Tom Ellis (journalist)
| Tom Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 22, 1932 |
| Nationality |
 American
|
| Education | University of Texas |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Spouse(s) | Arlene |
Tom Ellis (born September 22, 1932) is a Boston-based journalist, well-known throughout ][New England]] for his tenure as anchor for three of Boston's network-affiliated stations. His career in television news spans more than 40 years.
His career includes stints as a correspondent for WNBC-TV and as an anchor for WABC-TV – both in New York City, and for KONO-TV Channel 12 (now KSAT-TV) in San Antonio. His radio career has included anchor/reporter duties for KVET-AM in Austin, Texas, KWED-AM in Sequin, TX, and KONO-AM/FM in San Antonio.
Ellis may be the only individual in television history to anchor top-rated newscasts in 3 major markets: San Antonio, TX, Boston, MA, and New York. His newscasts in Boston all have drawn top ratings.
Ellis grew up in the Big Thicket area of Texas. He is a 1958 graduate of the University of Texas.
When he was 17 Ellis worked as a sideshow barker, earning $150 per week. Ellis' first job in television came in 1951, when aproducer from New York approached him to host a baseball pregame show for children sponsored by the Curtiss Candy Company. Ellis hosted the Curtis Knot Hole Gang club, a thirty-minute program before the Dallas Eagles and the Fort Worth Cats of the Texas League. He would interview local youth baseball players.
Ellis worked as a radio reporter at KWED, a 1000 watt radio station in Seguin, Texas. In 1958, the owner of KONO radio in San Antonio caught one of his broadcasts. The executive offered Ellis a news job in his San Antonio station for $100 per week. Ellis took the position after negotiating a salary of $105 a week.
In 1961, Ellis got his opportunity to go on television. The anchor at Ellis' station's affiliated TV station had abruptly quit. The news director asked Ellis to fill in until a replacement could be found. Eventually, Ellis got the anchor position permanently, but he kept his radio job because the TV anchor job paid only $15 a night.
His high-profile career in New England began in July 1968, when he became the new lead anchor at WBZ-TV. He began solo, he would hold alone, partnering later with station veterans such as Jack Chase, through 1975. Ellis established himself as dependable and kept the (then) NBC affiliate at top of the Boston news ratings. He won accolades for his organization of team coverage during the 1972 presidential election and Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974. WBZ even issued political campaign-pins and bumper stickers to promote Ellis and his co-anchor Tony Pepper. They showed up all over the viewing area.
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