Charles Jaco (born August 21, 1950) is an American journalist and author, best known for his coverage of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing Gulf War. Jaco was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Charles Jaco
Born (1950-08-21) August 21, 1950 (age 74)
EducationUniversity of Chicago (1973)
Columbia University (M.S., 1976)
Occupation(s)Journalist; writer; commentator
Employer(s)WXRT, NBC Radio, CNN; KMOX, KTVI, KTRS, St. Louis American
Known forThe Jaco Report

He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1973 and earned a master's degree from Columbia University in 1976.[1] In 1976, he began his broadcast career with WXRT radio in Chicago, Illinois.

He worked for NBC Radio from 1979 until 1988. In 1987, he was badly beaten by the security forces of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.[2] In late 1988, he became a correspondent for CNN. In 1989, while covering allegations of electoral fraud by the Panamanian government, Jaco was visited by vigilantes of Noriega. He fled the country with the aid of the U.S. military.[3] While covering the Gulf War for CNN in 1991, he proposed to fellow CNN correspondent Pat Neal.[4] He left CNN in 1994 and joined KMOX.[2]

He authored Dead Air, a novel about the Gulf War, and Live Shot, a novel set in Cuba.[1] In 2002, he authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Gulf War, and in 2003 co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Politics of Oil.[1] In 2003 he became a reporter and anchor for KTVI television in St. Louis, Missouri, while hosting the station's The Jaco Report. In 2009, he began work at the radio station KTRS 550, doing a daily morning talk show, also titled The Jaco Report. In February 2010 Jaco allegedly bumped into conservative blogger Adam Sharp. Based on Sharp's video of the encounter, the city prosecutor declined to pursue charges against Jaco.[5]

In October 2010, Jaco was replaced by J.C. Corcoran at KTRS.[6] In August 2012 Jaco interviewed then U.S. Representative and senatorial candidate Todd Akin on The Jaco Report in which Akin controversially claimed that women rarely become pregnant from "legitimate rape."[7] Jaco left KTVI in 2014.[8] Jaco writes regular columns for the St. Louis American.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Charles Jaco". Fox2 St. Louis. September 14, 2006. Archived from the original on February 4, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Salter, Jim (April 20, 1995). "Jaco Goes Home to Talk Radio". Chicago Sun-Times.
  3. ^ Shanor, Donald (2003). News From Abroad. Columbia University Press. p. 120. ISBN 0-231-12240-3. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  4. ^ Kubasik, Ben (April 3, 1991). "UNEXPECTED FAME FOR ARTHUR KENT AND CHARLES JACO The News Guys on the Block". Newsday. p. 55.
  5. ^ Garrison, Chad (3 March 2010). "Charges Dropped Against Charles Jaco Following Dust Up with 'Tea Bagger'". Retrieved 7 January 2016. Based on the 'evidence' presented, I saw no basis for proceeding with the charge
  6. ^ Garrison, Chad (6 October 2010). "Used Condoms Can't Keep Charles Jaco Off Air, but KTRS Can; Jaco Replaced by JC Corcoran". The Riverfront Times. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. ^ Hoyt, Mike (23 August 2012). "Backstory: the reporter who interviewed Akin". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  8. ^ Currier, Joel (28 February 2016). "KTVI's Charles Jaco leaving the news station". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  9. ^ Columnist Charles Jaco at the St. Louis American
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