Ukee Washington has spent nearly four decades doing something few broadcasters ever manage: becoming a trusted and familiar presence in the daily life of a city, writes Frank Halperin for Philadelphia Magazine.

The longtime CBS News Philadelphia anchor is approaching his 40th year with Channel 3. The official anniversary falls on July 9, a milestone that places him among the longest-running local television personalities in Philadelphia history.

From West Philly to Dover to the Airwaves

Washington was born and raised in West Philadelphia, but his path to broadcasting ran through Dover, Delaware. He attended Dover High School and became something of a local legend.

He set Delaware state track records in the high hurdles and intermediate hurdles and scored 1,305 career basketball points, ranking seventh in Delaware high school history at the time. 

Long before he was reporting on athletes, he was one.

His roots in Philadelphia ran deeper than sports.

As a youngster, Washington was a member of the Philadelphia Boys Choir’s elite ensemble. He traveled to Russia, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark, and Mexico to perform.

That early combination of athletic discipline and artistic expression shaped the broadcaster he would become.

He went on to earn a journalism degree from the University of Richmond, then worked as a sports anchor in Fort Myers, Florida. Later, he worked in Atlanta before coming home to Philadelphia.

Four Decades at Channel 3

Washington joined CBS 3 in 1986 as a sports anchor before moving into news in 1996. Over the years, he has covered everything from high school athletes and Eagles Super Bowls to the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

He has also reported on major civic moments in Philadelphia, including the 1997 President’s Summit for America’s Future.

But Washington’s reputation is not built on longevity alone. Viewers have come to know him for his warmth, steadiness, and deeply personal connection to the city.

In a recent Philadelphia Magazine interview, he described Philadelphia as a major city with a small-town feel, a place defined by toughness, character, and compassion. That sense of connection has shaped his approach on air.

A Famous Family Tie

There is one detail about Washington that even longtime viewers may not know. He is a second cousin to actor Denzel Washington.

The two families trace their roots to Buckingham County, Virginia, and Ukee did not learn of the connection until 1982, when his father told him after Denzel completed his first film.

The cousins have since become close, and Denzel even cast Ukee in a role in the remake of “The Manchurian Candidate.”

Honors Befitting a Career

His career has also brought major recognition. Washington has been inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.

He received the NATAS Mid-Atlantic Board of Governors Award for his contributions to the television industry.

After 40 years, Washington remains one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable and respected broadcasters, an anchor whose career has become part of the city’s own story.

Learn more about Ukee Washington’s career as a trusted Philadelphia voice in Philadelphia Magazine.