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Joan Lovett

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Joan M. Lovelace (born November 12, 1960[1]), known professionally as Joan Lovett, is a former American television news anchor. Lovett worked in TV news in markets including Miami and Chicago from 1980 to 1999. After her career, she struggled with substance abuse and became a writer.

Early life and education

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A native of St. Louis, Missouri, and Rockford, Illinois, Lovett earned a bachelor's degree in radio/TV news and print journalism from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1983. She received a Master's of Fine Arts in writing from Lindenwood University.

Professional career

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Shortly after graduating from SIU-C, Joan began her career in broadcast journalism at WICD in Champaign, Illinois, from 1983 to 1986. From Champaign, she moved on to WTLV in Jacksonville, Florida. She hosted Good Morning Jacksonville for the station and was on air when the station's news helicopter crashed during a morning traffic report in June 1986, reporting the aftermath.[2] After being passed over for a slot hosting a new 5:30 p.m. weekday newscast,[3] she departed WTLV in July 1988 to become the noon news anchor at WSVN in Miami.[4] She was promoted to a spot on the 5:30, 6:30, and 10 p.m. newscasts in May 1990,[5] and in 1991 she and Penny Daniels were assigned to host a new news and entertainment program, 7:30.[6]

Lovett left Miami at the end of 1992 after being hired by WBBM-TV in Chicago as a weekend anchor, taking maternity leave for her first child between the jobs.[7] WBBM intended her as a replacement for Elizabeth Vargas. Daniels joined her at WBBM. When the two started in April, they were instead assigned to anchor a planned 4 p.m. newscast;[8] that never went ahead, but a relaunched noon newscast did, with Lovett and Daniels co-anchoring.[9] Later that year, she began co-anchoring the station's 6 p.m. newscast with Bill Kurtis. She moved from that newscast in late 1994 to make way for the station's hiring of Mary Ann Childers,[10] and in 1996, Lovett began co-anchoring WBBM's new 6 a.m. newscast.[11] When WBBM expanded the newscast, after rehearsals it decided to demote Lovett and elevate Childers to her post.[12] By late 1998, she was anchoring at 5 and 11 a.m.[13]

In late 1998, Lovett obtained an early release from her contract with WBBM. In early 1999, Lovett and her husband, Jeff Abrams, moved to the Baltimore area, where he took a behind-the-scenes news operations job at WBAL-TV.[14]

Struggle with alcoholism

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Lovett suffered from alcoholism in the late 1990s and early 2000s—a condition that was exacerbated, she told CBS News in 2004, by her lack of work. After a series of drunk-driving arrests, Lovett was jailed in the Baltimore area in August 2002.[15] While she was in prison, on October 10, 2002, Lovett's husband Abrams died aged 46 of an apparent heart attack while jogging.[16] Lovett's request to attend her husband's funeral was denied. Lovett was released from jail in April 2003 and told CBS News in 2004 that she had completed substance-abuse counseling. Joan has been sober since 2004.[17]

By 2010, she was focusing on a career in writing and teaching part-time, as well as raising her two children.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "INC". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. November 12, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ McAlister, Nancy (August 7, 1986). "People are waking up to 'Good Morning Jacksonville'". The Florida Times-Union. pp. C-1, C-5 – via GenealogyBank.
  3. ^ McAlister, Nancy (July 23, 1988). "Strike hasn't halted taping of trial show". The Florida Times-Union/Jacksonville Journal. pp. G-1, G-3 – via GenealogyBank.
  4. ^ Kelley, Bill (July 7, 1988). "Channel 7 announces more new hires". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. 8E. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Coto, Juan Carlos (May 23, 1990). "Ch. 7's Joan Lovett takes over for Denise White". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p. 7C. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Jicha, Tom (March 29, 1991). "News show to get WSVN's familiar tabloid touch". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. 6E. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Lovett leaves Ch. 7". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. November 10, 1992. p. 3B. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Feder, Robert (March 22, 1993). "Channel 2 Imports Miami Anchor Duo". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 27.
  9. ^ Feder, Robert (August 11, 1993). "Channel 2 Adds Noon Newscast". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 47.
  10. ^ Feder, Robert (September 19, 1994). "Change Is in the Air For Channel 2 News". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 25.
  11. ^ "Channel 2 has Monday morning team in place". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. August 9, 1996. p. 1:2. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Feder, Robert (January 13, 1997). "Channel 2 demotes another news anchor". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 31.
  13. ^ Feder, Robert (September 1, 1998). "Levine, Childers add an on-air partnership". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 31.
  14. ^ Goldborough, Bob (March 14, 1999). "On the move". Chicago Tribune. p. 16:5. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Morales, Tatiana (October 12, 2004). "Abuse+Alcohol+Jail= A New Life". CBS News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2004. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "Here, There, and On the Air". Harford Vista!. October 19, 2002. Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  17. ^ Dakss, Brian (October 13, 2004). "Rising from Rock Bottom". CBS News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2004. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  18. ^ Lovelace, Joan (October 1, 2010). "Getting Up Slowly". Sasee Magazine. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011.
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