Jim Vance is co-anchor of the major evening newscasts on WRC-TV, News 4 Washington at 6:00 p.m. and News 4 Washington at 11:00 p.m. He frequently anchors from the field on major stories. In addition he provides special reports on a wide variety of issues, those reports having taken him as far away as El Salvador, South Africa, and Vietnam. Vance also has traveled to Miami, New York, Dallas, San Francisco, and Atlanta to co-anchor the station's coverage of political conventions. With News 4 Washington since 1969, Vance started as a general assignment reporter. He moved to the anchor desk in 1972.

Vance began his career in Philadelphia as a reporter for the Philadelphia Independent newspaper and part-time reporter for radio station WHAT-AM while also teaching in the public school system. In 1968, he accepted a position as a reporter for WKBS-TV in Philadelphia. Vance has earned countless awards and honors throughout his career. These honors include having been inducted into the Journalists Hall of Fame and membership in the Silver Circle of the Washington Chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). In addition, he has received 15 Emmy Awards, holds the Ted Yates Award for outstanding community service and has been honored as a "Washingtonian of the Year."