Ever noticed how local news feels like part of the furniture until someone suddenly disappears? You wake up, grab your coffee, flip on the TV, and wait—where's the person who’s been telling you the weather for ten years? It’s jarring. If you’re a loyal viewer of any "Channel 7" across the country, you know the faces on that screen feel like family. But the world of broadcast is a revolving door of contracts, retirements, and "new opportunities."
Honestly, keeping track of channel 7 news cast members is a full-time job. Between the ABC powerhouses in New York and LA and the independent heavy-hitters like WHDH in Boston, the lineup is always shifting.
The Big Apple: WABC-TV New York
In New York, WABC (branded as Eyewitness News) is basically the gold standard. They’ve managed to keep a core group together for an impressively long time, which is rare in this business. Bill Ritter and Sade Baderinwa are the heavyweights here. Ritter has been a fixture since the late 90s, and honestly, it’s hard to imagine the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. slots without him.
Sade, who’s been with the station since 2003, is the definition of a pro. You’ve also got Liz Cho, who joined the same year as Sade. That kind of longevity creates a massive amount of trust with the audience. People like knowing what they're getting.
But it’s not just the anchors. Lee Goldberg remains the chief meteorologist, a role he’s held since 2004. He’s the guy New Yorkers look to when a Nor’easter is about to dump two feet of snow on the city. Then there's Sam Champion. Most people know him from his Good Morning America days, but his return to WABC a few years back felt like a homecoming. He’s currently handling the morning weather, bringing that high-energy vibe that somehow makes a 5 a.m. commute feel less miserable.
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Why Channel 7 News Cast Members Move Around
You might wonder why these people leave "dream jobs" at major stations. Usually, it’s one of three things: money, family, or the grueling schedule. Local news is a grind. Imagine working the "morning side" where your alarm goes off at 2:00 a.m. every single day. Or the "night side" where you don’t get home until 1:00 a.m.
In Chicago, WLS-TV (ABC7) saw some major shifts recently. For years, Alan Krashesky was the face of the station. When he retired, it left a massive hole. Since then, Rob Elgas and Ravi Baichwal have stepped up into those prime evening slots. Elgas, a local guy from Crystal Lake, has that "neighbor next door" quality that Chicagoans love. He’s often paired with Cheryl Burton, another long-time veteran who has been with the station since the early 90s.
The West Coast: KABC Los Angeles
Over in LA, the vibe is a bit different, but the loyalty is the same. Marc Brown and David Ono are the anchors you’ve likely seen if you live anywhere from Santa Monica to Riverside. Marc Brown has been there forever—well, since 1987—which is basically an eternity in TV years.
What's interesting about the LA crew is how they've integrated digital-first reporters. You’ll see someone like Veronica Miracle anchoring the weekends but also crushing it with investigative pieces that live mostly on their streaming apps. It’s a sign of how the industry is changing. If you aren't on TikTok or Instagram these days, you basically don't exist to a huge chunk of the audience.
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Boston’s Unique Situation: WHDH 7News
Boston is a weird one because Channel 7 (WHDH) isn’t an ABC affiliate anymore; it’s independent. But they’ve kept the "7News" branding, and their cast is incredibly popular. Kim Khazei and Adam Williams are the duo most people associate with the station.
Adam Williams is actually a great example of the "local celeb" phenomenon. He’s won a bunch of Emmys, but if you talk to people in Boston, they like him because he seems like a guy you could grab a beer with. He’s often seen with his yellow lab, Shawmut, which—let's be real—is a genius PR move. People love dogs.
How to Check if Your Favorite Reporter is Still There
If you’ve noticed someone is missing from the desk for more than a week, don’t panic. They might just be on vacation. However, if their bio is gone from the station's "Meet the Team" page, that's usually the smoking gun.
- Check the station website: Every major Channel 7 (WABC, KABC, WLS, WHDH) has a dedicated "Team" or "Bios" page. If they aren't listed, they’re gone.
- Look at Twitter (X): Journalists are addicted to Twitter. If they’ve moved to a new city, their handle or bio will change almost immediately.
- Watch the "toss": In news speak, the "toss" is when one anchor introduces another. If a new person is sitting in a prime seat without a "filling in for..." disclaimer, a permanent change has probably happened.
What Really Matters
At the end of the day, these stations know that viewers tune in for the people, not just the news. We can get the headlines from our phones. We watch Channel 7 because we like the way Sandra Bookman tells a story or how Lee Goldberg explains a cold front. It’s about personality.
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If you’re trying to keep up with the latest moves, your best bet is to follow the reporters themselves on social media. They often announce their departures there before the station even puts out a press release.
To stay truly updated on your local station's roster, visit the official "About Us" or "News Team" section of their website every few months. This is where the most accurate, up-to-date lists of current anchors, reporters, and meteorologists are maintained. Monitoring these pages is the only way to ensure you're getting facts straight from the source rather than relying on outdated rumors.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Verify via Official Bios: If you notice a missing face, go directly to the "Team" page of your specific Channel 7 station (e.g., abc7ny.com or whdh.com) to see if their profile is still active.
- Follow Social Updates: Search for the reporter’s name on LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter). Most broadcast professionals post a "personal news" update within 24 hours of a contract change or move.
- Check the Archives: Use the search function on the station's website for the reporter's name to see the date of their most recently published story; a gap of more than two weeks often indicates a shift in role or a departure.