Jim Donovan, a legendary WKYC sports anchor, has announced his retirement from television news after a 37-year career in the industry. The 67-year-old Donovan will have his final broadcast on the local NBC affiliate on June 10. Looking back on his remarkable career, Donovan expressed gratitude for the support he has received from viewers, Browns fans, colleagues and everyone who has been part of his journey.
Originally from Boston, Donovan joined 3News in 1985 as the weekend sports anchor. In 1999, he became the radio voice of the Cleveland Browns when the team returned after a three-year hiatus. Donovan plans to continue in that role during the upcoming season, hoping to call a Browns Super Bowl win in the future. Despite facing health challenges, including a leukemia diagnosis in 2000 and a relapse of leukemia in 2023, Donovan persevered and underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2011 and completed his last radiation treatment in February 2024.
In addition to his sports reporting on the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts, Donovan has anchored the station’s 7 p.m. show, “Front Row,” since 2012. He has received multiple regional Emmy awards and is a Hall of Fame member of the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters and The Press Club of Cleveland. WKYC President & GM Micki Byrnes praised Donovan’s illustrious career and acknowledged his numerous accomplishments in the field while Donovan requested a quiet exit
