Mike Parker (reporter)
Encyclopedia
Michael J. Fishel known professionally as Mike Parker, is a former news anchor and a longtime reporter for WBBM-TV
in Chicago
.
, Parker earned a degree from Los Angeles City College
.
-AM radio in Los Angeles
from 1969 until 1972. He also worked as an anchor, investigative reporter and general assignment reporter at KNXT-TV (now KCBS-TV
) in Los Angeles
, from 1977 until 1980.
In January 1980, Parker joined WBBM-TV
in Chicago
as a weekend news anchor and weekday general assignment reporter. He remained at WBBM-TV until 1985, when he chose not to renew his contract in order to join his wife, Mary Nissenson
, who was working as a reporter for WABC-TV
in New York. Parker then joined WABC himself as a general assignment reporter, remaining in New York until late 1986, when he returned to WBBM-TV as a weekend anchor. In 1987, Nissenson returned to Chicago, taking a reporting and substitute anchor job at WBBM-TV herself.
In 1992, Parker was demoted as weekend news anchor and was replaced by Jay Levine. "While I can't say I am delighted - because I thought I was doing a pretty darn good job - I don't think Chicago has heard the last of me yet," Parker told the Chicago Sun-Times in an article that appeared on February 4, 1992. "It's not the end of an era. Who knows what the future will hold? I'm certainly not a dead man."
Since 1992, Parker has occasionally filled in as a news anchor where needed. However, the bulk of his job has involved being one of WBBM's star reporters, including on the ill-fated non-tabloid 10 p.m. newscast anchored by Carol Marin
that ran for nine months in 2000.
On October 7, 2008, Parker interviewed Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
, asking the governor, "Don't you sometimes feel that you're a character in an Edgar Allan Poe
story, that the walls are closing in somehow?"
Parker currently has been at WBBM-TV longer than any other full-time on-air personality
neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.
Parker was off the air for an extended period in 2001 after undergoing coronary bypass surgery and related complications. He eventually made a full recovery.
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
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...
.
Early life and education
A native of Rock Island, IllinoisRock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, Parker earned a degree from Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
.
Professional career
Parker worked as the news director and as a reporter for KFIKFI
KFI is an AM radio station in Los Angeles, California. It received its license to operate on March 31, 1922 and began operating on April 16, 1922 as one of the United States' first high-powered, "clear-channel" stations...
-AM radio 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 1969 until 1972. He also worked as an anchor, investigative reporter and general assignment reporter at KNXT-TV (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...
) 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 1977 until 1980.
In January 1980, Parker joined WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
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...
as a weekend news anchor and weekday general assignment reporter. He remained at WBBM-TV until 1985, when he chose not to renew his contract in order to join his wife, Mary Nissenson
Mary Nissenson
Mary Nissenson is an award-winning American television journalist, who also has been an entrepreneur, social activist and university instructor.- Early life and education :...
, who was working as a reporter for WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
in New York. Parker then joined WABC himself as a general assignment reporter, remaining in New York until late 1986, when he returned to WBBM-TV as a weekend anchor. In 1987, Nissenson returned to Chicago, taking a reporting and substitute anchor job at WBBM-TV herself.
In 1992, Parker was demoted as weekend news anchor and was replaced by Jay Levine. "While I can't say I am delighted - because I thought I was doing a pretty darn good job - I don't think Chicago has heard the last of me yet," Parker told the Chicago Sun-Times in an article that appeared on February 4, 1992. "It's not the end of an era. Who knows what the future will hold? I'm certainly not a dead man."
Since 1992, Parker has occasionally filled in as a news anchor where needed. However, the bulk of his job has involved being one of WBBM's star reporters, including on the ill-fated non-tabloid 10 p.m. newscast anchored by Carol Marin
Carol Marin
Carol Marin is a television and print journalist based in Chicago, Illinois.She began her career in 1972 at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee working as a reporter, anchor, and assistant news director....
that ran for nine months in 2000.
On October 7, 2008, Parker interviewed Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
, asking the governor, "Don't you sometimes feel that you're a character in an Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
story, that the walls are closing in somehow?"
Parker currently has been at WBBM-TV longer than any other full-time on-air personality
Personal
Parker and his first wife, television news anchor and reporter Mary Nissenson, divorced in 1989. Parker married his second wife, Marian Ambrose, in 1992. They live in the BeverlyBeverly, Chicago
Beverly is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the South Side on the southwestern edge of the city. Beverly Hills was built by English engineers as an exclusive streetcar suburb and the homes and large lots reflect this historic distinction...
neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.
Parker was off the air for an extended period in 2001 after undergoing coronary bypass surgery and related complications. He eventually made a full recovery.