Local TV anchor approaching milestone rarely seen in Rockford area
John McNamara was in his first term as Rockford mayor, a heated debate raged over the future of the city’s home rule authority and Symbol was removed from the downtown mall the same year a fresh-faced aspiring broadcaster from Wisconsin named Andy Gannon was hired at WIFR-TV, the local CBS affiliate.
Fast forward four decades: McNamara’s son, Tom, is in the mayor’s office, the city’s home rule powers have long since been repealed, Symbol found a new home along the Rock River and Gannon is still firmly entrenched at WIFR, although his lush dark brown head of hair has turned snow white.
“This is my one and only job,” Gannon said in his distinctive baritone voice. “I graduated from the University of Wisconsin in May of 1982 and bummed around for the summer and realized I better find a job. I found one in Rockford and have been here ever since.”
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Gannon, who started out as a general assignment reporter and weekend sports anchor, will mark 40 years at WIFR on Feb. 11.
In the early days, Gannon worked alongside such notables as news anchor and future U.S. Senator Rod Grams, news anchor Eric Greene and meteorologist Sue Mroz.
Newsroom technology in those days consisted of typewriters and mimeograph machines to make copies of scripts, which were then slapped on a conveyor belt to help run the studio’s teleprompters.
“I thought I’d be here for a couple of years and then I’d go back to Milwaukee or, heck, even ESPN might find me because I started on the sports side of things here, but plans change,” Gannon said.
Plans changed and Gannon’s role continued to evolve at the station. He was named sports director in 1985 and transitioned to co-anchoring 23 News This Morning in 1994.
Gannon’s longtime morning partner and weather forecaster, Aaron Wilson, would come aboard in 1998.
“Aaron brought a whole different aspect to Rockford morning TV,” Gannon said. “He was ahead of his time as far as innovating with social media and interacting with people on live shots. Overall, we’ve established a strong mutual respect for one another, the viewers have accepted us and I think that’s been a key that continues today.”
Gannon has also served as assistant news director and interim news director during his four decades at WIFR.
His on-air longevity at one station, especially in the Rockford market, is virtually unheard of, said WIFR news director Maggie Hradecky.
“We’re a starter market, so they (reporters and anchors) come and they go, and that’s okay,” Hradecky said. “It’s pretty cool when you get somebody who comes to Rockford and finds the connection and makes it their home and makes it their passion.”
Gannon has seen hundreds of broadcast journalists come through Rockford and move on to larger markets or leave the business for another profession. His advice to today’s young journalists?
“Hone your writing skills,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s emphasized as much as it used to be in schools, but writing is tricky, and you need to find ways to write more."
Gannon and his wife, Wendy, have been married for nearly 39 years and have two children together.
For now, Gannon has no plans to retire.
He’ll continue to roll out of bed at 1:45 a.m. for his bleary-eyed drive to the station, where he’ll put together 23 News This Morning and work alongside Wilson and co-anchor Marta Berglund, who joined the show in March 2022.
“I’m 62,” Gannon said. “I think I’ve got a few years left in me. We’ll see.”
Ken DeCoster covers business news and features. Contact him at 815-987-1391, kdecoster@rrstar.com or @DeCosterKen.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Andy Gannon celebrates 40 years at WIFR-TV in Rockford
