Jon Kelley, the co-anchor of “Good Day Chicago” that airs from 4:30 to 10 a.m. on FOX32 visited with the students at the Illinois Center for Broadcasting on Thursday, April 24 at 10 a.m.

Following his guest speaker presentation, Jon, graciously met with students one-on-one to answer questions and take photos.

During his presentation, Jon talked about his career as an award winning American sports journalist, author, producer, and television personality.  He also talked about the rush he gets from doing 5 hours of live news Monday through Friday and the challenge of doing breaking news without the luxury of having a moment to read the copy prior to broadcasting it on air.

Born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kelley played four seasons as a running back for the University of Nebraska before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism. He signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos in 1988 before embarking on a broadcasting career that took him to various markets including Chicago where he worked as the sports director for NBC5 during the glory days when the Bulls were winning championships year after year.

Kelley was part of a sports team that earned such prestigious awards as the Chicago/Midwest Emmy award for producing and anchoring his hour-long special highlighting the Chicago Bulls’ quest for a fifth championship. Kelley also received the Peter Lisagor Award for Sports Journalism and an Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Award for Best Sportscast.

Kelley’s diverse broadcast career has spanned over 15 years in news, sports, and entertainment. He recently took a position as co-anchor of FOX 32, “Good Day Chicago.”  He answered a number of questions from students that ranged from how he prepares for his broadcast day to the best approach to trying to get that first job.

The Illinois Center for Broadcasting would like to thank Jon Kelley for taking the time to share his insight and advice on how best to make the most of opportunities that may present themselves within a broadcast career.