ABC’s station in Philadelphia, WPVI-TV, named Brian Taff as the new anchor of its 6 p.m. newscast, succeeding Jim Gardner who is retiring after 46 years at the station.
Taff joined WPVI in 2009 and currently anchors the station’s noon and 4 p.m. newscasts. He will continue to appear on the 4 p.m. show.
"I’m excited that Brian Taff will be the next anchor of Action News at 6 p.m. following Jim Gardner’s historic run," said Bernie Prazenica, general manager of WPVI. "Over the last 13 years, Brian has displayed the knowledge, skill and talent that the Delaware Valley expects from Action News. Now, with Brian and Rick Williams in place, we can continue to serve our viewers for many years to come."
Gardner joined WPVI in 1976 and anchored the station’s 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts since 1977. He began his TV career at WKBW-TV in Buffalo.
Before WPVI, Taff was anchor and editor of Capital Tonight, a nightly news and interview show seen across upstate New York. Earlier he was a reporter at Capital News 9 in Albany New York. He started his career at WVII-TV, Bangor, Maine.
"My thirteen years at 6abc have been life-changing in all of the most meaningful ways," said Taff.
"It’s where I’ve worked alongside colleagues who’ve become like family. It’s also where I have begun a family of my own — meeting my wife, now the mother of my three precious children. I am reminded daily of the extraordinary, unique and beautiful relationship we share with the viewers we serve. All those things make me humbled beyond words to take on this profound responsibility," he said.
"During my time at Action News, Jim Gardner has become much more than a mentor to me — he’s been a dear friend, a trusted confidant, and a guide for which I’m unendingly grateful," Taff added. "He will never be replaced on Action News at 6, but it’s the professional honor of a lifetime to be asked to succeed him. It is an important distinction. The baton I am being handed from him has been used to orchestrate the decades-long construction of our foundation ― one built on honesty, integrity, and trust. I intend to honor and build upon that legacy with every single word, every single night." ■
