Reporter Jon Shirek retiring from 11Alive after more than 43 years

Jon Shirek, a veteran reporter at NBC affiliate 11Alive (WXIA-TV), is retiring on Friday, Feb. 23 after more than 43 years.

A statement from 11Alive called him “one of the best writers, best journalists and the kindest person in the Atlanta television market.”

A University of Florida graduate, Shirek came to Atlanta in 1980 from a TV station in Jacksonville, Florida.

He became known for his deep knowledge of Atlanta history. “If there is a retrospective, tribute or reflective piece,” the 11Alive statement said, “Jon is the go-to guy. We also know him as a compassionate and loving co-worker.”

The statement said that he requested 11Alive not make a big deal about his retirement.

John Deushane, former station general manager, recalled how thoughtful Shirek was covering difficult stories such as the mass shootings in Colorado and the George Floyd murder. “No one came to editorial meetings with more story ideas than Jon,” he said.

Jeff Hullinger, a former 11Alive anchor who worked with Shirek for 14 years, said his “intellect, empathy and understanding of Atlanta metro showed every night in his reporting.”

John Pruitt, who worked with Shirek at 11Alive for several years, called him a “thoughtful reporter whose narratives often had a poetic quality.”

In fact, his newsroom nickname was “the Poet,” according to former 11Alive reporter Paul Crawley, who spent 36 years at 11Alive.

“His writing was just beautiful,” said Crawley in a follow-up interview. “It’s hard to write well on deadline in television, but Jon had a way of doing it even if it was just a minute and a half long. He was probably the best I ever worked with.”