Of all the attributes that make an esteemed anchor or reporter, one of the most important, at least in Chicago, is having local roots. Chicago viewers have a level of trust in an anchor who speaks their language, and knows their neighborhood, that they might not have in an anchor from another market.
“People from Chicago, people who grew up here, tell the stories that people want to hear,” said Matthew Piacente, VP and news director, WFLD-WPWR Chicago.
