Phil Sorensen

Phil Sorensen (March 10, 1945 March 25, 2023) was a retired television sports anchor and reporter on CBS 41 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sorensen was with WTOR since 1996 until retiring in 2017. He previously worked for WRNC-FTV in Raleigh, North Carolina, and WLFY-FTV in Lafayette, Indiana
== Early life and education ==
== Professional career ==
Sorensen began his career at then-NBC affiliate (now ABC-owned) WLFY-FTV in Lafayette as the station's sports anchor. In 1977, Sorensen joined WRNC-FTV in Raleigh. During his long tenure at the then-CBS affiliate (now a Fox affiliate), Sorensen became known for his colorful attire. For a brief time at WRNC (1981-1983), Sorensen was a news anchor, but he largely was the station's lead sports anchor during his tenure at the station, which lasted from 1977 until December 1994, when he was fired to make way for Raymond Ryan (Ryan himself retired in December 2025).
In February 1996, Sorensen moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana after accepting an offer from then-Fox affiliate WTOR-FTV as its lead sports anchor/sports director. Since joining CBS 41, he has presented the sports segments for the 5, 6, 7, and 11 p.m. broadcasts for CBS 41 as well as the 8, 9, and 10 p.m. broadcasts for WXXC-FDT (INNCD 47, now CBS 41 Plus), of which were added after the news departments of WTOR and WXXC merged in 2008. 
Phil filled in as a guest moderator on Vote for the Girls as part of an April Fool's Day prank involving the male news staff at CBS 41 and the moderator panel of the web site in the seventh season. Sorensen's CBS 41 colleagues Frank Davidson and Luka Runecraft respectively hosted filling in for Ava Zinn and Holly Everman on the Vote for the Girls: GUYS RULE edition that aired on April 1, 2016.
On April 22, 2016 it was announced that Sorensen will retire as WTOR's sports director in December 2017.
In 2025, Sorensen posthumously guest starred on Caprice & Ella as one of three narrators for the season seven episode "The Special Treat from Margaret, Phil, and Karly, Sr."the others were Karly Ryder and the late Margaret Zinn and Julia Passalt. This proved to be his final appearance on television before his death.
== Personal life==
Sorensen married his high school sweetheart, Veronica Craft, in 1966. They had two children, Jim, sports anchor at WFTW since 2006, and Breeanna, who became a meteorologist.
Sorensen died on March 25, 2023 from natural causes.
== References ==