Editing Bernie Ward

{{short description|American former radio personality (born 1951)}}
{{Infobox presenter
| image        = <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people - see [[WP:NONFREE]] -->
| name         = Bernie Ward
| birth_name   = Bernard Vincent Ward
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1951|04|05}}
| birth_place  = [[San Francisco]], California, U.S.
| timeslot     = 
| show2        = 
| station2     = 
| timeslot2    = 
| style        = [[Talk show]]
| country      = United States
| years_active = 1985-2007
| prevshow     = 
| website      = 
}}
'''Bernard Vincent Ward''' (born April 5, 1951) is an American former radio personality whose career ran from 1985 to 2007. Formerly a radio [[talk show]] host with [[KGO (AM)|KGO]] 810 AM in [[San Francisco]], California,<ref name="sfgate 082208">{{cite news | first=Bob | last=Egelko | title=9 years urged for radio host in porn case | date=2008-08-22 | publisher=Hearst Corporation | url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/22/BA0912G3V4.DTL | work =The San Francisco Chronicle | access-date = 2008-08-22}}</ref>  Ward, once billed by KGO as "The Lion of the Left" and "unabashedly liberal,"<ref name="ABC_3980105">{{cite news | title=Talk Radio Host Indicted on Child Porn Charges | last=Michels | first=Scott | work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | date=11 December 2007 | url=https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3980105 }}</ref> was the host of the daily [[Talk radio|news talk]] program, ''The Bernie Ward Show,'' and the three-hour program, ''GodTalk'', on Sunday mornings.<ref name="SFC_012308"/>

In December 2007, Ward was dismissed from KGO following his federal grand jury [[child pornography]] indictment.<ref name="SFC_120707">{{cite news | title=Talk show host Ward charged with Internet kiddie porn | last= Derbeken | first=Jaxon |author2=Elizabeth Fernandez | publisher=San Francisco Chronicle | date=7 December 2007 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/07/MNFHTPMQD.DTL }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/23/BA43UK479.DTL | title=Bernie Ward fired from KGO radio | first=Jim | last=Doyle | date=2008-01-23 | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> Subsequently, in a plea bargain with federal prosecutors, Ward admitted to a single felony charge of online distribution of child pornography and signed an admission of distributing between 15 and 150 images via email.<ref name="CBS5 050808">{{Cite journal|title=Bernie Ward Offers Guilty Plea In Child Porn Case |publisher=KPIX TV |publication-date=2008-05-08 |url=http://cbs5.com/local/bernie.ward.guilty.2.719469.html |access-date=2008-08-23 |journal=CBS5 Local News }}{{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> He consequently served a six-year prison sentence, and was released in 2014.

==Biography==
Bernie Ward was born in [[San Francisco, California]],<ref name="SFC_120707" /> where he attended Holy Name Grammar School, St. Ignatius High School, and the [[University of San Francisco]]. He taught for one year (1973-1974) at St. Victor Catholic elementary school in San Jose, California. He then studied for three years at the [[Franciscan School of Theology]] in [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], obtaining a [[Theology#Theology as an academic discipline|Theology degree]] in 1977.<ref name="SFC_120707" /> He was ordained to the [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priesthood]] with the [[Missionaries of the Precious Blood]] the same year,<ref name="SFC_012308">{{cite news | title=Ward's fans want him back on the air | first=Jim | last=Doyle | newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle | date=January 23, 2008 | access-date=2008-01-23 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/23/BAJDUK49R.DTL }}</ref><ref name="KGO_BIO" /> but left the priesthood after two years.

Ward later taught [[theology]] at [[Cardinal Newman High School (Santa Rosa, California)|Cardinal Newman High School]] in [[Santa Rosa, California]] and its sister school, Ursuline High School. At Ursuline in 1978, allegations of Ward's sexual misconduct first began to surface.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://abc7news.com/archive/6131414/ |title=Sexual complaints against Bernie Ward date back to priesthood {{!}} abc7news.com<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2020-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225090135/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Fiteam&id=6131414 |archive-date=2011-02-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ward also taught at [[Bellarmine College Preparatory]] in [[San Jose, California]].<ref name="SFC_120707" /> In 1981, he relocated to [[Washington, D.C.]] where he taught marriage and sex education at the [[Georgetown Preparatory School]], a private [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] Roman Catholic high school,<ref>{{cite news |first1=Phil |last1=Matier |first2=Andy |last2=Ross |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Former-KGO-host-and-child-porn-convict-Bernie-13259818.php?t=96e0534eb4&f? |title=Former KGO host and child porn convict Bernie Ward recalls Kavanaugh school |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=September 26, 2018 |access-date=2018-09-27 }}</ref> while his wife attended medical school. Ward later worked for then-[[United States House of Representatives|Representative]] [[Barbara Boxer]] from 1982 to 1985.

===Radio talk show host===
Ward's employment at [[KGO (AM)]] began in 1985 where he served as a fill-in [[talk show]] host, a general-assignment reporter, and later as a political talk show host starting in 1992.<ref name="SFC_120707" /> As a reporter, where [[Jerry Jay Carroll]] of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' noted on October 25, 1995, that it had become a ritual for the mayor at that time, [[Art Agnos]], to denounce him for lies at the beginning of every news conference. Ward also went on to host "God Talk," a show on religion and related topics.<ref name="SFC_012308"/><ref name="KGO_BIO" />

Briefly in 1996, Ward's talk show was nationally [[Broadcast syndication#Radio syndication|syndicated]] until his ratings declined.<ref name="SFG_102697" /> His show's ratings began to improve in 1997 in Ward's core demographic group (women ages 25 to 54) as a result of his more lenient views on topics such as child-rearing and ethics. On October 5, 1997, a rumor that KGO was discontinuing Ward's contract effective at the end of the month was published by the ''San Francisco Chronicle''.<ref name="SFG_100597">{{cite news | title=When in doubt, punt a pundit | first=Rob | last=Morse | date=5 October 1997 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/1997/10/05/NEWS3116.dtl | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> In protest, supporters of his show flooded the KGO studios with [[Canning|canned food]] donations, continuing a seven-year Thanksgiving fundraising drive started by Ward that had netted more than $1 million in donations shared by the St. Anthony Foundation and two other area charities.<ref name="SFG_102697">{{cite news | title=The canning of Bernie Ward (a radio drama) | first=Stephanie | last=Salter | date=26 October 1997 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/1997/10/26/EDITORIAL12850.dtl | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref>  The protest culminated in a noontime rally staged in front of the KGO studios.<ref name="SFG_59721">{{cite news | title=LIVELY ARTS -- Long Lunch, Long Night | first=Jerry | last=Carroll | date=30 October 1997 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/10/30/DD59721.DTL | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref>  KGO management reversed their decision and renewed Ward's contract.<ref name="SFG_45990">{{cite news | title=LIVELY ARTS -- Graceful Play by Miller | first=Jerry | last=Carroll | date=4 November 1997 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/11/04/DD45990.DTL | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref>

On December 31, 2007, Ward was fired from KGO because of his indictment on child pornography charges.<ref name="SFC_012308"/>

===Child pornography conviction===
On September 20, 2007,<ref name="abclocal.go.com">{{Cite web |url=http://abclocal.go.com/three/kgo/bernie_ward_indictment.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805012352/http://abclocal.go.com/three/kgo/bernie_ward_indictment.pdf |archive-date=2011-08-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ward was indicted by a grand jury on two federal counts of Attempting to Distribute and one count of Receiving [[child pornography]] via the [[Internet]] from December 2004 to January 2005.<ref name="abclocal.go.com"/> The police investigation of Ward originated with a complaint from a Stanislaus County woman who was posing online as a [[dominatrix]] under the screenname "Sexfairy2005" and who had engaged in online chats with Ward.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abc7news.com/archive/6145828/|author=Dan Noyes|title="Sexfairy" reveals herself, speaks to I-Team|date=2008-05-15|publisher=ABC7 News|access-date=2020-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207111634/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Fiteam&id=6145828|archive-date=2008-12-07|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SFC_021508">{{cite news|title=Police report says Bernie Ward sent child-porn pictures to dominatrix|last=Lee|first=Henry|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|date=15 February 2008|access-date=2008-02-15|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/15/BA9DV3G62.DTL&tsp=1}}</ref> According to the police report, Ward sent pornographic images of children to the chat partner, which caused her to contact police. The police began collecting evidence with her help and continued chat sessions with Ward. In the chat logs, Ward also described sexual activity with his own children.<ref> [https://dig.abclocal.go.com/kgo/PDF/oakdale-police-report.pdf Ward chat logs]  </ref><ref name="abc7_21408">"{{cite news | title=Inside Bernie Ward's online chats | publisher=abclocal.go.com | date=14 February 2008 | url=https://abc7news.com/archive/5956230/ | access-date=30 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216134551/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Fiteam&id=5956230 | archive-date=16 February 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref>  Ward and his children both later told investigators that none of the activities described in the chats ever actually occurred, Ward contending it was just sexual fantasy talk.

In a statement, Ward's attorney did not dispute engaging in the chats or transmitting the photos, but instead claimed Ward was [[role-playing]] with the dominatrix in part for research on a book about hypocrisy in America.<ref name="SFC_012308"/><ref name="SFC_120707" /><ref name="SFC_021508"/> Federal investigators could find no evidence that Ward was working on such a book. Ward's attorney claimed that federal authorities found no illegal images on his computer, which they seized in early 2005.<ref name="SFC_120707" /><ref name="nbc11_12508">"{{cite news| title=Trial Set For Radio Host Bernie Ward On Child Porn Charges | publisher=NBC11.com | date=24 January 2008 |url=http://www.nbc11.com/news/15132096/detail.html }}</ref>  However, after police obtained a search warrant for Ward's online account, they found about 100 images of child pornography in his AOL email account on AOL's servers which had been opened and forwarded, with sexual activity involving children.

On May 8, 2008, Ward announced an agreement to plead guilty to one count of Distribution of Child Pornography in exchange for the dropping of two additional counts of Possession and Distribution. In his plea agreement, Ward admits that he transmitted child pornography "between 15 and 150 times." Under federal statute, Ward could have been sentenced to between five and 20 years in prison.<ref name="sfgate ward admits">{{cite news | first=Bob | last=Egelko | title=Ex-talk show host Bernie Ward admits to distributing child pornography | date=2008-05-08 | publisher=Hearst Corporation | url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/08/BAIR10J9JC.DTL&tsp=1 | work =The San Francisco Chronicle | access-date = 2008-05-09 }}</ref><ref name="kgo810_2008may6">{{cite news| title=Bernie Ward to Plead Guilty| publisher=kgoam810.com| date=5 May 2008}}</ref> The Department of Justice requested he be sentenced to nine years in prison.<ref name="ward sentencing memo">{{cite web |url=https://dig.abclocal.go.com/kgo/PDF/082108-Ward-Sentencing-Memo.pdf |title=Sentencing Memorandum of the United States |publisher= Department of Justice, Criminal Division |access-date=2008-08-27 }}</ref>

On August 28, 2008, Judge [[Vaughn Walker]] sentenced Ward to seven years and three months in federal prison. Judge Walker agreed to Ward's request that he be allowed to serve his time in the [[Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc]], to which the U.S. Attorney raised no objection. Judge Walker commented that Ward's alleged sexual misconduct while serving as a priest may go to character, but that the events happened too long ago to be relevant to his sentencing decision. He also said that he was not convinced sending Ward to prison is the best way to deal with an individual with such problems and that "very little good has come out of all this." Ward told Judge Walker that he took full responsibility for his actions and said, "I regret my actions, the harm they caused my family, my friends, and this community."

With good behavior, Ward's sentence of 87 months was reduced by 15 percent, making him eligible for Supervised Release on December 19, 2014; there is no parole in the Federal system. On release from prison California's [[Megan's Law]] designated Ward a registered sex offender. For the remainder of his life Ward must in-person notify and register with local law enforcement about his residing or staying in its jurisdiction and locale.<ref>{{cite news | last = Egelko | first = Bob | title = Bernie Ward sentenced to seven-plus years for child-porn conviction | publisher = SFGate | date = 2008-08-28 | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/28/BAG212JO5B.DTL | access-date = 2008-08-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Moss | first = Alex | title = Ex-Radio Host Bernie Ward gets 7 Years for Child Porn | publisher = Sentry Parental Controls | date = 2008-08-29 | url = http://www.sentryparentalcontrols.co.uk/news/exradio-host-bernie-ward-gets-7-years-for-child-porn.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080915234851/http://www.sentryparentalcontrols.co.uk/news/exradio-host-bernie-ward-gets-7-years-for-child-porn.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2008-09-15 | access-date = 2008-08-29 }}</ref>

Ward served his sentence at the [[Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc]], a low-security federal prison in California.<ref>{{cite web|title=Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator|url=http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=Bernard&Middle=&LastName=Ward&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=78&y=28|publisher=US Bureau of Prisons|access-date=2009-05-19|archive-date=2011-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604154659/http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=Bernard&Middle=&LastName=Ward&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=78&y=28|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was released on December 19, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/|title = Inmate Locator}}</ref>

==Personal beliefs==

===Religion===
On March 16, 1996, Ward discussed the confrontational tactics of the group [[ACT UP]] at a [[mosque]], describing the group as a "collection of non-partisan individuals committed to direct action to end [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]]."<ref name="CAT_100606">{{cite news | title=Bernie Ward show defames Catholicism | first=Aleza | last=Goldsmith | date=May 1996 | publisher=Catalyst | url=http://www.catholicleague.org/catalyst/1996_catalyst/596catalyst.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060206141823/http://www.catholicleague.org/catalyst/1996_catalyst/596catalyst.htm | archive-date=2006-02-06}}</ref> He stated that "homosexuals had a good cause to make (against the Catholic Church)," and claimed that the church encouraged [[homophobia]] and homophobic actions. The church denied this, stating that they did not encourage homophobia or resistance against [[Homosexuality|homosexuals]], but merely taught that homosexual sex, because it is outside a marriage between a man and a woman, was immoral.

On December 9, 1996, Ward stated that Christianity was "morally superior" to [[Judaism]] because it was based on unconditional forgiveness. He offered apologies on his radio show on December 17 and again on the following day, the first being dismissed by the Jewish Community Relations Council and the second being accepted. Ward insisted that he did not have a problem with any individual religion, only with [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalists]].<ref name="JNW_092101">{{cite news | title=KGO Radio's Bernie Ward apologizes to Jews | first=Aleza | last=Goldsmith | date=21 September 2001 | publisher=Jewish News Weekly | url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/16906/edition_id/332/format/html/displaystory.html }}</ref> He later compared fundamentalist [[Orthodox Judaism]] with [[Nazism]] on September 12, 2001, but offered an apology the following day.<ref name="JNW_092101" />

===Iraq war===
On September 30, 2002, Ward appeared on [[CNN]] with [[Wolf Blitzer]] and discussed possible military action against [[Iraq]]. He commented about [[Saddam Hussein]]: "Hussein has not shown any threat to anyone" and that the "[[Kurds]] were prospering very well in the north even as [[al-Qaeda]] has used some of their connections with the Kurds."<ref name="CNN_TRANS_093002">{{cite news | title=Radio Talk Show Hosts Debate Iraq | publisher=CNN | date=30 September 2002 |  url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0209/30/se.02.html }}</ref>

===Causes===
He led a pledge drive for ''Thanksgiving Charities'' every year, which supported four charities in the San Francisco Bay Area:<ref name="KGO_BIO" /> Sacred Heart Community Services in San Jose, St. Anthony's Foundation in San Francisco, St. Vincent De Paul dining room in Oakland, and Fresh Start in Walnut Creek. The charity drive began in the late 1980s and raised over $4 million in the following decades. Ward was also a participant in the KGO leukemia cure-a-thon, which has raised over $13 million for research into leukemia and lymphoma causes.

==Recognition==
Ward received the [[Scripps Howard Foundation|Scripps Howard Award for Excellence in Journalism]] for his [[investigative journalism]] in a 10-part series, ''Heaven Help Us'', which explored allegations of financial and sexual misconduct of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco]].<ref name="KGO_BIO">{{cite web|title=Bernie Ward |publisher=[[KGO (AM)]] |access-date=2007-12-10 |url=http://www.kgoam810.com/djadditionalinformation.asp%3Fdjid=3284 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213000324/http://www.kgoam810.com/djadditionalinformation.asp?djid=3284 |archive-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has also won numerous national awards, such as an [[Associated Press]] award for coverage of the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]].<ref name="SFC_120707" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050921001055/http://radio.about.com/library/blprofiles/blpro-bernieward.htm Profile of Bernie Ward] at [[About.com]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110805012352/http://abclocal.go.com/three/kgo/bernie_ward_indictment.pdf Indictment in the Bernie Ward case ] at [[KGO-TV]]
* [https://abc7news.com/archive/5956230/ Report on the Bernie Ward case]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Bernie}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of Catholic orders and societies]]
[[Category:20th-century American Roman Catholic priests]]
[[Category:Former members of Catholic religious institutes]]
[[Category:American people convicted of child pornography offenses]]
[[Category:American talk radio hosts]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]
[[Category:Radio personalities from San Francisco]]
[[Category:Catholics from California]]
[[Category:American members of the clergy convicted of crimes]]