Longtime Boston Reporter Janet Wu to Retire After 50 Years

By Kevin Eck 

Janet Wu, WCVB political and investigative reporter and longtime co-host of the Boston ABC affiliate show On The Record, has said she will retire at the end of the year.

The station said that in recognition of the “significant contributions Wu has made throughout her career as a journalist and to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will declare Sunday, November 6th Janet Wu Day during the Mayor’s guest appearance on Sunday’s OTR.”

Wu was the first Asian American and first woman to serve as a Massachusetts State House television reporter and has spent nearly forty of her 50-year career covering politics for WCVB.

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“For nearly five decades, I’ve had the privilege of reporting on the most significant news stories and political events in Massachusetts and hopefully I have gained the trust of viewers and respect of politicians while covering the political stories that personally impact their lives,” said Wu. “I’ve covered 12 gubernatorial administrations and countless other statewide and congressional races. It is simply time to move on.”

Wu joined WCVB in 1983 as the station’s State House reporter and investigative reporter as part of the 5 Investigates team. She later became WCVB’s political reporter. She started co-hosting OTR in 2009 with Ed Harding.

“Janet is an incredibly talented and highly-regarded journalist who has made countless contributions to WCVB and to the community over the course of her legendary career and as a longtime member of NewsCenter 5,” said Kyle I. Grimes, WCVB president and general manager. “With nearly forty years at Channel 5, Janet helped to lay the foundation for the journalistic excellence and commitment to community that the station is dedicated to providing, and she will truly be missed by her entire Channel 5 family.”

“Throughout Janet’s career, she has been front and center covering the most important stories across Boston’s political landscape,” said Margaret Cronan, WCVB news director. “Her knowledge and expertise have been valuable resources, and her tenacity in holding politicians accountable as well as her commitment to our communities have set a powerful example for investigative and political journalists everywhere. Janet will always be a part of WCVB’s legacy.”

Wu was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Emerson College at the 2011 commencement, and in 2010, she was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Before coming to WCVB, Wu was the State House reporter for WGBH in Boston. She also worked as a reporter for United Press International in Boston.

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