Jerry Taff

Jerry Taff
Born September 9, 1940
Place of Birth Lamesa, Texas
Profession television anchor
journalist
States Active In Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas
Years Active 1957–2005
Residence New Braunfels, Texas

Jerry Taff (born September 9, 1940) is a former television anchor for WISN-TV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1]

Taff was raised in Lamesa, Texas. He began working in the media at 17, when he worked at KPET in Lamesa. He went on to work at stations in New Haven, Connecticut at WTNH-TV, Flint, Michigan at WJRT-TV and Dallas at WFAA-TV.[2][3] While working in Flint, Taff covered the story of a local teenager named Michael Moore who had been elected to the school board of Davison, Michigan. Taff mentored Moore and his friends for a year and a half, showing him the news business. Moore later said of Taff "He was the one media person in a town dominated by General Motors to have the courage to report the truth."[4]

Taff joined WISN-TV as anchor in September 1979.[5] He interviewed Jimmy Carter in October 1980.[6] While working at WISN, Taff mentored reporters such as Shaun Robinson, Ben Tracy, and Jason DeRusha.[1] He also taught a course on journalism at Carroll University.[2]

After serving as lead male anchor for WISN-TV for 25 years, Taff retired on May 25, 2005.[7][8] Taff was inducted into the Milwaukee Media Hall of Fame on October 23, 2009.[9] He lives in New Braunfels, Texas.[2]

Controversy

Taff's parents sued him in a Waukesha County, Wisconsin court in 1985, claiming he owed them nearly $90,000[10] Though the lawsuit was dismissed, Taff was fired from WISN. The station later re-hired him in 1987.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tim Cuprisin, "Jerry's Last Tomorrow" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 23, 2005, at 1E. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E74aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZUUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6451,2456788
  2. 1 2 3 http://www.onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/tafftalks.html?viewall=1
  3. ↑ "Jerry Taff to retire from Channel 12" Milwaukee Business Journal, June 29, 2004. http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2004/06/28/daily20.html?jst=b_ln_hl
  4. ↑ Mike Drew, "The Jerry Taff-Michael Moore Connection", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 22, 2004, at E2.
  5. ↑ Tim Cuprisin, "Grateful Taff says goodbye Retiring veteran anchor offers final wish of better tomorrows" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 26, 2005
  6. ↑ http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/documents/diary/1980/d100680t.pdf
  7. ↑ Eileen Davis Huson, "Milwaukee" Media Week, September 5, 2005, at 9.
  8. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable, July 5, 2004 at 22
  9. ↑ http://www.wisn.com/news/20384861/detail.html
  10. ↑ Mike Drew, "Taff: his turmoil and his resume," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 12, 1985 at 9. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vWcaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VSoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6987,2065714
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