Bill Weir
Encyclopedia
William Francis Weir is an American
television journalist and co-anchor of Nightline
on ABC
. Before Nightline, he was a co-host of the weekend edition of Good Morning America
from 2004 to 2010.
, on December 19, 1967. He has a degree in journalism and creative writing from Pepperdine University
in Malibu, California.
Weir began his career in 1991 as a general assignment reporter and weekend sportscaster at KAAL
in Austin, Minnesota
. Weir next became the sports anchor at WLUK in Green Bay, Wisconsin
, and went on to anchor the WGN Morning News
on WGN
in Chicago
from 1995 to 1998. Weir was sports anchor at KABC-TV
in Los Angeles
from 1998 to 2002, where he hosted the popular weekly Monday Night Live program which aired after Monday Night Football
. Between 2002 and 2004, he developed, wrote and hosted three television pilots for the USA
and FX Networks.
Since Weir joined ABC News in 2004, he has traveled the planet to cover breaking news and uncover global trends such as reporting on the economic rise of China
and India
were signature features on Good Morning America
. World News
devoted air time to his reports from Africa, the Middle East and the South Pacific. He waded through the floodwaters of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
, dodged Taliban bullets in Afghanistan in 2010 and led the network's coverage of Iraq, Where Things Stand at the height of the American troop surge. Weir has anchored several launches and landings of the Space Shuttle
, was the first American to broadcast live from Tibet
and led off 2007's Earth Day special with an unprecedented underwater live report from the Great Barrier Reef.
In June 2007, Weir was named anchor of the short-lived ABC News magazine "iCaught." As a writer and anchor, he produced special hours for the network on topics ranging from religion to brain science to the rise and fall of General Motors
.
In July 2010, he was named co-anchor, joining Terry Moran
and Cynthia McFadden
on Nightline
, replacing Martin Bashir
. His tenure as a co-anchor began on August 9, 2010.
On May 25, 2011, he was an expert to the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television journalist and co-anchor of Nightline
Nightline
Nightline, or ABC News Nightline is a late-night news program broadcast by ABC in the United States, and has a franchised formula to other networks and stations elsewhere in the world. It airs weeknights, usually for 31 minutes. Created by Roone Arledge, the program featured Ted Koppel as its main...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. Before Nightline, he was a co-host of the weekend edition of Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
from 2004 to 2010.
Career
Weir was born in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, on December 19, 1967. He has a degree in journalism and creative writing from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
in Malibu, California.
Weir began his career in 1991 as a general assignment reporter and weekend sportscaster at KAAL
KAAL
KAAL is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Driftless Area of Southeastern Minnesota and North-Central Iowa. Licensed to Austin, Minnesota, the station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 33 from a transmitter southeast of Grand Meadow, Minnesota in Eastern Mower...
in Austin, Minnesota
Austin, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,314 people, 9,897 households, and 6,076 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,168.2 people per square mile . There were 10,261 housing units at an average density of 954.3 per square mile...
. Weir next became the sports anchor at WLUK in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, and went on to anchor the WGN Morning News
WGN Morning News
The WGN Morning News is a popular morning television news program airing on CW affiliate and national cable superstation WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. The newscast airs Monday through Friday mornings from 4:00-9 a.m...
on WGN
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
from 1995 to 1998. Weir was sports anchor at KABC-TV
KABC-TV
KABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
in Los Angeles
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...
from 1998 to 2002, where he hosted the popular weekly Monday Night Live program which aired after Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. Between 2002 and 2004, he developed, wrote and hosted three television pilots for the USA
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
and FX Networks.
Since Weir joined ABC News in 2004, he has traveled the planet to cover breaking news and uncover global trends such as reporting on the economic rise of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
were signature features on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
. World News
World News
World News may refer to one of the following sources that covers international news:* ABC World News, a television news program that airs on the American television network ABC...
devoted air time to his reports from Africa, the Middle East and the South Pacific. He waded through the floodwaters of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, dodged Taliban bullets in Afghanistan in 2010 and led the network's coverage of Iraq, Where Things Stand at the height of the American troop surge. Weir has anchored several launches and landings of the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
, was the first American to broadcast live from Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and led off 2007's Earth Day special with an unprecedented underwater live report from the Great Barrier Reef.
In June 2007, Weir was named anchor of the short-lived ABC News magazine "iCaught." As a writer and anchor, he produced special hours for the network on topics ranging from religion to brain science to the rise and fall of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
.
In July 2010, he was named co-anchor, joining Terry Moran
Terry Moran
Terry Moran is the co-anchor of Nightline.-Biography:Moran was born in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Lawrence University in 1982.-Professional career:-Career as Correspondent:...
and Cynthia McFadden
Cynthia McFadden
Cynthia McFadden is an anchor and correspondent for ABC News who currently co-anchors Nightline and Primetime.-Education:...
on Nightline
Nightline
Nightline, or ABC News Nightline is a late-night news program broadcast by ABC in the United States, and has a franchised formula to other networks and stations elsewhere in the world. It airs weeknights, usually for 31 minutes. Created by Roone Arledge, the program featured Ted Koppel as its main...
, replacing Martin Bashir
Martin Bashir
Martin Bashir is a British journalist and media personality, currently with NBC News as a contributor for its Dateline program, and an afternoon anchor for MSNBC, hosting Martin Bashir...
. His tenure as a co-anchor began on August 9, 2010.
On May 25, 2011, he was an expert to the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.