Home | WebMail | Register or Login

      Calgary | Regions | Local Traffic Report | Advertise on Action News | Contact

Login

Login

Please fill in your credentials to login.

Don't have an account? Register Sign up now.

Posted: 2022-12-22T19:38:29Z | Updated: 2022-12-23T00:03:27Z

Philadelphia news anchor Jim Gardner reminded viewers that the press is not the enemy of the people in his farewell broadcast Wednesday after more than 46 years on the air. (Watch the video below.)

He humbly asked his 6ABC audience for a final word and launched an eloquent defense of his craft.

The American free press has been under attack, not by forces from other countries, but from elements embedded in our own society, and even our own government. It worries me deeply, Gardner said.

After an anecdote about Thomas Jeffersons deep belief in freedom of the press, Gardner delivered his most important message about the fourth estate.

We are not the enemy of the people, he said.

Serving the people, you the people of the tri-state area, with responsible and unbiased journalism. This is our mission now and in the future, he continued. And if we falter, you damn well better let us know, for your benefit and for ours.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

Gardner received a well-deserved applause from colleagues as he said good night for the last time.

.@Jim_Gardner uses the end of his final @6abc broadcast to defend journalism in America. We are not the enemy of the people.

Worth a watch. pic.twitter.com/78bMLy1cTY

J.J. Abbott (@jjabbott) December 21, 2022","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"J.J. Abbott","author_url":"https://twitter.com/jjabbott","cache_age":86400,"description":".@Jim_Gardner uses the end of his final @6abc broadcast to defend journalism in America. We are not the enemy of the people.Worth a watch. pic.twitter.com/78bMLy1cTY J.J. Abbott (@jjabbott) December 21, 2022\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1605708166314004481/pu/img/_vsl3VlfkCgxv4v5.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1278,"title":"J.J. Abbott on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/jjabbott/status/1605708241178169351","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"63a49afde4b098c9b206f045","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/jim-gardner-we-are-not-the-enemy_n_63a49afde4b098c9b206f045","entryTagsList":"journalism,press-freedom","sectionSlug":"media","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news,entertainment,politics","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.media","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/980fbb8f-676a-465d-93d5-f2e35fc8674f/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":5},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"63a49afde4b098c9b206f045","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Journalism","slug":"journalism","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/journalism","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/journalism","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/journalism"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Journalism","slug":"journalism","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/journalism"},{"name":"Press Freedom","slug":"press-freedom","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/press-freedom","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/press-freedom","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/press-freedom"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"Press Freedom","slug":"censorship","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/censorship"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

.@Jim_Gardner uses the end of his final @6abc broadcast to defend journalism in America. We are not the enemy of the people.

Worth a watch. pic.twitter.com/78bMLy1cTY

J.J. Abbott (@jjabbott) December 21, 2022

Gardner told The Philadelphia Inquirer he had pondered retirement before but the news was so interesting in recent years that he felt compelled to stay. Now, he said, hell spend more time with his wife and perhaps part with an iconic facial feature.

Maybe Jim Gardner is going away, and Im going to reclaim Jim Goldman, he said, referring to his real name. Its interesting to sort of think about that. Jim Goldman will probably shave off the mustache, right?

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost