Ken Jones (news reporter)
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Leon "Ken" Jones (June 9, 1938 – May 13, 1993) was an American television journalist, actor, reporter and news anchor, most notably working for Los Angeles
television station KTTV-TV channel 11 and KNXT
channel 2. Jones, a veteran Los Angeles TV newsman was known for his reports on the 1965 Watts riots
and the assassination
of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
in 1968. Ken Jones also conceived and published, along with his wife Regina Jones, SOUL, a black entertainment newsmagazine, from 1966-82. In 1992, Ken was diagnosed with bladder
cancer
and after a short battle
with the disease, died in May 1993.
, California
. He graduated from
John C. Fremont
High school
in Los Angeles. He married Regina Nickerson in 1958. Regina is the granddaughter of William Nickerson Jr., co-founder of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company
. Together Ken and Regina Jones had four sons, Kenneth,Jr., Kevin, Keith, Kory, and one daughter Karen. In 1992, Jones was diagnosed with bladder cancer and after a short battle
with the disease, died in May 1993.
Newspaper in 1954. He became a disc jockey at KBCA
and
KGFJ radio and a news director for KDAY
radio in L.A. in 1962. He worked as a production assistant for the West Coast edition of the
Huntley-Brinkley Report
from 1963-65 which he left to become a regular newscaster for KRLA
radio in Pasadena
. A position he held until 1967 when he was hired as a Feature Reporter-Anchor at KTTV
-TV in Los Angeles where he received an Emmy Award
for a one-hour news special, The High Cost of Health Care May Be Hazardous To Your Health. His growing prominence led to numerous TV and film roles including The Candidate
(1972) and The Brady Bunch
(1972) (TV). Ken worked as a reporter and weekend anchor at KNXT
now KCBS-TV
Los Angeles in 1980.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
television station KTTV-TV channel 11 and KNXT
KNXT
KNXT is a television station owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, broadcasting on digital channel 50. The station is licensed in Visalia, California, about 45 miles southeast of Fresno...
channel 2. Jones, a veteran Los Angeles TV newsman was known for his reports on the 1965 Watts riots
Watts Riots
The Watts Riots or the Watts Rebellion was a civil disturbance in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California from August 11 to August 15, 1965. The 5-day riot resulted in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, and 3,438 arrests...
and the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
in 1968. Ken Jones also conceived and published, along with his wife Regina Jones, SOUL, a black entertainment newsmagazine, from 1966-82. In 1992, Ken was diagnosed with bladder
Bladder
Bladder usually refers to an anatomical hollow organBladder may also refer to:-Biology:* Urinary bladder in humans** Urinary bladder ** Bladder control; see Urinary incontinence** Artificial urinary bladder, in humans...
cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and after a short battle
with the disease, died in May 1993.
Background
The oldest of three children, Ken was born to Georgia Wood Jones and Henry Leon Jones in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He graduated from
John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
High school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Los Angeles. He married Regina Nickerson in 1958. Regina is the granddaughter of William Nickerson Jr., co-founder of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company
Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company
Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, the largest black-owned insurance company in the western United States, was founded by William Nickerson, Jr...
. Together Ken and Regina Jones had four sons, Kenneth,Jr., Kevin, Keith, Kory, and one daughter Karen. In 1992, Jones was diagnosed with bladder cancer and after a short battle
with the disease, died in May 1993.
Career
He was hired as a reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-ExaminerLos Angeles Herald-Examiner
The Los Angeles Herald Examiner was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper, published Monday through Friday in the afternoon, and in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. It was part of the Hearst syndicate. The afternoon Herald-Express and the morning Examiner, both of which had been publishing in...
Newspaper in 1954. He became a disc jockey at KBCA
KBCA
KBCA is a television station in Alexandria, Louisiana, broadcasting locally on channel 41 as an affiliate of the The CW network. It is owned by Carencro, Louisiana-based Wilderness Communications...
and
KGFJ radio and a news director for KDAY
KDAY
KDAY in Redondo Beach and KDEY in Ontario are a pair of synchrocasting radio stations based in South Los Angeles that airs an Classic hip-hop format aimed at African Americans in the 18-49 range. The station is owned by Magic Broadcasting, LLC and broadcasts at 93.5 MHz on the FM dial...
radio in L.A. in 1962. He worked as a production assistant for the West Coast edition of the
Huntley-Brinkley Report
Huntley-Brinkley Report
The Huntley-Brinkley Report was the NBC television network's flagship evening news program from October 29, 1956 until July 31, 1970. It was anchored by Chet Huntley in New York City, and David Brinkley in Washington, D.C...
from 1963-65 which he left to become a regular newscaster for KRLA
KRLA
KRLA is a radio station broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed to Glendale, California, USA, it serves the Southern California area. The station is currently owned by Salem Communications.- KIEV :...
radio in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. A position he held until 1967 when he was hired as a Feature Reporter-Anchor at KTTV
KTTV
KTTV, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Los Angeles, California. Serving the vast Los Angeles metropolitan area, KTTV is a sister station to KCOP , Los Angeles' MyNetworkTV station...
-TV in Los Angeles where he received an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for a one-hour news special, The High Cost of Health Care May Be Hazardous To Your Health. His growing prominence led to numerous TV and film roles including The Candidate
The Candidate (1972 film)
The Candidate is a 1972 American film starring Robert Redford. Its themes include how the political machine corrupts. There are many parallels between the then-recent 1970 California Senate election between John V. Tunney and George Murphy; however, Redford's character Bill McKay is a political...
(1972) and The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
(1972) (TV). Ken worked as a reporter and weekend anchor at KNXT
KNXT
KNXT is a television station owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, broadcasting on digital channel 50. The station is licensed in Visalia, California, about 45 miles southeast of Fresno...
now KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Los Angeles, California. KCBS-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KCAL-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter...
Los Angeles in 1980.
Filmography
- "The CandidateThe Candidate (1972 film)The Candidate is a 1972 American film starring Robert Redford. Its themes include how the political machine corrupts. There are many parallels between the then-recent 1970 California Senate election between John V. Tunney and George Murphy; however, Redford's character Bill McKay is a political...
" - himself (1972) - "Roman Polanski: Wanted and DesiredRoman Polanski: Wanted and DesiredRoman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is a 2008 documentary film directed by Marina Zenovich. It concerns film director Roman Polanski and his sexual misconduct case...
" - himself (Archive Footage) (2008)
Television work (actor)
- "The Brady BunchThe Brady BunchThe Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
" The Liberation of Marcia Brady - Newscaster (1971) - "McMillan & Wife" - Newscaster 3 Episodes (1972–1974)
- "Police WomanPolice Woman (TV series)Police Woman is an American television police drama starring Angie Dickinson that ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974, to March 29, 1978.-Synopsis:...
" - Newscaster (1977) - "The Young Runaways" - Mike Carruthers (1978)
- "Matt HoustonMatt HoustonMatt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.-Synopsis:...
" - reporter (1983)