Ed Planer, who rose from the ranks of local TV news ultimately heading up NBC News’s European operations, has died. Ed Planer began his career in New Orleans in the 1950s, first as an anchor and later as news director at WDSU. He moved to Chicago as News Director of NBC O&O WMAQ in 1972. During his four years in Chicago, Planer hired a young anchor from Indianapolis named Jane Pauley. Pauley would later go on to co-anchor the “Today” show. Planer, too, moved to New York in 1976, first as a producer at “Today” before continuing up the management ranks, eventually heading up European news-gathering operations. Planner left NBC News in 1988 and moved back to Chicago serving as chairman of the journalism department at Chicago’s Columbia College. Planer retired to Atlanta where he passed away Saturday. He was 82.
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