After 34 years as the face of Univision news in Chicago, Jorge Barbosa will no longer anchor the station’s 5 and 10 pm newscasts.
His last night on the air will be Friday, August 10, when he plans to bid farewell to his audience.
The 66-year-old Barbosa helped launch Noticias Univision Chicago at WGBO in 1995. He was previously an anchor and reporter at former Univision affiliate WCIU-Channel 26, also in Chicago.
His departure comes as Univision undergoes restructuring, layoffs and cost-cutting measures, which have hit staffers at the national and local level.
A native of Veracruz, Mexico, Barbosa was inducted in the Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2012.
According to GM Doug Levy, the station “will be using existing staff on the anchor desk” until his replacement is announced.
Many years ago I had the opportunity of managing WGBO’s newsroom, and Jorge is one of the true “old-school” gentlemen, both in the business and in life. And not because of age- he’s been an “old soul” since a very young age. Quiet, eloquent, inquisitive and with a very classy style. He’s been on the air longer than any other anchor in Chicago, and he’ll be missed!
I’m literally about to have a heart-attack man this was a true professional, he always seemed to have the patience for his co-anchors, and was a happy person, though he looks angry during newscasts. But he really will be missed longest-running Spanish-language anchor in Chicago and longest-running anchor in Chicago.
I will dedicate a Wikipedia page, to Jorge Barbosa that will come out soon before August 10th.