Jim Swift is a journalist specializing in feature stories for KXAN-TV News. His "On The Porch" segments conclude the station's 10 p.m. newscast.

Swift came to Channel 36 in August of 1977 just after the birth of his first child Nathan. Nathan and his sister, Shayla, are now in college.

Along the way, Swift served first as a General Assignments Reporter, covering the usual fire, police and government stories. He covered City Hall, the County Courthouse and two sessions of the State Legislature.

Whenever "hard news" stories were scarce, Swift sought out the strange and unusual (never hard to find in Austin). In time, station management asked him to do the feature angle full time for the 10 p.m. report and several years later, the "On The Porch" logo was assigned to his pieces.

The title harkens back to the days before television when people would gather after supper out on the porch to visit with neighbors, tell stories and catch up on the day's news.

Swift's work has claimed a number of important awards including the Barbara Jordan Medallion awarded by the Governor's Committee on People with disabilities. The honor goes to journalists who are sensitive, in their reporting, to the needs of people with disabilities. He captured first place in the "Serious Feature" category in the 1995 and 1999 Associated Press awards. He took "Best TV Reporter" and "Best TV Feature Reporter" honors in the critic's and people's choice divisions of the 1995 "Austin Chronicle Best of Austin" awards. In 1999, the Chronicle again cited Swift for "Best TV Feature Reporter" in the critics choice divisions.

Swift was born in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Lexington, Kentucky at the age of one and then to Dallas, Texas when he was five. He grew up in Dallas, moving with his family to Georgetown just in time for his senior year in high school.

Swift is a graduate of Southwestern University with a B.A. in Intellectual History. His broadcasting career began with a part-time disc jockey position at the old KGTN radio in Georgetown while he was in college. After graduation and a year at Perkins School of Theology at SMU, he found his first full time broadcast news job at KWHI radio in Brenham. Two years later he went to work at the old KOKE radio in Austin and a year later signed on with KTVV-TV, which later became KXAN.

Swift welcomes suggestions for stories from viewers and encourages them to contact him by mail, telephone or e-mail.

Send E-mail to jim.swift@kxan.com.