Marika Gerrard: Meet Zoey Tur’s Ex-Wife and Katy Tur’s Mother

Marika Gerrard is an American media producer and camera operator known for her work in breaking-news coverage. Born in Los Angeles, she developed a career combining journalism, filming, and television production.

She became famous through pioneering aerial news reporting with her former husband, Zoey Tur. Together, they created the Los Angeles News Service and captured several major events from helicopters above Los Angeles.

Beyond her professional career, Gerrard is also known as journalist Katy Tur’s mother. This article explores her early background, education, media career, marriage, children, major reporting achievements, divorce, and family life.

Quick Bio

Who Is Marika Gerrard?

Marika Gerrard is a media producer and camera operator from Los Angeles. She spent an important part of her career documenting breaking news. Her work often placed her close to rapidly developing events.

She became particularly recognised for filming news from helicopters. This approach allowed her to capture dramatic footage from perspectives that traditional ground crews could not easily reach. It became an important part of her professional identity.

Gerrard also gained wider attention through her family. She is the mother of journalist and author Katy Tur. Her former husband, Zoey Tur, also built a career in television journalism.

Marika Gerrard’s Early Life and Education

Marika Gerrard was born on 10 December 1954 in Los Angeles, United States. Growing up in Los Angeles placed her near a major centre of American television, entertainment, and news production.

Education was another important part of her background. Gerrard attended the University of California, Los Angeles. She completed a Master’s degree in Philosophy at UCLA before building her media career.

Her later profession was highly practical and fast-moving. She worked behind the camera, handled unpredictable news situations, and helped document major events. These experiences eventually established her reputation in aerial journalism.

How Marika Gerrard Met Zoey Tur

Marika Gerrard met Zoey Tur in Los Angeles in 1978. At the time, Zoey was known as Bob Tur. Their first meeting took place at the Westwood Bruin Theatre.

Their relationship quickly developed around adventure rather than conventional dates. Their time together could involve going to a fire, crash, or another developing incident. News gathering became closely connected with their personal relationship.

The couple eventually married in the early 1980s. Their marriage later became both a personal and professional partnership. Together, they entered the demanding world of breaking-news reporting in Los Angeles.

Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur’s Marriage

Marika and Zoey Tur spent more than two decades together. Their relationship included raising children while simultaneously pursuing careers that could involve dangerous and unpredictable situations.

The couple worked particularly closely as journalists. Zoey generally operated the helicopter while Marika handled filming. Their teamwork helped them document events unfolding across Los Angeles from the air.

Their shared passion for journalism became a major part of their marriage. However, the relationship ultimately came to an end. Marika and Zoey divorced in 2003 after spending more than two decades together.

Founding the Los Angeles News Service

One of Marika Gerrard’s most important professional achievements was co-founding the Los Angeles News Service. She established the news organisation alongside Zoey Tur during their years together.

The service became notable for its approach to aerial reporting. Helicopters allowed the team to reach major breaking stories quickly. Marika could then record unfolding scenes while Zoey handled the aircraft.

Their work helped establish them as pioneers of helicopter-based news coverage. Instead of simply reporting what had already happened, they could capture major events as they were developing across Los Angeles.

Marika Gerrard’s Career as a Camera Operator

Marika Gerrard developed her professional reputation behind the camera. As a camera operator, she was responsible for capturing footage that could communicate breaking stories directly to television audiences.

Aerial filming presented unusual challenges. Working inside a helicopter required concentration while dealing with movement, height, changing conditions, and the unpredictable nature of breaking news. Gerrard nevertheless made aerial reporting central to her career.

Her footage contributed to national television coverage of major events. The work also demonstrated how helicopters could become powerful tools for journalists covering stories across a large metropolitan area such as Los Angeles.

Her Coverage of Major Los Angeles Events

Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur covered several important news events. Among their most notable assignments were the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when widespread unrest created an enormous breaking-news story.

They also became associated with coverage of the O. J. Simpson low-speed police chase. Aerial television footage allowed viewers across the country to follow the unusual pursuit as it happened.

These assignments demonstrated the importance of helicopter reporting. From above, Marika could document scenes across a wide area. Her work helped bring some of Los Angeles’ biggest developing stories directly to television audiences.

Awards and Recognition

Marika Gerrard’s work with Zoey Tur brought professional recognition. Their reporting received several honours during their years covering breaking news together in Los Angeles.

Their achievements included three Television News Emmy Awards. They also received an Edward R. Murrow Award, adding another notable accomplishment to their shared career in journalism.

These honours reflected the impact of their unconventional approach. Their combination of helicopter piloting, camera work, and rapid-response reporting helped them develop a distinctive position within television news and aerial journalism.

Marika Gerrard’s Television and Film Work

Marika Gerrard’s work extended beyond the breaking-news footage for which she became best known. She has also been associated with several television and film productions during her media career.

Her projects include When %#! Happens: Air, Sea and Land from 1999. She was also connected with Circadian Rhythm in 2005 and A New Tomorrow in 2007.

These projects add another dimension to her professional background. Although aerial news reporting remains central to her public profile, her experience also included broader media production and camera-related work.

Marika Gerrard and the Whirlybird Documentary

Marika Gerrard’s unusual journalism career later became part of the documentary Whirlybird. The film explores the aerial reporting work that she and Zoey Tur performed together.

The documentary revisits their professional partnership and the intense environment surrounding their assignments. Their helicopter gave them opportunities to capture dramatic events that became memorable parts of Los Angeles television history.

It also examines the personal side of their experiences. Their work could be exciting but dangerous, particularly because both parents were sometimes flying together while their two children remained at home.

Marika Gerrard’s Children

Marika Gerrard has two children from her marriage to Zoey Tur. They are daughter Katy Tur and son James Tur. Both eventually followed different professional paths as adults.

Their childhood was unusual because their parents worked as aerial journalists. Helicopters, cameras, breaking stories, and sudden assignments were familiar parts of the family’s everyday environment.

Marika later reflected on the risks involved in having both parents working together in a helicopter. Despite those dangers, the excitement and fast-moving nature of their journalism remained a memorable part of their lives.

Who Is Marika Gerrard’s Daughter, Katy Tur?

Katy Tur was born Katherine Bear Tur on 26 October 1983 in Los Angeles. She grew up surrounded by journalism because both of her parents worked in the news business.

Katy eventually followed a similar professional direction. She became a journalist and author, building her own identity in television news. Her childhood experiences provided an unusually close introduction to reporting.

She has also written about her upbringing and family experiences. Through Katy’s career and personal reflections, Marika and Zoey’s pioneering work has remained connected to discussions about the Tur family’s history.

Who Is Marika Gerrard’s Son, James Tur?

James Tur is Marika Gerrard’s younger child and Katy Tur’s only sibling. Unlike his parents and older sister, James did not pursue journalism as his main profession.

Instead, he entered medicine. James earned his MD from Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in 2018. His graduation marked an important milestone for the family.

He later completed a five-year combined Internal Medicine and Psychiatry residency at UC Davis Medical Center in 2023. James has generally maintained a much quieter public profile than his journalist sister.

Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur’s Divorce

Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur’s personal and professional partnership eventually ended. After spending more than two decades together, the couple divorced in 2003.

Their years together had involved marriage, parenthood, helicopter journalism, and numerous major news assignments. Their work placed them in situations that were both exciting and potentially dangerous.

Despite the end of their marriage, their shared professional history remains significant. Together, they helped pioneer aerial television reporting and captured footage connected with some of Los Angeles’ most memorable breaking-news events.

Where Is Marika Gerrard Now?

Marika Gerrard is primarily remembered today for her earlier work as a media producer and camera operator. Her career remains closely associated with the Los Angeles News Service.

The documentary Whirlybird brought renewed attention to that period of her life. It introduced the story of her aerial journalism career and professional partnership with Zoey Tur to another generation of viewers.

Her family connection also keeps her name familiar to audiences. As Katy Tur’s mother, Marika represents an important part of the journalist’s background and early exposure to the news industry.

Final Thoughts

Marika Gerrard built a distinctive career as a media producer, camera operator, and aerial news reporter. Her work demonstrated the possibilities of using helicopters to capture fast-moving events from above.

Alongside Zoey Tur, she co-founded the Los Angeles News Service. Their coverage included major stories such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the O. J. Simpson police chase.

Marika is also the mother of Katy and James Tur. Although her marriage ended in 2003, her pioneering journalism, family history, and contribution to aerial news reporting remain important parts of her story.

(FAQs)

Who is Marika Gerrard?

Marika Gerrard is an American media producer and camera operator. She is known for co-founding the Los Angeles News Service with Zoey Tur and for pioneering helicopter-based breaking-news coverage.

How old is Marika Gerrard?

Marika Gerrard was born on 10 December 1954. Based on that birth date, she is 71 years old as of September 2026.

Who was Marika Gerrard married to?

Marika Gerrard was married to Zoey Tur, formerly known as Bob Tur. They married in the early 1980s, worked together as aerial journalists, and eventually divorced in 2003.

Who are Marika Gerrard’s children?

Marika Gerrard has two children, Katy Tur and James Tur. Katy became a journalist and author, while James pursued medicine and completed training in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry.

What is Marika Gerrard famous for?

Marika Gerrard is famous for pioneering aerial news reporting. She co-founded the Los Angeles News Service and helped cover major stories, including the 1992 Los Angeles riots and O. J. Simpson police chase.

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