Air Waves
by Laura Nachman
Philadelphia Metro

June 30, 2005

 

For the next few weeks, we are going to get you up to speed on the major players at the stations in town.

 

ABC affiliate WPVI-6, has been the number one news station in Philadelphia since the mid-1970’s.

 

Everything starts with star anchorman Jim Gardner, who will be celebrating his 30th anniversary at WPVI in November of 2006.  He is the sole news anchor of the top rated 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news.  Sports director Gary Papa joins Gardner at 6 and 11.  Papa joined the station in 1981 as the weekend sports anchor and was promoted to weekday sports anchor in 1991.  Dave Roberts is the weather anchor at 6 p.m. Cecily Tynan became the 11 p.m. weather anchor a couple of years ago.  Roberts joined the station in 1978 and took over the full-time weather duties after the sudden death of beloved WPVI personality Jim O’Brien in 1983. Tynan began at the station in 1995.  Today she is the weather anchor for the 11 p.m. news and the 5:30 p.m. show.  Roberts does the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows.  Roberts’ son, David Boreanaz (Roberts’ real last name) starred in “Angel” on WB and will star in a new series in the fall for Fox called “Bones.”

 

Tamala Edwards and Matt O’Donnell anchor the early morning weekday news.  Edwards joined WPVI this year from ABC overnight news.   O’Donnell began as a reporter on WPVI in 1996.  He was named the permanent anchor this year.  David Murphy is the morning weekday weather anchor.  Murphy joined the station as a general assignment reporter in 1990.  Karen Rogers provides traffic reports. Rogers began at WPVI in 1995.

 

Monica Malpass and Rick Williams anchor the 5 p.m. news.  They have been a team since they co-anchored the morning news beginning in 1988.  “Rick and Monica” did-double duty for almost two years when they worked in the morning and evening when they subbed for Lisa Thomas Laury who was out on medical leave.  They were named the permanent 5 p.m. team in the fall. Sarah Bloomquist co-anchors with Williams at noon.

 

Rob Jennings IS the weekend for WPVI, holding the news anchor post on Saturday and Sunday since 1977.  Sports anchor Phil Andrews has held his post since 1991, and weather anchor Sally Ann Mosey handles the weather.  She joined the station in 1998.

 

Weekend mornings are anchored by newcomers Jessica Borg and Walter Perez. Perez joined the station in 2003 and Borg began in 2004.