This article is about the journalist. For the Colorado Governor, see Bill Ritter.
Bill Ritter (born February 26, 1950) is an American television news anchor and journalist. He has been with WABC-TV in New York City since 1998, initially anchoring on weekends before succeeding Bill Beutel on the 11 p.m. news in September 1999, then at 6 p.m. in February 2001. He is also a correspondent for the ABC News program 20/20.
Bill S. Ritter
Born
(1950-02-26) February 26, 1950 (age 72)
Occupation
Journalist - Evening Anchor for WABC-TV & Correspondent for 20/20
Years active
1987-present
Notable credit
7 Emmy Awards
Children
3
Family
Kathleen Friery (m. 2008)
For Eyewitness News, Ritter traveled to Israel the week before the start of the war in Iraq, to find out how Israelis and Palestinians were preparing for a possible military conflict 500 miles from their land.
Ritter has investigated drug use among some teenage Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, and looked into problems with the dramatic increase in the number of building scaffoldings in New York. Ritter also covers fire safety and prevention for Eyewitness News, and hosts the annual "Operation 7 Save A Life" a special and campaign. Ritter has climbed the Empire State Building, tagging along with the man who repairs and replaces the broadcast antennas on top of one of New York's tallest skyscrapers. And, for the first time on live television, Ritter was tested for prostate cancer. As part of the test, Ritter also interviewed New York's most famous prostate cancer patient: former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Ritter used to write a daily column, Behind the News with Bill Ritter, which previewed the 11 pm edition of Eyewitness News. It was sent via e-mail, and regularly offered insights into how it gathers the news.
Previously, the Los Angeles native reported on the Rodney King trial and the subsequent Los Angeles riots for the Fox Television Network. From August 1991 through February 1992, Ritter also served as a reporter for the Fox Network's nationally syndicated show Entertainment Daily Journal (E.D.J.); and from February 1990 to August 1991 was an investigative reporter for KTTV-TV (Fox Television) in Los Angeles. He also was an anchor for the station's Gulf War coverage.
KNSD
While serving as a business, then investigative reporter for KNSD, the NBC affiliate in San Diego, from February 1987 to January 1990, Ritter, known for his white-collar crime investigations, captured four Emmy Awards. In 1989 he was honored for his investigative reporting in uncovering a local stock swindle, as well as for his "overall journalistic enterprise."
In 1987, he also won in both of these categories, this time for his reports exposing a safety scandal involving killer whales and their trainers at San Diego's Sea World of California. Ritter also was named NBC Affiliate Reporter of the Year in 1987 and 1988.
KCAL
Prior to joining ABC, Ritter was a reporter for KCAL-TV, the former Disney-owned independent station in Los Angeles, from June to December 1992, where his "Up Front" segment headlined the station's successful 9 p.m. weeknight news broadcast, showcasing his perspective of the day's top national or international story.
ABC News
Good Morning America Sunday
Before joining Eyewitness News, Ritter worked at ABC News in January 1993 as co-anchor of Good Morning America Sunday. Since then he has covered dozens of important news stories for Good Morning America, including the crash of TWA Flight 800, the death of Princess Diana, the criminal and civil trials of O. J. Simpson, the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing and the devastating Midwest floods of 1997.
Ritter's feature reporting for GMA includes revealing interviews with boxers Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, golfers Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, former evangelist Jim Bakker and Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz. He also contributed to GMAs series, which included in-depth looks at drugs and teenagers, the alarming increase in "budget" plastic surgeries and the emotional consequences of so-called "blended" or step families.
20/20
For 20/20, Ritter has reported stories that run the gamut from light-hearted to heart-warming to deadly serious. He investigated the claims of James Van Praagh, the supposed psychic who says he can talk to the dead; he covered the Columbine shootings; he investigated the phenomenon of patients waking up during surgery; he reported on "slip and fall" scams at casinos across the nation; he reported on a New York man who died while donating his kidney to his wife, whose family says the doctor left the O.R. before the surgery was completed; he examined the effects of parental anger on kids by having cameras in several homes for several weeks; he debunked the so-called urban legends that sprung up in the wake of September 11; and he followed a group of female Army recruits as they went through a grueling nine weeks of basic training.
On the lighter side, he has paraglided off an 11,000-foot mountain in Aspen, scaled a rock face in Jasper, Canada, "posed" as a bull-clown at a rodeo in Texas and was the first non-Barnum and Bailey employee to perform on a trapeze for that circus.
Eyewitness News
In September 1999, Ritter was officially named to co-anchor Eyewitness News 11pm broadcast with Diana Williams and seventeen months later in February 2001 was added to co-anchor the 6pm edition of the newscast as well. In 2003, upon Williams’ move to the 5pm broadcasts, Ritter was joined at 6 & 11pm by Liz Cho. In 2011, 5pm anchor Sade Baderinwa replaced Cho at 11pm alongside Ritter when Cho was asked to launch the newly created 4pm newscast alongside David Navarro in the time-slot occupied for the prior 25 years by the Oprah Winfrey Show. On September 13, 2019 Ritter was named the new co-anchor of the 5pm edition alongside Baderinwa, replacing Diana Williams who had retired from the station after 29 years and had her last broadcast the day before.
Personal life
Ritter was born to a Jewish family.[1] In 1972, he was expelled from San Diego State University for protesting the Vietnam War; at the time he was one semester short of graduating. At his daughter's suggestion 40 years later, he decided to complete his college education, receiving a degree from The New School on May 20, 2016.[2]
^Barmash, Jerry (December 19, 2011). "WABC Anchor Bill Ritter Ready to Spread Christmas Cheer". Adweek.
^"Bill Ritter Proves It's Never Too Late to Graduate, Earns Degree 44 Years Later". WABC-TV. May 20, 2016.
External links
WABC-TV Bio: Bill Ritter
ABC News Bio: Bill Ritter
January 05, 2023
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This article is about the journalist For the Colorado Governor see Bill Ritter Bill Ritter born February 26 1950 is an American television news anchor and journalist He has been with WABC TV in New York City since 1998 initially anchoring on weekends before succeeding Bill Beutel on the 11 p m news in September 1999 then at 6 p m in February 2001 He is also a correspondent for the ABC News program 20 20 Bill S RitterBorn 1950 02 26 February 26 1950 age 72 OccupationJournalist Evening Anchor for WABC TV amp Correspondent for 20 20Years active1987 presentNotable credit7 Emmy AwardsChildren3FamilyKathleen Friery m 2008 For Eyewitness News Ritter traveled to Israel the week before the start of the war in Iraq to find out how Israelis and Palestinians were preparing for a possible military conflict 500 miles from their land Ritter has investigated drug use among some teenage Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn and looked into problems with the dramatic increase in the number of building scaffoldings in New York Ritter also covers fire safety and prevention for Eyewitness News and hosts the annual Operation 7 Save A Life a special and campaign Ritter has climbed the Empire State Building tagging along with the man who repairs and replaces the broadcast antennas on top of one of New York s tallest skyscrapers And for the first time on live television Ritter was tested for prostate cancer As part of the test Ritter also interviewed New York s most famous prostate cancer patient former Mayor Rudy Giuliani Ritter used to write a daily column Behind the News with Bill Ritter which previewed the 11 pm edition of Eyewitness News It was sent via e mail and regularly offered insights into how it gathers the news Contents 1 Career 1 1 KTTV 1 2 KNSD 1 3 KCAL 2 ABC News 2 1 Good Morning America Sunday 2 2 20 20 3 Eyewitness News 4 Personal life 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksCareer EditKTTV Edit Previously the Los Angeles native reported on the Rodney King trial and the subsequent Los Angeles riots for the Fox Television Network From August 1991 through February 1992 Ritter also served as a reporter for the Fox Network s nationally syndicated show Entertainment Daily Journal E D J and from February 1990 to August 1991 was an investigative reporter for KTTV TV Fox Television in Los Angeles He also was an anchor for the station s Gulf War coverage KNSD Edit While serving as a business then investigative reporter for KNSD the NBC affiliate in San Diego from February 1987 to January 1990 Ritter known for his white collar crime investigations captured four Emmy Awards In 1989 he was honored for his investigative reporting in uncovering a local stock swindle as well as for his overall journalistic enterprise In 1987 he also won in both of these categories this time for his reports exposing a safety scandal involving killer whales and their trainers at San Diego s Sea World of California Ritter also was named NBC Affiliate Reporter of the Year in 1987 and 1988 KCAL Edit Prior to joining ABC Ritter was a reporter for KCAL TV the former Disney owned independent station in Los Angeles from June to December 1992 where his Up Front segment headlined the station s successful 9 p m weeknight news broadcast showcasing his perspective of the day s top national or international story ABC News EditGood Morning America Sunday Edit Before joining Eyewitness News Ritter worked at ABC News in January 1993 as co anchor of Good Morning America Sunday Since then he has covered dozens of important news stories for Good Morning America including the crash of TWA Flight 800 the death of Princess Diana the criminal and civil trials of O J Simpson the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing and the devastating Midwest floods of 1997 Ritter s feature reporting for GMA includes revealing interviews with boxers Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield golfers Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer former evangelist Jim Bakker and Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz He also contributed to GMAs series which included in depth looks at drugs and teenagers the alarming increase in budget plastic surgeries and the emotional consequences of so called blended or step families 20 20 Edit For 20 20 Ritter has reported stories that run the gamut from light hearted to heart warming to deadly serious He investigated the claims of James Van Praagh the supposed psychic who says he can talk to the dead he covered the Columbine shootings he investigated the phenomenon of patients waking up during surgery he reported on slip and fall scams at casinos across the nation he reported on a New York man who died while donating his kidney to his wife whose family says the doctor left the O R before the surgery was completed he examined the effects of parental anger on kids by having cameras in several homes for several weeks he debunked the so called urban legends that sprung up in the wake of September 11 and he followed a group of female Army recruits as they went through a grueling nine weeks of basic training On the lighter side he has paraglided off an 11 000 foot mountain in Aspen scaled a rock face in Jasper Canada posed as a bull clown at a rodeo in Texas and was the first non Barnum and Bailey employee to perform on a trapeze for that circus Eyewitness News EditIn September 1999 Ritter was officially named to co anchor Eyewitness News 11pm broadcast with Diana Williams and seventeen months later in February 2001 was added to co anchor the 6pm edition of the newscast as well In 2003 upon Williams move to the 5pm broadcasts Ritter was joined at 6 amp 11pm by Liz Cho In 2011 5pm anchor Sade Baderinwa replaced Cho at 11pm alongside Ritter when Cho was asked to launch the newly created 4pm newscast alongside David Navarro in the time slot occupied for the prior 25 years by the Oprah Winfrey Show On September 13 2019 Ritter was named the new co anchor of the 5pm edition alongside Baderinwa replacing Diana Williams who had retired from the station after 29 years and had her last broadcast the day before Personal life EditRitter was born to a Jewish family 1 In 1972 he was expelled from San Diego State University for protesting the Vietnam War at the time he was one semester short of graduating At his daughter s suggestion 40 years later he decided to complete his college education receiving a degree from The New School on May 20 2016 2 See also EditNew Yorkers in journalismReferences Edit Barmash Jerry December 19 2011 WABC Anchor Bill Ritter Ready to Spread Christmas Cheer Adweek Bill Ritter Proves It s Never Too Late to Graduate Earns Degree 44 Years Later WABC TV May 20 2016 External links EditWABC TV Bio Bill Ritter ABC News Bio Bill Ritter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bill Ritter journalist amp oldid 1104791106, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
