Jason Knowles
Knowles has also earned a reputation for navigating the latest consumer trends and warning people of problems associated with social media and technology. When he's not on the air, Jason spends his days combing through dozens of calls and emails. He stays in close contact with government agencies and other consumer experts to find stories important to Chicago viewers.
You can leave a tip by calling 312-750-7-TIP or clicking here.
Knowles was promoted to consumer investigative reporter in January 2014, becoming a member of the station's prestigious I-Team investigative unit. His strong and incisive investigative reporting background, and his in-depth segments as special projects producer at ABC 7, made him the perfect fit for consumer investigative work. Vice President of News and News Director Jennifer Graves said, "Jason is a tenacious reporter who knows how to dig up a good story."
Prior to joining the I-Team, Knowles was a morning reporter covering breaking and developing stories in the field every day. He joined ABC 7 Eyewitness News as a reporter in February of 2009, and has covered countless breaking stories which have made national headlines including the Jennifer Hudson family murder trial, Rod Blagojevich's trip to prison, along with both Blagojevich trials. He's also been on top of the Drew Peterson saga, President Obama's visits to Chicago and Oprah Winfrey's final shows. Knowles has also chased down stories and politicians at City Hall and the Dirksen Federal Courthouse as well as covering hearings at the Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California. He's also been able to kick back and have some fun while reporting at the Chicago Air and Water show and at Cubs and Sox home openers.
Knowles and his stories have also been featured in national broadcasts such as Inside Edition and Larry King Live. He also dabbled in acting, as what else, but a reporter in the 2008 movie "The Lucky Ones" starring Rachel McAdams and Tim Robbins.
Knowles first came to ABC 7 in 2004 as a special projects producer, where he tracked down exclusive stories for the 10 PM News. He worked closely with ABC 7 Eyewitness news anchors with original consumer warnings and also produced investigative stories for the ABC 7 I-Team.
His favorite ABC 7 experience was traveling to South Africa to cover the opening of Oprah Winfrey's Girls' school. He also field produced for the 2008 Republican National Convention and the inauguration of Barack Obama in Washington D.C. for ABC 7. He received an Emmy for his coverage at the inauguration and also has won dozens of awards in his 15 years of working in the television news industry.
Before joining ABC 7 as a producer, Knowles spent eight years on the air as a reporter at various stations including WTVG-TV, the ABC-owned station in Toledo, OH, where he was their Investigative Reporter and Consumer Troubleshooter. He also worked as a reporter and anchor at WKAG-TV in Hopkinsville, KY.
Jason Knowles lives downtown and loves the city life. He loves to enjoy Chicago's lakefront and tries to run by the water as much as possible. When he's not reporting in the morning, Knowles has made it a priority to experience Chicago's amazing restaurants, sights and hot spots with family and friends. Besides keeping up with the Chicago and national news, he loves monitoring the latest in television, movies and pop culture.
Knowles graduated from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and is a native of Cleveland, OH.
Jason's Stories
Quick Tip: Government imposter scam
Here's a quick "government imposter" tip. The FBI has been warning people about a scam where criminals are posing as city or county officials to trick you into paying fake planning and zoning permit fees.
NW Indiana bank employees stop woman from sending $10K to scammers
Local bank employees stopped a woman from sending $10,000 to scammers.
Sophisticated banking spoof callers drain local customers' accounts, nearly fool ABC7 anchor
The calls are from fake banking officials or even fake law enforcement who claim they are protecting your money.
Quick Tip: Long auto loans
Here's a quick tip on avoiding what's known as a "long" auto loan. A new study finds Americans with auto loans longer than six years pay nearly 82% more in interest, about $6,000 extra.
Whopping water bills: Chicago landlord in dispute with city over charges after new meter installed
What if the city said you owed $10,000 for fewer than six months of water usage? That's just one of the "whopping water bills" a local woman is fighting. The city blamed the bills on leaks, but the landlord says that can't be true.
EPA investigating after IL residents report discolored, smelly water coming from faucets for months
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now involved with trying to figure out why some residents are dealing with discolored water.
Quick Tip: Bad credit and auto insurance
Here's a quick car insurance tip. A new report shows drivers with bad credit pay about 40% more for auto insurance. Comparing quotes can take less than five minutes and could uncover big savings.
Downers Grove mother says college student son had over $4K frozen in bank account for nearly 1 year
The I-Team is investigating a new case after a customer said their Chase Bank funds were wrongly flagged for fraud.
Malicious links on Google searches could be dangerous, security group says
When you search for a business or service on a web browser, you may click on the first link that pops up. But one security group says some links could be dangerous.