"More Than Online News; A Trusted Community Institution”
"More Than Online News; A Trusted Community Institution”
ADVERTISEMENT
You are being redirected to www.choicelegalaction.com
The former Cincinnati news anchor and mayor who created a new brand of television talk shows died in his Chicago home Thursday after a brief illness.
Lucas Manfredi | April 27, 2023 @ 7:36 AM
Jerry Springer, the former Cincinnati news anchor and mayor who became best known for his controversial daytime talk show, has died at the age of 79.
Springer died peacefully Thursday at his home in suburban Chicago after a “brief illness,” a spokesperson confirmed to TheWrap. A source told TheWrap that Springer was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” Jene Galvin, a lifelong friend and spokesperson for the family said. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”
Born Gerald Norman Springer in London, England on February 13, 1944, he immigrated to Queens, New York at the age of four along with his parents and older sister. He graduated from Tulane University and Northwestern University Law School, served in the United States Army Reserves and had a long career in law, politics, journalism and broadcasting.
The Universities of Louisiana Reginald F. Lewis Scholars enhances the collegiate experience of black male students.
Find out how you can support this program.
Learn more
Springer became the 56th mayor of Cincinnati in 1977 and served until 1978. He also served as a Cincinnati city council member from 1971-74 and 1975-1982, an unsuccessful candidate in the Democratic Party primary for governor of Ohio in 1982 and a political campaign adviser to Robert F. Kennedy.
After his time in politics, he went on to become a news anchor and commentator for WLWT before becoming the host of “Jerry Springer” in 1991.
When “Jerry Springer” debuted, it was developed to go the route of other popular talk shows of the time, including those hosted by Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey, but traveling in a more political direction with guests like Jesse Jackson and Oliver North.
Three years into it, though, Springer and the show’s new producer Richard Dominick, revamped the series to draw more viewers and it made a turn towards tabloid sensationalism. Rather than segments about homelessness or gun control, the show began to focus on more controversial topics like paternity, prostitution and adultery. It wasn’t unusual for shouting matches or violence to erupt on stage. And the shift worked — in 1998, 6.7 million people turned in, beating “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in many cities.
Entering its fourth decade of advocacy for citizens of the Piedmont Triad, the AC Phoenix recently started its new ascent to prominence as a unit of RJS Publishing, a company formed by the family of late AC Phoenix founder Rodney Jerome Sumler, for the purpose of keeping the AC Phoenix – and Sumler’s legacy – alive.
We are very excited to share our archive issue newsstand section. Click on the desired thumbnail to view the entire issue. Archived issues are organized on the newsstand by year. At the bottom of the newsstand click on the year to view additional issues.
We Get Results!
We have over 33 years of getting results for our advertisers. A business with no sign is a sign of no business. The AC Phoenix will put a sign of your business before an audience of over 250,000 readers and online viewers! There is nothing more important to us than your success!
ADVERTISEMENT