E-mail Jim SackettAnchorBorn/Raised:London, England/Illinois
Education:B.S. Mass Communications Southern Illinois University
Work Experience:WDCA-TV, Washington D.C.
WABI-TV, Bangor, Maine
Jim has received several awards including a Telly Award and an Emmy. He is also active in the community with various organizations including Big Brother/Big Sisters of Palm Beach County.
Many people ask Jim how he got into this business. His answer is that he wanted to be an architect. Makes sense! While a freshman at Southern Illinois University, Jim realized that there was way too much math involved in designing buildings.
Looking around for another major, he stumbled on broadcasting. Five minutes after walking into the University's radio station, Jim changed his major and never looked back.
Following graduation, he spent one year at WDCA-TV, an independent television station, in Washington, DC working as a Producer, Director, Camera Operator and Master Control. No journalism. Then came his 5-year stint in the U.S. Army. Jim soon coupled his primary job as an Infantry officer (Captain) with broadcasting on Armed Forces Radio while stationed in Wuerzburg, Germany.
After three years in Germany, he was off to Ft. Lewis, Washington (Tacoma) working full-time as an infantry officer. But after five years, Jim decided to get back into his first love — television and broadcast journalism.
After bidding the Army a fond farewell, Jim's new career took him to Bangor, ME and the CBS affiliate WABI (also a Channel 5). Jim says, "It's a glorious part of the country, but the winters are brutal." After two years (2 1/2 winters!), he felt it was time to move onto warmer climates. It was over 20 years ago when WPTV hired Jim and the rest... as they say... is history. It has been a great ride and it's not over yet!
Jim has been married to his wife Paula since 1967 and in his spare time he enjoys softball, fishing, and (if the game is on) golf.
