Many residents of the Windy City are currently mourning the loss of legendary journalist and news anchor Harry Porterfield who has passed away at the age of 95. Porterfield was in the industry for 51 years, with 30 of those spent at CBS 2.
His impact on the community he served was profound and his legacy will be remembered forever.
Beloved Chicago television news broadcaster Harry Porterfield, who for years shared the unique tales of hundreds of area residents through his signature “Someone You Should Know” series, has died at 95. https://t.co/x3kb1UYyei
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) October 23, 2023
Jennifer Lyons, President and General Manager at CBS 2 said that “Harry was a deeply admired and well-loved journalist…He’s left an unforgettable legacy for all of Chicago.” Through his work on ‘Someone You Should Know’ segment, he shared stories about everyday ‘ordinary Chicagoans doing extraordinary things’.
He also took pride in creating more job opportunities for minority journalists during his tenure as the station’s only African American weekday news anchor.
Porterfield started off his career in radio before moving to Chicago in 1964. There he started out as a TV writer prior to becoming reporter and eventually anchor. His granddaughter told the Sun-Times that “he loved his work…He put a lot of effort into it; he was a perfectionist.” She went on to say that “he rarely missed a day and worked holidays until late in his career”.
Clearly journalism ran in their family as Porterfield’s granddaughter is now an anchor and reporter at CBS 58 Milwaukee according to her station biography.
At the time of his passing Porterfield was surrounded by family members in Munster Indiana from natural causes after a short illness. As per tradition amongst family they always waited for him to get home so they could have Thanksgiving together every year even up until late into his career when he retired from CBS 2 back 2015 by signing off with ‘The man, myth, legend.’
He leaves behind behind wife whom he spent over five decades with, four children, one grandchild along with great-grandchild too numerous as well as friends and colleagues who respected him greatly throughout life and professional career alike.
