Classic Clips From WGRZ-TV featuring John Beard. In 1977, John Beard arrived in Buffalo, joining WIVB-TV as the station’s 11 p.m. news anchor and reporter. Just a year later, his strong on-air presence and journalistic skill earned him a promotion to co-anchor both the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. During his tenure, Beard drew national attention and received anchor offers from major-market stations, including KGO-TV in San Francisco and WLS-TV in Chicago. However, a clause in his contract allow