson in Perspective was his own commentary segment on television during a large portion of his career. Walter's basic idea revolved around his rants, which usually included bits of social commentary or assaults on major injustices throughout the Midwest. Walter was never afraid to 'overstep' his boundaries. He will often go after corrupt City of Chicago officials or lash out at city employees and police officers who did not have any work. In addition, Walter will use his fame to advocate for the unempowered, assisting with various city-based issues in impoverished communities, as well as supporting many blue-collar employees.

Although Walter had success for himself and the city of Chicago, many traditional and conservative commentators had frequently chastised him. Walter dedicated one of his segments to publicizing hate mail he received throughout his career. Although the majority of the letters contained potent and vulgar tones, some of whom were outraged at Walter's inability to enforce firearms control, one letter praised him for his hard work, while Walter thanked the writer.

Jacobson used his air time to inform Chicagoans amusing, but not necessarily newsworthy anecdotes. He once used at least ten minutes of air time to explain how he lost his baseball glove at Wrigley Field as a kid and how it was returned and returned to him.

According to a December 19, 1993, article in the Chicago Sun-Times, Jacobson appeared on the news wearing a T-shirt in November 1993.

During a January 1995 broadcast, Jacobson revealed the home phone number of Illinois Supreme Court Justice James D. Heiple and encouraged viewers to call Heiple to inform Heiple what they think of his decision in the controversial Baby Richard child custody controversy. "I wanted to call him up and then nag him until he did the right thing," Jacobson explained. The stunt was condemned by local newspaper columnists universally condemning it, and a local bar association referred to the act as "journalistic stalking." Jacobson later admitted that he had gone "over the line."

Jacobson was demoted from his position as the WFLD's top male news anchor in September 2004 when the station chose Mark Suppelsa to replace him as the WFLD's ninth p.m. news anchor. During the station's 9 p.m. newscasts, Jacobson remained at the station, hosting a public-affairs talk show on Sunday morning and giving his "Perpetual" commentaries.

Following Vice President Dick Cheney's well-publicized hunting mishap in which he mistakenly shot a fellow hunter, Jacobson chastised Cheney for not speaking out about the incident. "I'm after you, Dick Cheney," Walter mused in his remark. Later today, "You can't hide in the White House forever, I'll be waiting outside," despite boasting his portable coffee cup at a good time to show that outside the White House, he'll be relaxed and content with a warm drink.

Jacobson announced in April 2006 that he would leave WFLD in order to retire, but that was due to the station's decision not to renew his contract. On every 9 p.m. broadcast before April 30, WFLD broadcasted a special segment to honor Walter and his contributions and achievements throughout his career.

During John Kass' appearance, Jacobson began working as a commentator at WLS-AM radio in Chicago, airing his "Perpetual" commentaries every morning at 9:56 a.m. on Sunday. This is the first time Jacobson has worked in radio.

Acting career

In 1990, Jacobson made a cameo appearance as himself in CBS' short-lived sitcom Uncle Buck, which was based on the same name. On October 1, 1990, the episode premiered.

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