Jim Gardner joined WPVI-TV Channel 6 on June 1, 1976, a month before the nation’s bicentennial, as a reporter and noontime anchor. By November, he was anchoring the 5:30 p.m. news and on May 11, 1977, six days before his 29th birthday, Jim became anchor of Action News at 6 and 11, where he stayed as a local media icon for 45 years and has been a fixture in countless homes in the Tri-State area for generations. Over the years Jim has covered every Democratic and Republican presidential convention from 1980 through the virtual conventions four years ago, and has interviewed every president and major presidential candidate from 1976. Gardner has also traveled to the scene of breaking news all across the world. But he will best be remembered for providing the human soundtrack of life in the Philadelphia region for almost five decades. Jim retired on December 31st, 2022. He then hosted and produced a podcast called “Jim Gardner, More To Explore.” Gardner was the second-longest serving news anchor in United States television history and, the longest tenure of any on-air personality in Philadelphia.
Jim Gardner received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1970. Jim lives in Villanova with his wife Amy and has four adult children.
