Bob Petty Newest Member of Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame

Longtime Chicago television journalist Bob Petty is the newest member of the Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame. Petty, a leading figure at WLS-TV for more than 30 years, graduated from Arizona State University’s journalism program in 1970 as the outstanding senior in the radio/television division. Petty began his professional career as a writer, reporter and producer at KOOL, then the CBS affiliate in Phoenix. In 1971, he joined WLS-TV, the ABC affiliate in Chicago, as a general assignment reporter. He went on to become producer and host of “Weekend Edition” and the anchor of “Saturday Weekend News.” Petty was presented the Silver Circle Award from the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2003 for his contributions to the broadcast industry. He also has been a William Benton fellow in broadcast journalism, participating in a select year-long program at the University of Chicago for radio and television journalists. “Having worked more than three decades as a reporter and anchor in the country’s third largest media market, Bob Petty certainly has earned his place in the Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame,” said Christopher Callahan, dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “We are proud to have Bob as a member this elite group.” Petty is the 40th member of the Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame. He joins ABC sportscaster Al Michaels, Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor Don Podesta, Wall Street Journal correspondent Pamela Sebastian, Fox11–Los Angeles anchor Christine Devine, ABC News correspondent Bill Redeker and Jayne Clark, travel reporter for USA Today, among others.