Information anchor Ellen Leyva is leaving KABC-TV Channel 7 after almost 30 years, marking the most recent departure of a outstanding native newscaster.
Leyva made the announcement Monday in the course of the Walt Disney Co. station’s afternoon program. She plans to stay on the air, alongside longtime co-anchor David Ono, for a number of extra months throughout a transition, station officers mentioned.
“After a lot contemplation and introspection, I do know I’m able to make a transfer on and give attention to my subsequent nice journey in life,” Leyva informed viewers, including that the choice was “one thing I’ve been fascinated about for a very long time.”
In an e-mail to the workers, KABC Common Supervisor Wendy Granato referred to as Leyva’s retirement “bittersweet information.”
The Glendale-based station has lengthy on-air groups in Los Angeles. Its anchors stay in style with viewers at the same time as information consumption patterns change and stations develop into . Final spring, a Pew Analysis Heart report , noting {that a} rising variety of Individuals get a lot of their native information on-line.
Nonetheless, an awesome majority of respondents mentioned native information protection is necessary to their neighborhood, in accordance with the Pew examine.
And native broadcasters demonstrated their mettle — — by offering marathon protection of final month’s Altadena and Pacific Palisades wildfires and the devastating aftermath as 1000’s grieved the lack of family members, properties, church buildings, faculties and companies.
Leyva is the most recent native information anchor to exit.
Well-liked KNBC-TV Channel 4 meteorologist . Two years later, a cadre of outstanding KNBC journalists — — retired from the station. Additionally in 2022, longtime favourite Lynette Romero switched to .
And final yr, two deaths surprised the native broadcast neighborhood: KTLA’s stalwart leisure anchor KCAL-TV Channel 9 co-anchor in November on the age of 39.
Leyva, who grew up in Arizona, joined KABC in 1995 as a well being reporter and later joined the anchor desk.
Over time, she has co-hosted Oscars crimson carpet arrivals, flown with the Blue Angels and supplied a gradual on-air presence. She additionally served as KABC’s crew chief for AIDS Stroll Los Angeles and advocated for psychological well being providers for underserved communities.
“To say that she has been a useful and really treasured member of our Eyewitness Information crew is an understatement,” Granato mentioned in her e-mail.
The station didn’t specify Leyva’s departure date.
“This station, everybody who works right here and all of you’re really my house away from house,” Leyva informed viewers. “I couldn’t have requested for a extra rewarding profession with one of the best individuals in one of the best metropolis on this planet.”
