Local TV Stations Reshape News Teams, Retirement Signals Change
Fresno television stations announced significant staffing moves on December 5, 2025, as KMPH added a new 10 p.m. anchor and reporter, ABC30 announced a veteran anchor s phased retirement, and KSEE brought back a familiar morning voice. These shifts matter to local viewers, advertisers, and aspiring journalists because they reshape who delivers local news, alter prime time and morning lineups, and expand training pathways for Fresno State students.
Broadcasters in Fresno County reported multiple personnel changes on December 5, 2025 that will take effect over the coming weeks and months. KMPH FOX26 hired Madison Macay as its new 10 p.m. anchor and added reporter Madison Wilber to the newsroom. The recent hires bring experience from markets such as Reno and the Bay Area, signaling continued circulation of journalism talent across regional markets.
At ABC30 longtime anchor Warren Armstrong, age 66, laid out a phased retirement plan. He will give up the 11 p.m. shift next month, while continuing to anchor the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts as he winds down fully by November 2026. That staggered exit creates both continuity and an opening for succession planning during evening and late night broadcasts. KSEE announced the return of Luis Cruz as a morning anchor, reinforcing competition in morning drive programming that local viewers rely on for traffic, weather, and community information.
These staffing moves carry local economic and civic consequences. Anchor changes can influence viewership patterns and ratings which in turn affect local advertising revenues. Prime time and morning audiences tend to be loyal to familiar anchors, so departures and arrivals are closely watched by station managers and advertisers planning budgets for 2026. For audiences, the changes mean new faces at key newscasts and a transition period as stations reestablish viewer trust and brand identity.
The public media sector also strengthened its local pipeline. Valley public radio station KVPR announced a collaboration with Fresno State to create internship and training pathways for students interested in public media. That partnership offers concrete career development in an industry facing an aging workforce, and it aims to keep more journalism talent in the Central Valley by providing hands on experience and local connections.
Overall, the December announcements highlight broader trends in local news including succession planning for veteran anchors, active recruitment from nearby markets, and investments in workforce development. For Fresno County residents the changes will shape how local news is produced and delivered across 2026, and they create new opportunities for students and early career journalists to join the local media economy.
