Jan. 06--Longtime TV reporter Jay Levine is stepping down as chief correspondent at WBBM-Ch. 2 after nearly 26 years at the station.
Levine told colleagues via email Wednesday he was shifting from his day-to-day role to a special contributor at the CBS-owned station.
"After 42 years on the beat in Chicago, going into battle day after day with and against our competitors, fighting those who'd rather spin than speak the truth, covering emerging trends, bitter conflicts, lifestyle changes and personalities, it's time for me to shift gears," Levine said.
Levine joined CBS 2 in 1990 as weekend anchor and reporter. In 1998, he became co-anchor of the station's early morning newscast, partnering with his wife, Mary Ann Childers. He returned to a reporting role in 2001.
A graduate of Cornell University, Levine moved to Chicago in 1974 to become a general assignment reporter for ABC-owned WLS-Ch. 7, where he worked until joining CBS 2. Levine earned a national Emmy in 2005 for his reporting on the death of Pope John Paul II.
"Jay represents the epitome of what it means to be a journalist," Marty Wilke, CBS 2's president and general manager, said in a statement. "He's curious, tenacious and unapologetic in his mission to get the story and get it right. I know he has a lot more stories to tell, and I'm glad he has chosen to stay with CBS 2 for this next phase of his journalism career."
rchannick@tribpub.com
