Cheryl Burton Biography
Cheryl Burton is an American 15-time Emmy Award-winning anchor and reporter who is currently working at ABC7 Chicago. She serves as the anchor of the 5 PM Newscast and is a contributor to the station’s 10 PM newscast. In addition, she joined the ABC7 Chicago news team in 1992 as a weekend co-anchor and reporter.
Cheryl Burton Career
Her reporting has taken her to the heart of Chicago neighborhoods, across the United States, and around the world. One of her career highlights was covering the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama. Whether it’s covering exposing the plight of one of Illinois’ poorest schools, the opening of Oprah’s school for girls in South Africa, or assessing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Burton brings compelling stories home to Chicago. In addition, she is passionate about exposing injustices and bringing the stories of the underprivileged to the forefront.
Over the years, she has had interviews with world leaders, political candidates, celebrities, sports figures, and ordinary citizens with her trademark warm and insightful approach that gives viewers a unique perspective of people in the news. Her style of reporting has been described as investigative, smart, informative, refreshing, and committed. `In addition, she stated that her most memorable life moments include the once-in-a-lifetime experience as an honored guest at the Oprah’s Legends Ball and her annual winter holiday toy drive benefiting children living in domestic violence shelters.
Furthermore, she was given the final interview from Oprah Winfrey before she left her daytime talk show after 25 years. The interview covered a quarter of a century of love lessons, joy, legacy, and what the “Queen of Talk” called an adventure of a lifetime. In addition, she previously worked at KWCH-TV in Wichita, Kansas where she served as a weeknight anchor for the 6 pm news. While she worked at KWCH-TV, she was recognized for her role in a campaign that was instrumental in reducing the number of low birth-weight babies and infant deaths. From 1990 to 1992, she served as the host of Viewpoint which is a talk show.
In addition, she also worked at WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois in 1990 where she served as a general assignment reporter. She started her journalism career at WGN-TV in 1989, where she served as the co-anchor of MBR: The Minority Business Report which is a nationally syndicated weekly series. Furthermore, she is also very active in the community and whenever she can she works with non-profit groups and charities. She serves as a motivational speaker for the Chicago Public Schools and volunteers for the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Cheryl also serves on the boards of the Multicultural Dance Center, City Year, and the Life with Lupus Guild. She also participates in the Rush-Presbyterian/St. Luke’s fashion show. In addition, she was honored with the DuSable Museum History Maker Award, Girl Scout Camp CEO Leader, Grace, and Beauty Award, and is a lifelong and proud Girl Scout. Furthermore, she is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Chicago Association of Black Journalists, and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Burton is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She attended Chicago’s Robert Lindblom High School where she graduated proudly and was the first alumnus to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in April 2007. Later on, she joined the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned a B.S. degree in Psychology and Biology. Additionally, while she was at the university, she was s a member of the Marching Illini which is one of the nation’s premier college marching bands, and had the opportunity to march in the Rose Bowl and the Liberty Bowl.
Cheryl Burton Awards and Achievements
For her outstanding work, she has earned 15 Emmy Awards including one in 2009 for covering the inauguration of Chicago’s Barak Obama, Journey to Witness History, and The Obama Inauguration. In the same year, she did receive the 2009 Procter and Gamble Pioneer Award for community service. She also did win the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence International Award in 2008 for her coverage of the opening of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa.
In addition, she was awarded the Vernon Jarrett Par Excellence Award in journalism in 2008. The Chicago area gospel singers privileged her as the first recipient of the Sisters in the Spirit for exemplifying a faith-based life in 2005. The Thurgood Marshall Award was honored to her in 2004 and in 2005. In addition, for her story about a mother-to-daughter kidney donation, in 2004 she was presented with the Russ Ewing Award by The Chicago Association of Black Journalists (CABJ).
Furthermore, the Russ Ewing Award was awarded to her for her coverage of the E2 nightclub tragedy by CABJ in 2003. Her coverage of the Pope’s visit to Canada in 2002 was lauded. The Kizzy Image and Achievement Award which honors black women who have excelled in their professions was presented to her in 1998. In addition, Cheryl won the Phenomenal Woman Award in 1997 from the expo for Today’s Black Woman.
In 1995, she won another CABJ for her coverage of the Million Man March. Additionally, she was selected to receive an “Unsung Sheroe” honor for her role in inspiring women across the country by the National Basketball Association Wives Association Inc. Furthermore, she was honored with the prestigious Luminary Award from Northwest Indiana and The Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago
Cheryl Burton Salary
Burton earns a salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Cheryl Burton Net Worth
Burton has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which she has earned through her career as an anchor and reporter.
Cheryl Burton Age
Burton is 61 years old as of 2024. She was born on December 25, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. She celebrates her birthday on the 25th of December every year.
Cheryl Burton Height and Weight
Burton stands at a height of 5 feet 7 inches (170cm) tall and weighs 58kgs.
Cheryl Burton Family
Burton’s father is Simpson Burton who is a United States Air Force veteran while her mother is Haitte a Chicago Public School teacher. She has four siblings whose names she has not disclosed.
Cheryl Burton Husband and Children
Burton was previously married to Jim Rose who is an ABC 7 sports reporter. They began dating while she was a Chicago Bears cheerleader. They tied the knot in 1986 and later in 1995, they got divorced. She has however not been blessed with any children.
Cheryl Burton Social Media Platform
Burton is very active on her Twitter and Facebook pages and she has 15K followers on Twitter and 41K followers on Facebook.