Diana Williams Retiring this Fall

[IceManNYR 242]

 

[nydem2015 52]

Diana Williams is one of a kind. 

Now it will be interesting to see who her replacement will be.

[nynewsguy 66]

15 minutes ago, nydem2015 said:

Diana Williams is one of a kind. 

Now it will be interesting to see who her replacement will be.

Look for Joe to move to 5pm and Mike Marza to replace Joe on weekend evenings. 

[nydem2015 52]

Probably. Now I wonder how much longer Bill Ritter will remain with WABC.

[RealNews18 228]

Wow. We knew it was coming but wow. 

Im guessing we’ll see test pairings in the coming months. 

 

[Roadgeek Adam 170]

Excuse me while I cry.

 

I loved Diana since I was a kid. Roseann, Kaity and Susan were before my time.

[brianpr3 178]

 

[24994J 5682]

Damn, first Kathy Brock last year, Monica Malpass last week, and now Diana. A lot of eras ending across the O&O's.

[nydem2015 52]

I thought in a few years. I suppose. I think Joe, Sandra, Bill, David, Liz, Rob And Michelle are all possibilities. I don’t think it will be either morning anchor. Now it makes sense why they wanted to get Sam Champion back.

[RealNews18 228]

I wonder if they’ll give David the 5 and put Joe at 4? Or if they’ll “test” teams and make more than one move.. 

By the way.. I started at thread on this (felt it needed it) maybe admin can merge into one thread? 

[nydem2015 52]

I think they will test teams although I think Joe at 5 is more likely then David at 5. Bill at 5 and Liz solo at 6 I suppose is also a possibility.

[brianpr3 178]

Jim hoffer out too

 

[bc485 92]

Bill Ritter will be replacing Diana at 5:00. 

[bc485 92]

Bill Ritter is replacing Diana. 

[RealNews18 228]

So Bill and Sade at 5 and 11.. maybe David and Liz at 4 and 6??

[anchorman 96]

4 hours ago, nynewsguy said:

Look for Joe to move to 5pm and Mike Marza to replace Joe on weekend evenings. 

 

Another great call! 

 

Will so miss Diana. Irreplaceable, even though Bill will be taking her chair on the 5pm. I wish her so much happiness. 

[nydem2015 52]

Perhaps although who does noon? Perhaps Joe and Sandra move up from weekends and a new team takes over for them?

[mooneyhill1 12]

I'll be happy to say that Diana will be retiring this fall, after a 40-year career in the television news, including 29 years at WABC-TV.

 

Not only Diana's retiring from journalism, but Jim Hoffer is also retiring from journalism.

[mountainave 612]

2 hours ago, 24994J said:

Damn, first Kathy Brock last year, Monica Malpass last week, and now Diana. A lot of eras ending across the O&O's.

 

Wonder if Disney offered buyouts to trim costs. 

[nydem2015 52]

Diana's last day is September 12. 

It's possible although i'm sure Sam wasn't too cheep to hire.

[bc485 92]

3 hours ago, RealNews18 said:

So Bill and Sade at 5 and 11.. maybe David and Liz at 4 and 6??

 

Bill will anchor at 5 in addition to 6 and 11, per Twitter: 

 

[24994J 5682]

That doesn't seem like an effective succession plan, installing the nearly-70 year old on a third newscast.

[tjt24 315]

7 minutes ago, 24994J said:

That doesn't seem like an effective succession plan, installing the nearly-70 year old on a third newscast.

I was thinking the same thing. Honestly, moving Shirleen off the morning shift, keeping her at Noon and adding the 5 to her anchoring duties wouldn't be the craziest idea in the world, IMO. 

[nydem2015 52]

Perhaps having Bill at 5 is a short term plan and in the long term someone not at the station will take over at 5. This likely won’t last for more then 10 years if even that long.

[nydem2015 52]

Perhaps David and Liz will do noon and 4 and Bill and Sade will do 5,6 and 11.