Summary
- Jim Boyd died at age 84, WCVB announced Tuesday.
- He joined the Boston station in 1972 and retired in 2008.
- Boyd earned a sociology degree from Tufts University in 2013 at age 71.
A familiar voice in Boston television
Jim Boyd, a longtime anchor and reporter at Boston television station WCVB, died Tuesday at age 84, the station announced. Boyd worked at Channel 5 for nearly four decades, reporting from the field and anchoring weekend, morning and midday newscasts before retiring in 2008. [1] [2]
Boyd joined WCVB in 1972 as a general-assignment reporter and later became a prominent on-air presence on EyeOpener and the station's midday newscast. WCVB described him as an active community member who worked with youth organizations as well as a journalist whose career helped shape the station's first decades. [1] [3]
From a mailroom to the anchor desk
His television career began in 1961 in the mailroom at WNET in New York. He moved into public-affairs and production work, contributed to the Boston public-television program Say Brother and later returned to WNET as an associate producer and producer of the Emmy-winning News in Perspective before moving to WCVB. [1] [2]
The Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame inducted Boyd in 2012, one year after the New England chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gave him its Golden Circle award. The honors recognized a career that extended from early public television to decades of local news reporting and anchoring. [1] [2]
A degree completed after retirement
After leaving daily television, Boyd returned to college and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Tufts University in 2013 at age 71. The achievement came decades after an interrupted first attempt at higher education and became a visible second chapter in a career built around persistence and public service. [1] [3]
Boyd later made occasional screen appearances and returned to WCVB for station events, including its 50 Years Fund telethon in 2022. WCVB said he is survived by his wife and three daughters. Details of a memorial gathering were not immediately included in the station's announcement. [1] [2]
Reporting sources
- WCVB · Longtime WCVB-TV news anchor, reporter Jim Boyd dies ↗2026-10-27T00:00:00Z
- Boston.com · Longtime WCVB anchor Jim Boyd dies at 84 ↗2026-10-27T00:00:00Z
- The Boston Globe · Retired WCVB anchor fulfills dream of getting degree ↗2013-05-18T00:00:00Z
This article follows our editorial standards. To report an error, see our corrections policy.