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Channel 2’s Bjorkman opens up about his present predicament & his plan to trade suits for scrubs
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CW2’s staple anchorman, Ernie Bjorkman, is entering into his last tour of duty in Denver television. As a result of the merger – or duopoly – between CW2 and Fox31, Bjorkman, the affable leading anchorman, has been let go. His last day on Denver television will be December 31st.
But it’s not lights out for the veteran TV news anchor who has spent a lifetime feeding Coloradoans their daily dose of news. In a phone interview with Bjorkman, the somber News2 at Nine anchorman said he plans to spend the twilight of his career helping animals – not people – as he starts his new journey as a vet technician. That’s right, Bjorkman, a man who has dedicated 36 years to reporting Denver news, will soon be helping furry creatures as he starts his new career at the not-yet-ready-to-retire-age of 57.
Bjorkman admits that while broadcasting has been “very good” to him, his passion has always been animals. “I grew up with lots of animals and I always wanted to be a veterinarian,” he said. While his calling was for broadcasting at the time, Bjorkman always felt compelled to follow his dream of working with animals. “I didn’t want to do eight years of school [to become a vet] at my age, so I’m studying to be a vet technician,” the college student proudly admits.
In December, Bjorkman will graduate from the two-and-a-half-year-long vet technician program from Denver Community College; in January he will take a vet technician certification test. Ideally, Bjorkman hopes to find work near his mountain home in South Fork, Colorado near Wolf Creek Pass.
While Bjorkman always planned on reinventing himself someday, he admits that things are running a few years ahead of schedule. “Things happen for a reason,” he says. “I’m going to feel like John Elway felt – leaving something I’ve done for so long,” he said.
As Bjorkman marks his last few months as anchorman, he continues to intern at a 24-hour emergency animal clinic in Parker.
“People are always asking me, aren’t you the guy on TV,” he jokes. He says it usually takes him a few minutes to “explain” himself before he can actually do his job. Bjorkman wonders if he’ll get “recognized” as much once his stay on TV has passed.
Today, Bjorkman says the mood at CW2 is glum. “Most are still in shock and there’s lots of uncertainty and [the changes at the station] left big holes in the news operation.” (Bjorkman is referring to the layoffs of several of the stations’ key players, including sports anchor Lisa Holbrook and weekend anchor Mat Garcia, among others).
He also said there’s lots of speculation as to what will be happening. “There’s a good bet we won’t be on at 9pm,” he says, although he was quick to say no one knows for sure.
While Bjorkman will become soon become the next Dr. Doolittle, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Bjorkman has forever changed the face of Denver TV and his legacy will last well beyond his years. As a 2008 inductee into the National Television’s Academy “Silver Circle,” an honor extended only to those who have spent 25 years to the television industry, Bjorkman can feel good about trading in those suits for scrubs.
“I have so many suits and ties to get rid of!” he chuckles. Perhaps Bjorkman can turn those anchorman ties into animal tourniquets.
Send some love to Bjorkman by sending him a farewell email at ebjorkman@kwgn.com.
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