Our beloved news anchor, Jim Gardner had his final broadcast on 6ABC last night. It was emotional for everyone in the studio and Philadelphians watching at home. In his goodbye message, he shared these final words…
“As some of you might know, this is my last shot at anchoring the 6 o’clock news and trying to get it right. The first time was May 11th, 1977, I was six days short of my 29th birthday. Foremost on my mind was trying to avoid humiliating myself and embarrassing this television station. But there were enough talented and truly supportive people holding me up so that we avoided a disastrous start. I was searching for my voice and probably didn’t even find it until the Pope came to town in 1979, and we did two full days of unscripted television. Everyone seemed to think we did a good job, and I did too. It was only after that experience that I finally felt worthy to represent the efforts of the members of the action news team, and in my mind, that’s when we, and I mean you and I, really started this journey together. A journey that ends tonight.”
“I do appreciate all the kindnesses and even the expressions of sadness that some viewers have expressed to me over the past year and especially over the past weeks. But what I need you to know is how much I am going to miss you.”
“I’d like to say that we formed a covenant years ago. We give you respect and our commitment to reporting in a no-nonsense way those things that are important to you and make sure that what we tell you is accurate and fair. But we also promise to share in your joys and your sadness, your triumphs, and your losses because they are ours too. We are all members of the same community and we all have the same very high stakes in it’s well being.”
His broadcast would not have been complete without his final sendoff, “for the entire action news team, I’m Jim Gardner, goodnight.“
