Phil Lipof Joins WCVB From WABC

By Merrill Knox 

Phil Lipof is joining WCVB, Hearst’s ABC affiliate in Boston, as an anchor and reporter. The Boston native comes from WABC, the ABC O&O in New York City, where he is the weekend morning anchor.

“We’re always on the lookout for strong anchors and reporters with ties to Boston and Phil fits the bill perfectly,” WCVB general manager Bill Fine said in a statement. “We envision him taking on an important role on both the anchor desk and in the field with his experience and connection to this city.”

Before joining WABC in 2006, Lipof was a weekend anchor at WHDH, the NBC affiliate in Boston. He began his journalism career as a WCVB intern.

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“I’ve moved from Idaho to Miami to New York City for work, but my heart has always been in Boston,” Lipof said. “To come home now, with my family, to my family, is beyond words.  And to come to WCVB, Boston’s news leader, is a dream come true.”

It is not immediately known which newscasts Lipof will anchor. In a press release, WCVB said he “joins Ed Harding, Heather Unruh, Randy Price and Bianca De La Garza as a principal anchor” at the station.

More from WCVB after the jump.

BOSTON NATIVE PHIL LIPOF JOINS WCVB-TV AS NEWSCAST ANCHOR AND REPORTER

Boston (October 29, 2013)  Emmy award-winning journalist Phil Lipof will join WCVB-TV as an anchor and reporter starting December 23, 2013 as announced today by Bill Fine, WCVB President and General Manager. The appointment marks a “homecoming” for the Boston native who grew up in Newton, interned at WCVB and previously worked in the market as a weekend anchor.

Lipof comes to Channel 5 from WABC, ABC’s flagship station in New York City, where he anchored the weekend morning news and reported for the past seven years.  Lipof has covered some of the major stories of the decade.  Most recently he returned home to Boston to report on the Marathon bombings, braved 80 mile per hour winds during “Superstorm Sandy” and, less than a year later, reported from the massive boardwalk fire in the same spot. He covered the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, travelled to Israel after 9/11 for a special series on terrorism and to Germany to speak with wounded troops.

“We’re always on the lookout for strong anchors and reporters with ties to Boston and Phil fits the bill perfectly,” said Fine.  “We envision him taking on an important role on both the anchor desk and in the field with his experience and connection to this city.”

Lipof joins Ed Harding, Heather Unruh, Randy Price and Bianca De La Garza as a principal anchor at NewsCenter 5.

“Phil’s exceptional journalism skills, professionalism and family ties make him a huge asset,” added News Director Andrew Vrees.  “We believe his addition to the team will help to solidify and secure our dominant ‘news leadership’ position in the market for years to come.”

Prior to working in New York, Phil and his wife Juli co-anchored in Boston.  Lipof also worked in Miami and the New York Tri-State area. Lipof began his journalism career at WCVB interning with Chet Curtis and Natalie Jacobson.  Phil considers Curtis his inspiration and mentor.

“I’ve moved from Idaho to Miami to New York City for work, but my heart has always been in Boston,” said Lipof.  “To come home now, with my family, to my family, is beyond words.  And to come to WCVB, Boston’s news leader, is a dream come true.”

Lipof’s roots in Boston run deep with his mother and 4 siblings still living in the area. His wife Juli is from Haverhill.  His father, brother and sister have served on the Board of Alderman in Newton for many years until his father passed away.  His mother, now retired, was one of the first women in the world to become a Rabbi serving on a pulpit in Brookline, MA.  When not reporting the news, he enjoys playing guitar, working out and, most of all, spending time with his wife Juli and their two children Daniella and Dylan.

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