Jim Gardner biography
James Goldman, born on May 17, 1948, is an American retired news anchor known professionally as Jim Gardner. He enjoyed a remarkable career spanning over four decades as Philadelphia’s leading broadcast journalist. Gardner began his career in 1976 at WPVI-TV in Philadelphia as a reporter and anchor of Action News at Noon. He later became the anchor of the station’s 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. Gardner retired from broadcasting on December 21, 2022, after anchoring his final 6 p.m. newscast. He shared a heartfelt message with viewers, expressing his gratitude and how much he would miss them. His replacement at the station’s 6 p.m. slot is Brian Taff, who expressed gratitude for Gardner’s mentorship and friendship during his time at Action News.
Jim Gardner’s birthday
Jim Gardner, whose birth name is James Goldman, was born on May 17, 1948, in New York City, New York, USA.
What is Jim Gardner’s height and weight?
He has a height of 1.56m and weighs 67kg.
Jim Gardner educational background
Gardner attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School for his secondary education. He later pursued higher education at Columbia University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1970. During his time at Columbia, Gardner was actively involved in student activities, including serving as a play-by-play announcer for football and basketball games, as well as reporting on the Columbia University protests of 1968 for the university’s radio station, WKCR-FM.
Jim Gardner spouse and children
Gardner is married to Amy Goldman, a former WPVI-TV sales executive. They have two children together. Additionally, Jim Gardner has two other children from a previous marriage. The family resides in Villanova.
Jim Gardner parents and siblings
Gardner’s father was Joseph Goldman, a professor and chairman of the ear, nose, and throat department at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Through his father, Jim is the step-grandson of noted Jewish rabbi Mordecai Kaplan.
Jim Gardner’s career
Gardner began his career in broadcasting in 1970 as a desk assistant, writer, and producer for 1010 WINS in New York City. He then worked as a reporter for WFAS radio in White Plains, New York, eventually becoming the news director. Two years later, Gardner transitioned to television broadcasting at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.
In June 1976, Gardner joined WPVI in Philadelphia, where he worked until his retirement on December 21, 2022. He started as a reporter and noon anchor before moving to anchor the 5:30 PM news in November 1976. From May 11, 1977, he solo anchored the 6:00 PM weekday newscasts, replacing Larry Kane, and also solo anchored the 11:00 PM weekday newscast from May 11, 1977, until January 11, 2022.
Throughout his career, Gardner covered every Democratic and Republican presidential convention from 1980 onward and interviewed every president and major presidential candidate from 1976 to 2022. He also reported from the scene of breaking news events around the world.
Gardner announced his retirement on November 10, 2021, and concluded his tenure with WPVI-TV with his final broadcast at 6:00 PM on December 21, 2022. He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to journalism and broadcasting, including the John Cardinal Foley Award for Excellence in Communication in 2022.
Jim Gardner net worth and salary
He has a net worth of $20 million and receives an annual salary of $1 million.
