ATLANTA — Jorge Estevez is joining WSB-TV Channel 2 as the station’s 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. anchor. With more than 20-years of experience as a journalist, Jorge is excited to tell the stories that impact the people of North Georgia.
“It is an overwhelmingly exciting opportunity,” Jorge said. “I have been working for Cox Media Group since 2001 and now I get to take what I have learned to this city full of amazing people and communities.”
While Jorge has been a journalist since the late ’90’s when he began his career in New York City, he is eager to work alongside another set of seasoned professionals who make up one of the best stations in the country.
“To think that WSB-TV has been a driving force for the people of the Atlanta area for more than 70 years is awe inspiring," Jorge said. "I will be counting my blessings every day that I get to work alongside so many people who have called WSB-TV home for decades, both those on-air who people see every day and those off-air who work tirelessly to get a top-notch product on the air.”
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Jorge comes to Atlanta from our sister station WFTV, where he started in 2001.
“During my time behind the anchor desk and out in the field, we were mindful to always consider the impact our news had on Central Florida families. We not only worked to make sure our stories were accurate, but also relevant in helping our community deal with major news events,” said Jorge.
In Orlando, Jorge covered the effects of 9/11 on Central Florida tourism, reported on NASA’s Shuttle Columbia Disaster and was in the elements for the severe hurricane season of 2004, during which several back to back storms impacted the Orlando area. He was also on the air to cover the devastation left behind on the island of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
The story is of special significance to the Orlando area, because of Central Florida’s large Puerto Rican population.
“These are our brothers and sisters and we needed to let people know how they were doing both during and after the storm,” said Jorge, whose mother’s side of the family originates in Puerto Rico.
But the most impactful moment that Jorge covered was the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub where 49 people lost their lives in June of 2016.
“When the victims’ names were released that first night, I interviewed someone close to a person who had died. It was the moment when this tragedy became real for so many people,” said Estevez, who was also asked to host the first organized vigil where 50,000 people gathered around Lake Eola and grieved for the lives lost.
For a short time, Jorge left Orlando and worked at the CBS station, WFOR, in Miami. There, he won his first of nine Emmy Awards for one of his special reports on traffic patterns in South Florida. He made Miami his home and moved his mother and aunts from New Jersey.
“I thought I was going to be there forever, so I wanted them close to me since they were getting older and I wanted to make sure they were taken care of,” said Estevez.
He returned to WFTV a few years later.
Jorge landed his first broadcasting job as a reporter at News 12 The Bronx and was promoted to the position of morning anchor in less than a year. Jorge will remember his time in New York City for his Emmy-nominated story of a 12-year-old boy-turned-author after his battle with bone marrow cancer.
The son of Cuban immigrants, with a Puerto Rican background Jorge is from West New York, New Jersey, where he graduated from Rutgers University with a dual degree in journalism and communication.
For fun, Jorge loves to stay active. From running miles on the pavement to spinning his wheels in a cycle class. But when he is not active, he stays indoors and watches, among other things, countless hours of news. He is also a fan of pop culture and how we consume information on all platforms, including social media.
“We have so many opportunities to connect with people these days that we must never take it for granted how connected we truly are as a society. So, hopefully, we will get to learn more about each other very soon," he said.
Jorge Estevez will join Jovita Moore on Channel 2 Action News at 5 p.m and 11 p.m. Justin Farmer joins Wendy Corona on Channel 2 Action News at 4 then Jovita Moore on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m. starting Monday, Jan. 13.