Weeters 1811 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 From a press release: TODAY’S TMJ4 VETERAN ANCHOR MIKE JACOBS TO RETIRE MILWAUKEE - TODAY’S TMJ4 (WTMJ-TV), Southeastern Wisconsin’s NBC affiliate, announced today that anchor Mike Jacobs will retire at the end of May 2015. Jacobs is the longest-serving TV news anchor in the Milwaukee area. He started reporting and anchoring at WTMJ-TV in August 1977 and currently anchors the station’s evening newscasts, “Live at 5:00,” “Live at 6:00,” “Wisconsin Tonight,” and “Live at 10:00.” Janet Hundley, News Director at TODAY’S TMJ4, says the station will celebrate Jacobs’ career and his contribution to the Milwaukee area throughout the month of May. “Mike is part of the fabric of this great community,” Hundley said. “We want to take some time on the air to thank him and to give viewers a chance to look back at some of the stories Mike has covered…stories that have had a big impact on our lives.” Over the course of his 37 years at the station, Jacobs has reported news from around the globe, including assignments in Rome and Beirut. However, it’s the stories that happened close to home that Jacobs is most proud of covering. “It’s been a blessing to work for a great TV station for more than 37 years,” Jacobs said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed witnessing history...in Milwaukee and around the world. It’s been a pleasure working with so many talented journalists, but it’s time to spend more time with my family. I’d like to thank our viewers for welcoming me into their homes. And I’d especially like to thank TODAY’S TMJ4 for allowing me to do something I truly love.” According to Joe Poss, Vice President and General Manager of TODAY’S TMJ4, “Mike is leaving a legacy of excellence at this station. He has set a high bar for journalistic integrity, hard work and passion. We will truly miss him.” Steven Smith, Chairman and CEO of Journal Communications, started with the company just one year earlier than Jacobs. According to Smith, “I have known Mike as a dedicated journalist, a supportive colleague and an overall terrific person. Viewers and listeners have trusted Mike because his high professional standards and great regard for the audience have always been very apparent. We are honored and thankful that Mike chose to spend his distinguished career serving the Milwaukee community with Journal Broadcast Group.” Jacobs’ work has been honored many times throughout his career. Most notably, he is the winner of two Emmys and a Peabody Award. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Jacobs was named “Television Journalist of the Year” by the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2008, Jacobs was inducted into the Chicago/Midwest Regional Chapter of Television Arts & Sciences Silver Circle, the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award. Jacobs attended Drake University in Des Moines, where he majored in radio and television. While a senior at Drake, Mike got a job as a cameraman with WHO-TV. In 1973, following graduation, the company offered him a part-time job, which eventually led to his first full-time TV reporting gig. A couple of years later, Mike moved to Rockford, Illinois to take an anchoring job at WREX-TV, a job he held until joining TODAY'S TMJ4 in 1977. About Journal Broadcast Group Journal Broadcast Group owns and operates 34 radio stations and 13 television stations in 11 states. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it is the broadcast business of Journal Communications Inc., a diversified media company with operations in publishing, radio and television broadcasting, and interactive media. ------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 "Retiring" right before Scripps takes over. Coincidence? I think not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1811 Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 I've heard rumors he was aiming to retire this year since last fall. I think this last ratings period may have been encouragement for management to nudge him towards the door... I think it's legitimately a coincidence this was announced a week beforr Scripps takes over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 His retirement may just be a coincidence, but I've also heard rumors that he may just be the first in a long line of departures/re-assignments... But the real question is, does TMJ4 promote from within to replace Jacobs, or do they bring in someone new (a la WISN and Craig McKee). I'll be the first to predict they promote Steve Chamraz to main anchor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breaking News 802 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Would WTMJ bring back Mike Gousha back to the evening newscast, because he did do the evening news back in the day? Why not bring Mike back? I wonder if Carole Meekins is next on the chopping block? How the mighty has fallen at WTMJ 4, they were once the powerhouse in the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoadStar 363 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Would WTMJ bring back Mike Gousha back to the evening newscast, because he did do the evening news back in the day? Why not bring Mike back? I wonder if Carole Meekins is next on the chopping block? How the mighty has fallen at WTMJ 4, they were once the powerhouse in the market. Mike Gousha is with WISN, I presume under contract. He hosts Upfront, their Sunday-morning local "meet the press" style show, and also serves as their political analyst. He also holds a position with Marquette University ("Distinguished Fellow in Law and Public Policy at Marquette University Law School") and I get the impression that he enjoys that arrangement. (The fact that WISN is directly adjacent to the Marquette campus probably doesn't hurt.) I would be surprised if he would be coaxed away from WISN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glimmer 238 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Jacobs will definitely missed at the good old 'TMJ. Steve Chamraz and Charles Benson seem to be his most frequent substitutes at the desk, so I would guess it'll likely be one of them if they don't hire from outside the station. While we're on the subject of longtime Milwaukee anchors, Kathy Mykelby's future at WISN has been crossing my mind with this news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Gousha has no interest in going back to anchoring a daily newscast. He has a sweet deal with WISN to do his Sunday show. Jacobs was a nice guy, but he's smart to get out now. I'm not a Chamraz fan, would love to see them find someone from outside the building. Mykleby has at least another year or so left in the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrh1985 56 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Like me, for anyone who missed the newscast last night, it’s on Youtube: It certainly looks sincere to me. Either that or Mike is not showing that he’s leaving for another reason. It looks like he has good points, He’s 64, worked there for 37 years, wants more time with family Refresh me on Scripps. When are they taking over TMJ4? Will there be a graphics change? Don’t they like who’s on TMJ4? I can’t see Carole or Mike for that matter being fired/leaving just because of Scripps. I can think of people who should leave but not the top anchors. My gut tells me Steve will take over, but you never know. I’m not worried about Kathy and WISN but then, I was shocked by Mike’s news last night. Any talk of Sally’s future with WISN??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Like me, for anyone who missed the newscast last night, it’s on Youtube: It certainly looks sincere to me. Either that or Mike is not showing that he’s leaving for another reason. It looks like he has good points, He’s 64, worked there for 37 years, wants more time with family Refresh me on Scripps. When are they taking over TMJ4? Will there be a graphics change? Don’t they like who’s on TMJ4? I can’t see Carole or Mike for that matter being fired/leaving just because of Scripps. I can think of people who should leave but not the top anchors. My gut tells me Steve will take over, but you never know. I’m not worried about Kathy and WISN but then, I was shocked by Mike’s news last night. Any talk of Sally’s future with WISN??? Scripps officially takes over April 1st. Graphics will change, the only question is when. And it's not necessarily a case of Scripps not liking the people at TMJ, it's that they were a consistent first or second in the ratings for as long as anyone can remember, and the over the past year have been consistently falling; culminating with a last place finish last ratings period. A new news director took over last year and has been making small changes, so with Scripps taking control, they may take it as an opportunity to "clean house". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webovision 202 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Would WTMJ bring back Mike Gousha back to the evening newscast, because he did do the evening news back in the day? Why not bring Mike back? I wonder if Carole Meekins is next on the chopping block? How the mighty has fallen at WTMJ 4, they were once the powerhouse in the market. no. if management had any reason to push jacobs out the door, it was his age. they won't replace one geezer with another... chamraz is more than likely to be the new primary anchor. they won't give it to benson because he's one of the best political reporters in the nation and has some good "ins" with scott walker's people among others... carole will probably be the next high profile talent to leave. i can think of a few people who might replace her. courtny would be the obvious choice but i feel like katie crowther would fill the role nicely... certainly not the last of the anchor changes. the "fun" is only beginning.... graphics: rumor is scripps can't decide if it wants to keep the journal stations that have vizrt on that platform and switch the current scripps stations to viz (which is much more powerful and feature-rich than chyron) or toss the relatively new viz stuff the journal stations have and replace it with chyron... that will be the deciding factor in how long it takes tmj to get new graphics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrh1985 56 Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Article on who may replace Jacobs: http://www.duanedudek.com/blog/2015/03/31/who-will-replace-wtmj-tv-anchor-mike-jacobs/ Regarding Scripps, Watched Live At Daybreak this morning, didn't notice anything different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Regarding Scripps, Watched Live At Daybreak this morning, didn't notice anything different. Well, they did close with the Scripps ID. So there's that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTVNews 1366 Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Article on who may replace Jacobs: http://www.duanedudek.com/blog/2015/03/31/who-will-replace-wtmj-tv-anchor-mike-jacobs/ My money is on Charles Benson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1811 Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Well, they did close with the Scripps ID. So there's that. Well, the music on that has the Inergy signature. There won't be changes for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if new graphics didn't show up until AT LEAST November sweeps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 WTMJ has started their month long tribute to Mike, entitled "Mike Jacobs: A Career to Remember", where they run stories every night at 10 looking back his career. It also includes a dedicated section on their website. http://www.scrippsmedia.com/tmj4/news/mike-jacobs side note: So far, Katie Crowther has been doing the stories on Mike's career. Makes me wonder if they are leaning towards her as his replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Mike's last newscast is tonight at 10. Still no word on a replacement, at least from what I've seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 1847 Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Mike's last newscast is tonight at 10. Still no word on a replacement, at least from what I've seen. I'll record the open and the final segment, including his final words. I'll put it up on YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1811 Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 Mike's last newscast is tonight at 10. Still no word on a replacement, at least from what I've seen. That probably means they're going to take the summer to experiment with different anchor pairings and look for people outside the current talent group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 1847 Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 As I said, I recorded it. Open from last night: One last story on his career: Close and Mike Jacobs' final words: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.