Inducted 2010
Anchor and Reporter
Bill Bonds
Bill Bonds is an award-winning American television anchor and reporter, best known for his work at Detroit’s WXYZ, where he was primary anchor for more than 25 years.
His anchoring and commentaries won more Emmys than any other newscaster in the country.
A Detroit native and University of Detroit graduate, Bonds also was a reporter for WKNR-AM, WCAR, WPON and WQTE.
WXYZ hired Bonds in 1963. He and the station came to prominence for coverage of the 1967 riots. The station’s decision to stay on the air continuously and Bond’s hard-hitting style made it the most watches station. As a result, ABC tapped Bonds in 1968 as anchor at KABC in Los Angeles, where he helped launch Eyewitness News.
He returned to WXYZ in 1971 as the station began building its new approach to news, “Action News.” Two years later, Channel 7 became the market’s highest-rated station. Bonds developed the live interview for his 5 p.m. newscast during the 1980s and 1990s. His “Up Front” segment confronted newsmakers with tough questions and interviewed national figures via satellite.
In 1989, he launched “Bonds On,” a successful prime time show featuring interviews with such luminaries as Oprah Winfrey, Coleman Young, Lee Laccoca, Henry Kissinger, Barbara Bush and Presidents Carter and Clinton. In 1991, he anchored the first nationally televised town meeting for Democratic presidential candidates. Bonds joined WJBK in 1995 as anchor and talk show host. In 1999, he retired from the news desk.