Jessica Savitch

Jessica Savitch – Life, Career, and Legacy

Jessica Savitch (1947–1983) broke barriers as a pioneering American television journalist. Explore her biography, major achievements, struggles, famous moments, and enduring influence.

Introduction

Jessica Beth Savitch was one of the first women to anchor a major network evening newscast on her own in the United States. Though her life ended tragically in a car accident at age 36, her ambition, versatility, and dramatic arc have made her a figure of fascination in journalism history. Savitch’s career, marked by both breakthroughs and controversies, underscores both opportunity and pressure for women in broadcast news.

Early Life and Family

Jessica Savitch was born on February 1, 1947, in Wilmington, Delaware (though she later was associated with Kennett Square, Pennsylvania) David “Buddy” Savitch, a clothing merchant, and Florence (née Spadoni / Goldberger), who worked as a nurse.

When Jessica was 12 years old, her father died of a kidney disease. Margate City, New Jersey, near Atlantic City.

Youth, Education & Early Broadcasting

While in high school at Atlantic City, Savitch began experimenting with radio broadcasting. She co-hosted a rock show for teens on WOND in Pleasantville, and soon became a newsreader and disc jockey—reportedly the first woman in that area to hold a regular on-air shift.

Pursuing her passion, she enrolled at Ithaca College, majoring in communications.

Early in her career, she encountered gender bias—when she sought an on-air role at the college radio station, she was reportedly told there was "no place for broads in broadcasting."

Career & Achievements

Local News and Rise to Visibility

After college, Savitch took a staff role at WCBS Radio in New York as an administrative assistant and production helper, though she was initially not hired as a reporter due to lack of experience. KHOU in Houston, where she joined as a reporter and later became a weekend anchor—the first woman to anchor news in the American South.

In 1972, she joined KYW-TV in Philadelphia, anchoring weekend newscasts and doing reporting. Her on-screen presence, polished style, and growing audience rapport helped her become a local celebrity.

National Network Career

In 1977, Savitch accepted a contract with NBC News, becoming weekend anchor for NBC Nightly News.

In January 1983, she began hosting Frontline, a PBS public affairs documentary show, and remained in that role until her death.

She earned awards and respect for her presence and narrative skills—her voice, poise, and viewer connection were frequently praised.

Personal Life, Struggles & Controversies

Savitch’s personal life was turbulent and intertwined with pressures of fame, ambition, and scandal.

• She was married twice: first to Melvin “Mel” Korn (1980), which ended in divorce after about 11 months.

• Her second marriage was to Dr. Donald Rollie Payne, her gynecologist, in March 1981. That marriage ended in August 1981 when Payne committed suicide.

• Savitch also had a long-term relationship with news executive Ron Kershaw, which reportedly involved emotional and physical difficulties.

By 1983, her network role was under pressure. In October that year she delivered a live NBC News Digest segment in which her speech was slurred, she deviated from her script, and viewers speculated about possible drug use or a technical malfunction.

Death and Aftermath

On October 23, 1983, Savitch and her date, Martin Fischbein (a vice-president at the New York Post), left dinner at a restaurant (Chez Odette) in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and drove toward the Delaware Canal.

Rescue arrived later that night. Both Savitch and Fischbein drowned by asphyxiation, according to autopsy reports.

Her family filed lawsuits against several parties (including the Post, restaurant, and state) concerning the fatal accident. Settlement amounts reportedly reached around $8 million, with parts directed toward scholarships and communications programs.

Legacy and Cultural Impact

Jessica Savitch’s life has been the subject of biography, film, and debate.

• Her autobiography, Anchorwoman, was published in 1982.

• After her death, Gwenda Blair’s Almost Golden: Jessica Savitch and the Selling of Television News (1988) became influential in shaping her posthumous narrative.

• In 1995, a made-for-TV film Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story aired, starring Sela Ward as Savitch.

• A later theatrical film, Up Close & Personal (1996), was loosely inspired by her life. However, to appeal to mainstream audiences, the script softened or omitted many of Savitch’s personal struggles and controversies.

At Ithaca College, she remains a celebrated alumna: the college named a television studio (Studio A) in her honor, established a communications scholarship in her name, and recognizes her as a trailblazer in broadcasting.

Savitch is frequently remembered as a symbol of both promise and peril in television journalism—how talent and ambition can propel, but also expose vulnerabilities in a demanding, high-visibility field.

Lessons & Takeaways

1. Barrier-breaking matters, but support is essential. Savitch walked new paths for women in broadcast news—but often without the structural supports or mentoring that male peers may have had.

2. Image and substance must balance. Her polished image and compelling presence opened doors—but underlying questions about journalistic credentials and preparation were often raised.

3. Public scrutiny is intense in journalism. As a woman in a male-dominated domain, her every misstep was magnified—illustrating how fault tolerance is unequally applied.

4. Personal struggles don’t occur in isolation. Battling grief, loss, relational instability, and pressure may have influenced professional performance and perception.

5. Narratives endure beyond life. The ways her story has been told—what’s highlighted or omitted—remind us how media and culture shape legacy.

Notable Quotes & Reflections

Because Savitch was primarily a journalist rather than a philosopher or writer of aphorisms, she has fewer pithy quotes recorded. However, some of her reflections and public remarks capture her mindset:

• She once said, paraphrased in Almost Golden: “I want to be judged on what I deliver on air, not on being a woman.”

• Colleagues often noted her determination to learn and improve her delivery—she reportedly worked with coaches to polish her on-camera style and speech.

• Her famous slip on live TV in October 1983 has become part of her narrative: she claimed the teleprompter failed; critics speculated alternate causes. That moment is often discussed as emblematic of the pressures on live news anchors.

Conclusion

Jessica Savitch’s life and career are a compelling study in ambition, media, and the particular challenges faced by women in the spotlight. From early radio in New Jersey to anchoring network news and hosting Frontline, she advanced rapidly—yet her rise was shadowed by personal turmoil, public scrutiny, and a tragic end.

Her story remains a cautionary and inspirational tale: the impact one can make even in a short span, and the vulnerabilities inherent to careers lived in the glare of cameras. To this day, she is remembered not only as one of the first women to anchor network news, but also as a complex, human figure whose strengths and struggles continue to resonate.