Leon Bibb
Encyclopedia
Leon Bibb is an American news anchor for WEWS-TV
in Cleveland, OH and was a member of the BGSU
Board of Trustees. Leon Bibb was the first black primetime news anchor in Ohio, first on the Columbus news and first on the Cleveland news.
area, and a graduate of Glenville High School
on the city's northeast side, Bibb’s broadcasting career began during his student days at Bowling Green State University
(BGSU). Following graduation, he worked as a newspaper reporter at The Plain Dealer. After a year at WTOL-TV (Toledo
), he accepted a news position at WCMH-TV
in Columbus
.
Prior to joining WEWS-TV, Bibb worked at WKYC-TV
as the weekend News Anchor and News Reporter. In 1986, he became Primary News Anchor for the Monday through Friday newscasts.
Leon Bibb anchors the noon and 6 p.m. newscasts at WEWS-TV, as well as hosting a Sunday Morning show named "Kalediscope" which focuses on urban issues in Cleveland. In the early 2000s Bibb did a series called "Our Hometown" where he focused on a historical sites in the Cleveland area. He is known to take a camera operator to talk about a story in his own perspective.
Bibb is a member of the following Halls of Fame:
Bibb has also received several Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Cleveland Press Club and recognized with the Distinguished Journalist Award from the Cleveland Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists. He also has received an award from his alma mater, Glenville High School
. Leon, who is also an U.S. Army veteran, received a Bronze Star
for his service during the
Vietnam War
.
In 1996 Governor George Voinovich appointed Bibb to the Board of Trustees at Bowling Green State University
. Leon served as chairman of that Board.
He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha
and Sigma Pi Phi
Fraternities.
. He is the writer of short stories and poems, many of which have been published and performed. Bibb, a native of Cleveland, and his wife Marguerite, live in Shaker Heights, Ohio
, an eastside Cleveland suburb. Their daughters, Jennifer and Alison are grown.
WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio. WEWS has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception, and is an affiliate of the ABC television network...
in Cleveland, OH and was a member of the BGSU
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
Board of Trustees. Leon Bibb was the first black primetime news anchor in Ohio, first on the Columbus news and first on the Cleveland news.
Life and career
Raised in Cleveland's GlenvilleGlenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
area, and a graduate of Glenville High School
Glenville High School
Glenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
on the city's northeast side, Bibb’s broadcasting career began during his student days at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
(BGSU). Following graduation, he worked as a newspaper reporter at The Plain Dealer. After a year at WTOL-TV (Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
), he accepted a news position at WCMH-TV
WCMH-TV
WCMH-TV, channel 4, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, affiliated with the NBC television network and owned by Media General. The station's studios and transmitter are located in Columbus. NBC-4 broadcasts from its studio and office complex near the Ohio State University on Olentangy River...
in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Prior to joining WEWS-TV, Bibb worked at WKYC-TV
WKYC-TV
WKYC, virtual channel 3 , is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by the Gannett Company. Its studio is located on the shores of Lake Erie, while its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio....
as the weekend News Anchor and News Reporter. In 1986, he became Primary News Anchor for the Monday through Friday newscasts.
Leon Bibb anchors the noon and 6 p.m. newscasts at WEWS-TV, as well as hosting a Sunday Morning show named "Kalediscope" which focuses on urban issues in Cleveland. In the early 2000s Bibb did a series called "Our Hometown" where he focused on a historical sites in the Cleveland area. He is known to take a camera operator to talk about a story in his own perspective.
Accomplishments and awards
Among his many honors are several local Emmy Awards and citations from the Cleveland Press Club for excellence in journalism. Bibb has also received the Distinguished Journalist Award from the Society for Professional Journalists.Bibb is a member of the following Halls of Fame:
- Broadcaster's Hall of Fame
- Glenville High SchoolGlenville High SchoolGlenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
Hall of Fame - Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
School of Communications Hall of Fame - Cleveland Press Club Distinguished Journalist award
- Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame - Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame
Bibb has also received several Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Cleveland Press Club and recognized with the Distinguished Journalist Award from the Cleveland Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists. He also has received an award from his alma mater, Glenville High School
Glenville High School
Glenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
. Leon, who is also an U.S. Army veteran, received a Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for his service during the
Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
In 1996 Governor George Voinovich appointed Bibb to the Board of Trustees at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
. Leon served as chairman of that Board.
He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
and Sigma Pi Phi
Sigma Pi Phi
Sigma Pi Phi is the first African-American Greek-lettered organization. Sigma Pi Phi was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 1904. The fraternity quickly established chapters in Chicago, IL and then Baltimore, MD....
Fraternities.
Personal life and interests
During his leisure, Leon continues honing his craft as a wordsmithWordSmith
WordSmith Tools is a collection of corpus linguistics tools for looking for patterns in a language. The software was devised by Mike Scott at the University of Liverpool and for versions 1 to 4 was sold by Oxford University Press...
. He is the writer of short stories and poems, many of which have been published and performed. Bibb, a native of Cleveland, and his wife Marguerite, live in Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 28,448. It is an inner-ring streetcar suburb of Cleveland that abuts the city on its eastern side.-Topography:Shaker Heights is located at...
, an eastside Cleveland suburb. Their daughters, Jennifer and Alison are grown.