Ted Henry

As Cleveland's most experienced news anchor, Ted Henry brings a compassionate approach and uncompromising professionalism to viewers throughout northeast Ohio every weekday on NewsChannel5 at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Ted began his broadcasting career in 1964 when he worked as a news reporter and talk show host for a radio station in his hometown of Canton. Throughout his school years, Ted gained experience working in radio stations in Canton and Akron. In 1968, Ted graduated from Kent State University with a degree in telecommunications. He continued on in the graduate program while working at WAKR-TV23 in Akron as a news reporter.

Ted interrupted his growing television career to work for the Peace Corps in Paraguay, South America. From October 1968 to January 1971 he worked overseas in the areas of community health, agriculture and education.

Upon his return to the United States, Ted became government reporter for WKBN TV and radio in Youngstown. He moved to Cleveland in 1972 to join the staff of WEWS. After working behind the scenes as a news producer, then on-air as weekend anchor, Ted was named weekday anchor of Eyewitness News in 1975. Ted has remained anchor at WEWS since then, an accomplishment that makes him the most experienced television news anchor in Cleveland.

Over the past few years, Ted has worked to bring national and international stories home to Cleveland viewers. He was the first local news anchor in the country to report live from Berlin when the infamous Wall was torn down. He traveled to Mexico to cover earthquakes and to Central and South America to cover the conflicts in Grenada, El Salvador and Panama. He also traveled to Israel six times in the mid-1980s and early 90s to cover the trial of John Demjanjuk. In May 1999, Ted was the only American journalist to accompany the American Red Cross to Macedonia. Ted's reports on the plight of the Kosovo refugess at the Brazda Camp in Skopje once again showed his uparalled skill and compassion as a journalist.

Ted's unique approach to news reporting led to his helping reunite two holocaust survivors who met at a concentration camp in Auschwitz in 1944. Finding Aliza is the story of Agnes Greenfeld and Aliza Grunwald. The two had not seen each other since the end of the war. Ted accompanied Agnes on her journey to Israel to find her lost friend. Ted not only hosted, but excutive produced this documentary that won two national Iris Awards and one American Women in Radio and Television Award in 1995.

For many years Ted worked on "Wednesday's Child," a WEWS news series that focused attention on the plight of adoptable children throughout the area. He has also been active in charities for under-privileged children. Ted served for years and currently serves on the board of Goodwill Inc., and also serves on the board of New Life Community, an organization that serves the homeless population in Northeast Ohio. Ted helped create NewsChannel5's "Home For The Holidays" Campaign, which helps fund both New Life Community and Transitional Housing, an outreach program for homeless women. His commitment to the campaign has helped raise more than one half million dollars for the organizations since 1989.

Ted's numerous assignments have led to six local Emmy Awards. However, Ted's most rewarding work is his service as a volunteer at the The Hospice of the Western Reserve.

On a personal note, Ted married Jody Cleary, president of Jody Cleary Interiors, in 1998. He and Jody live on Cleveland's east side. He has two children, son Adam and daughter Joanna, who both live on the West Coast. Ted also enjoys travel, poetry, and spiritual investigation which has led him to visit India 11 times. In all, Ted has traveled to 55 countries inquiring about the culture, customs, and spiritual practices of others.

Drop him a note: henry@newsnet5.com.