# Al Sanders

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Al_Sanders
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Al_Sanders.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Sanders
> Source revision: 1357051502
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American journalist and broadcaster

For the American basketball player, see [Al Sanders (basketball)](/source/Al_Sanders_(basketball)).

Al Sanders Born March 13, 1941 St. Louis, Missouri, US Died May 5, 1995(1995-05-05) (aged 54) Baltimore, Maryland, US Occupation Anchorman Notable credit(s) Co-anchor of WJZ-TV, Eyewitness News Spouse Ruth Children 3

**Al Sanders** (March 13, 1941 - May 5, 1995) was an American television news [anchorman](/source/Anchorman) at [WJZ-TV](/source/WJZ-TV) in [Baltimore, Maryland](/source/Baltimore%2C_Maryland). He helped take a third place television newscast to first place, where it stayed throughout his career.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Background

In 1967 Sanders, as Al Gay, worked for radio station [KXLW](/source/KSIV_(AM)), in [St. Louis, Missouri](/source/St._Louis%2C_Missouri). In 1969, he left for competitor [KWK](/source/KXFN), where he adopted the name Al Sanders, the on-air alias that would follow him through the rest of his career.[1] Sanders joined WJZ-TV in 1972. Five years later, he would replace [Oprah Winfrey](/source/Oprah_Winfrey) as [Jerry Turner](/source/Jerry_Turner_(anchorman))'s co-anchor.[2] Turner and Sanders were Baltimore's top news team until 1987, when Turner succumbed to [esophageal cancer](/source/Esophageal_cancer). Denise Koch joined Sanders on the anchor desk as a fill-in, gaining the role permanently in 1988. Sanders won [Emmy Awards](/source/Emmy_Award) in 1993 and 1994 for his regularly featured specialty report, "Picture This."[3] In March 1995, Sanders was diagnosed with [lung cancer](/source/Lung_cancer). Sanders died at the [Johns Hopkins Hospital](/source/Johns_Hopkins_Hospital) on May 5, 1995, and was replaced by Vic Carter, formerly of [WSB-TV](/source/WSB-TV) in Atlanta., who retired in July of 2024.

## Legacy

Each year, the Baltimore Community Foundation awards college scholarships in the name of Al Sanders for those students who are musically inclined.[4] In Baltimore, the corner of [Druid Park Drive](/source/Druid_Park_Drive) and Malden Avenue, two blocks from WJZ-TV, was named Al Sanders Place. The adjoining block of Malden Avenue is named Jerry Turner Way, for his former broadcasting partner.[5]

Preceded by Jerry Turner WJZ-TV Lead Anchors 1987/1988 – 1995 Succeeded by Vic Carter

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Radio Broadcasting History: Al 'Scoop' Sanders"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130526165925/http://www.440.com/namess.html). 440 International Inc. Archived from [the original](http://440.com/namess.html#_asande) on 2013-05-26. Retrieved 2008-04-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["When Oprah Was Ours"](https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2011/5/1/when-oprah-was-ours). Baltimore (magazine). May 2011. Retrieved 2019-03-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Al Sanders; News Broadcaster, 54"](https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/07/obituaries/al-sanders-news-broadcaster-54.html). *New York Times*. 1995-05-07. Retrieved 2008-04-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Lee, Peggy (2008-02-08). ["Scholarships Turn College Dreams Into Realities"](http://wjz.com/seenon/scholarship.jerry.turner.2.649554.html). WJZ-TV. Retrieved 2008-04-17.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Take Jerry Turner to Al Sanders . . "](https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1995-09-01-1995244047-story.html). *Baltimore Sun*. Retrieved 1 October 2022.

## External links

- [Remembering Al Sanders](http://video.aol.com/video-detail/wjz-tv-baltimore-remembering-al-sanders-part-5/1539874121)

- [Remembering Al Sanders pt2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr7L6UVp8Zc) on [YouTube](/source/YouTube_video_(identifier))

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Al Sanders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Sanders) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Sanders?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.