KTLA 5 News Thread

[Bsean 173]

This morning, Frank read a statement acknowledging the layoffs on air saying that it was limited as to what he could say and that KTLA is a family and they are hurting. No names were mentioned in the statement.

[FiveNews 481]

7 hours ago, Bsean said:

This morning, Frank read a statement acknowledging the layoffs on air saying that it was limited as to what he could say and that KTLA is a family and they are hurting. No names were mentioned in the statement.

Frank's statement can be found on his IG (frankbuckleytv). Frank has had to speak on two very emotional instances inside the KTLA building...these layoffs and the death of Sam Rubin. Also, Ellina Abovian made a post on her IG as well. She appeared to be crying right before she made the post. She was solid. She was primarily on the Morning News but also covered afternoons as well. She said she was blindsided, she just turned 40.

[CraigViewer 107]

Mark Kriski's wife and former KTLA reporter Jennifer Gould posted on her social media accounts today:

 

"Thank you all for the amazing outpouring of love and support for my legendary hubby @MarkKriski KTLA wasn't a job, it was his passion. He lived,  ate & breathed that station. But as you've seen w/health battles, he is a warrior! Like a phoenix he will rise & soar again! "

 

Some of Kriski's now-former colleagues at KTLA voiced their support in the comment's section on her IG posting (a screenshot of her X post), as well.  With a couple new meteorologists who were brought on board at KTLA -- Liana Brackett and Olga Ospina -- within the last couple of months, and who may working there on a per-diem basis, I wonder if those were possible cost-cutting previews to come, as far as this week's Nexstar layoffs are concerned.

 

 

[nickp 393]

Nexstar & KTLA made a terrible decision not to give Mark Kriski a dignified send off from the station

[CraigViewer 107]

According to this article, Kacey Montoya will return starting this upcoming weekend to the weekend morning broadcasts until the end of April.  The six laid off on-air KTLA talent were given the option of working the next 60 days with pay, or receiving 60 days of severance pay instead.  Montoya opted to work for the next 60 days at the station.

https://nypost.com/2026/03/04/us-news/kacey-montoya-dumped-in-ktla-layoffs-but-shell-be-back-on-air-soon/

Edited March 5 by CraigViewer

[MD TV 389]

14 hours ago, CraigViewer said:

According to this article, Kacey Montoya will return starting this upcoming weekend to the weekend morning broadcasts until the end of April.  The six laid off on-air KTLA talent were given the option of working the next 60 days with pay, or receiving 60 days of severance pay instead.  Montoya opted to work for the next 60 days at the station.

https://nypost.com/2026/03/04/us-news/kacey-montoya-dumped-in-ktla-layoffs-but-shell-be-back-on-air-soon/

In confirming this, Kacey said she's going to focus on running her nonprofit pet organization:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVgiEjHCneA/

 

[FiveNews 481]

Laid off reporter Ellina Abovian speaks about her experience of being let go from the station. She usually reported on the Morning News or midday news.

 

 

[FiveNews 481]

Original KTLA Morning News co-anchor Carlos Amezcua shares his thoughts on the departure of his friend Mark Kriski. He also provides input on the state of local TV news in today's world.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/carlos-amezcua-a9a9656_my-analysis-of-how-not-to-handle-the-departure-activity-7435073904815013889-0U-t?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABWW9Z4B2seLz3kVXk8aCPDB2xcivXViJvA

[Encore 323 79]

Kacey Montoya just signed off from KTLA for the final time after 13 years with the station. She is a very skilled meteorologist and reporter, and hopefully all goes well with her non-profit and whatever else may come up for her.

[FiveNews 481]

Here is Kacey's farewell. Still mindblowing that Kriski, the 35yr veteran, didn't get one second of airtime....live or recorded...to say goodbye.

 

 

[TVLurker 389]

Nexstar must really be trying hard to tank KTLA from its #1 spot in the ratings.

 

That's the only reason that makes sense.

[ABC 7 Denver 1889]

1 hour ago, TVLurker said:

Nexstar must really be trying hard to tank KTLA from its #1 spot in the ratings.

 

That's the only reason that makes sense.

 

Failing station waiver to keep them? Idk.

[MorningNews 1711]

So does Henry DiCarlo do the 7-11am hours now with Kirk Hawkins doing 4-7am?

[Encore 323 79]

2 hours ago, MorningNews said:

So does Henry DiCarlo do the 7-11am hours now with Kirk Hawkins doing 4-7am?

Yes, that is exactly what has happened since Kriski got laid off. This wasn’t supposed to happen this soon but these Nexstar layoffs definitely took a bite from KTLA’s original timeline for this.

[FiveNews 481]

For now Kirk does 4-6am weather and co-anchors the 11am hour. Henry does 6-11am weather. He dips out around 7:30am to tape Off the Clock. You will notice that he is not featured for the duration of Off the Clock, primarily the A block and part of the B.

Edited April 20 by FiveNews

[24994J 5888]

So, who all anchors the daytime news hours, with Lu and Glen gone?

[FiveNews 481]

Morning News anchor team is still the same. The midday news is in flux currently. As I mentioned previously, Kirk Hawkins co-anchors with Lauren Lyster, Megan Telles or Samantha Cortese at 11am. Depends on the day. Lauren, Megan or Samantha will solo anchor the 12pm, 1pm and 3pm hours.

[PlayPal 4]

I don’t understand the fascination with Kirk Hawkins. He’s a lightweight and can’t be taken seriously doing anchoring duties. He needs to go. 

[bogusabc7breakingnews 69]

Just caught the end of the weekend morning news. They informed Lauren Lyster is off the weekend desk, moving to anchor weekdays from 12-2. 

[Encore 323 79]

They need to go back to having one anchor team for the 11am-4pm shift just like when Lu and Glen were there instead of this mess that is going on now but this is how it is going to be, so oh well.

[FiveNews 481]

I agree that they need one team for the late morning/afternoon news. Lauren is solid though. Good choice. I have to wonder what KTLA will do when there is a car chase or big breaking news. Lu and Glen fed off of each other. Hard to do that in a solo anchor format.

 

Unfortunately, this means the Weekend Morning News is in flux again. The weekend mornings really haven't been right since Chris Burrous passed. Chris flanked by Lynette, Liberte and Dayna was absolute lightning in a bottle.

[Encore 323 79]

So as of today, 5/2, the weekend morning news anchor team is going to be Megan Telles and Kirk Hawkins, who will also be doing the weather, and Doug Kolk will continue with entertainment headlines. At this rate, the station should’ve left Lauren Lyster alone in that chair next to Telles for the sake of stability in this time of transition post-Montoya. Even the midday hours during the week is unstable too as many of us clearly see in this post-Parker & Walker era. The reality right now is that KTLA has been such a far cry from what it was before these Nexstar layoffs and in the final decade of Tribune when Jason Ball and Don Corsini were running things at the station.

If I had any control over this situation, I would have John Fenoglio and Samantha Cortese anchor the entire dayside on weekdays (Both at 11am, Samantha solo at Noon, John solo at 1pm, and both again at 3pm, and 4pm) because they feed off of each other well and have some years of experience in this market now, Lauren Lyster stay on weekend mornings even though she is deserving of her promotion to weekdays, Kirk Hawkins do the weather for the full 4-7am early morning block so that Henry DiCarlo can focus on the weather in the 7-11am later morning block, Olga Ospina and Kaj Goldberg can keep splitting dayside weather during the week and Liana Brackett can do the weekend morning weather.
 

That is how you utilize your talent, bring back stability and not look cheap because cheapness is what Nexstar wants KTLA and all of its stations to look and feel like these days.

 

Edited May 2 by Encore 323

[FiveNews 481]

Did they announce that? I tuned in for a quick second this morning. I saw Kirk and Megan and immediately turned it off. Especially with Kirk doing double duty, it seemed a little cheap in a market the size of LA. If Kirk is indeed doing weekend mornings, who moves to the 4-6am weekday weather spot? Henry has been doing 6-11am weather since Mark Kriski was let go. I'm not opposed to Henry taking this shift, but a solid weather presence is needed on Early Edition to match Chris and Megan Henderson's chemistry.

[FiveNews 481]

Just saw Megan Telles announcement on IG (@mtelly). Kirk is in as weekend morning anchor and weather. Nexstar strikes again.

[FiveNews 481]

Yes. They hired Melvin Robert formerly of Spectrum News 1 and FOX 11. He has meshed well with the team. Nobody can replace Sam, but Melvin creates his own niche.