Sara Lee Kessler
Encyclopedia
Sara Lee Kessler is the former anchor for New York City
's Channel 9 nightly local broadcast news program in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was formerly a health reporter for New Jersey Network
's nightly half hour NJN News
broadcast. Currently, she can be heard as an anchor and reporter on FM News 101.9 in New York
.
in 1976 as a reporter and became co-anchor of "News at Noon," with anchorman Tom Dunn
later that year. She also co-anchored the station's "News 9 PrimeTime," which was an 8 PM newscast, from 1983-1987. When WWOR-TV switched to a 10 PM newscast in late 1987, Kessler became solo anchor of the "News at Noon." She also co-hosted "9 Broadcast Plaza," a 3-hour live daily news/chat program from 1989-1991, joined by future Today Show co-host Matt Lauer
. She continued as anchor of "News at Noon" until the newscast was cancelled and then became a weekend news anchor and reporter for "News at Ten." Kessler won an Emmy Award
for anchoring WWOR-TV's coverage of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
.
In 1994, Kessler was fired by WWOR. She subsequently sued the television station for religious discrimination
, among other charges. Kessler, who is an Orthodox Jewish woman, claimed that she was forced to work on Saturdays, which is forbidden by the Jewish religion. She was later able to successfully sue the station for $7.3 million.
Kessler was among the first journalists to interview John Lennon
when he received a green card after years of fighting U.S. government efforts to deport him.
She has been a resident of Englewood, New Jersey
for more than 20 years.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Channel 9 nightly local broadcast news program in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was formerly a health reporter for New Jersey Network
New Jersey Network
The New Jersey Network, or NJN, was a network of public television and radio stations serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. NJN was a member of the Public Broadcasting Service for television and the National Public Radio for radio, broadcasting their programming as well as producing and...
's nightly half hour NJN News
NJN News
NJN News was a half-hour daily broadcast television news program by the New Jersey Network which also aired in New York City on WNET Monday through Friday. It was sometimes preempted on holidays by special programming....
broadcast. Currently, she can be heard as an anchor and reporter on FM News 101.9 in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Working with WWOR-TV
Kessler was hired by WWOR-TVWWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
in 1976 as a reporter and became co-anchor of "News at Noon," with anchorman Tom Dunn
Tom Dunn
Tom Dunn was an anchor and reporter at several New York and Florida television stations.Dunn was born in Warwick, New York, and was a child actor at radio station WAAT in Newark, New Jersey. He started in television at WCTV in Tallahassee, Florida in 1959 after leaving the army. He served as...
later that year. She also co-anchored the station's "News 9 PrimeTime," which was an 8 PM newscast, from 1983-1987. When WWOR-TV switched to a 10 PM newscast in late 1987, Kessler became solo anchor of the "News at Noon." She also co-hosted "9 Broadcast Plaza," a 3-hour live daily news/chat program from 1989-1991, joined by future Today Show co-host Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
. She continued as anchor of "News at Noon" until the newscast was cancelled and then became a weekend news anchor and reporter for "News at Ten." Kessler won 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 anchoring WWOR-TV's coverage of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
1993 World Trade Center bombing
The 1993 World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The 1,336 lb urea nitrate–hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to knock the North Tower into the South Tower , bringing...
.
In 1994, Kessler was fired by WWOR. She subsequently sued the television station for religious discrimination
Religious discrimination
Religious discrimination is valuing or treating a person or group differently because of what they do or do not believe.A concept like that of 'religious discrimination' is necessary to take into account ambiguities of the term religious persecution. The infamous cases in which people have been...
, among other charges. Kessler, who is an Orthodox Jewish woman, claimed that she was forced to work on Saturdays, which is forbidden by the Jewish religion. She was later able to successfully sue the station for $7.3 million.
Kessler was among the first journalists to interview John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
when he received a green card after years of fighting U.S. government efforts to deport him.
She has been a resident of Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
for more than 20 years.