Paul Moyer to leave KNBC

Veteran anchor Paul Moyer is retiring from KNBC, where he has been the main face of the news room for nearly a quarter-century, station officials announced this afternoon.

Moyer and KNBC officials were unavailable for comment, and no date was given for the anchor's final broadcast.

Moyer released a brief statement: "I have given Los Angeles my loyalty and my professional best, and if I was able to illuminate a dark and dangerous corner with an investigation, or communicate a complex story in a meaningful way, I have been more than repaid for my devotion to this remarkable city. Los Angeles has sustained me and will continue to with a vast store of amazing memories that I will carry close to my heart as I move on to the next adventure."

-- Greg Braxton

--Photo: Bob Carey/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Sonny Kipgen]

Paul Moyer is a worthless, ambulance-chasing clown. When was the last time you saw a meaningful story on your local network news? Way to go Paul. You leave behind a legacy of fear-mongering and ignoring the news to attract the least intellectual viewers in the Los Angeles area. Stories about killer bees just will never be the same.

-Sonny
Dark and Dangerous Corner, CA

[Gabrielle]

I was an intern at KNBC when Moyer came onboard, and that was 1993. I'd hardly call 16 years 'nearly a quarter century.' Granted, it's a long time, but this strikes me as new math.

[LV_Norm]

What a truly top notch anchor for the evening news in Los Angeles. I used to watch him by satellite when I lived in Upstate NY. What a gentleman and complete professional!

[ron shapley]

A tipster says a "pervasive rumor" is making the rounds at NBC News that the network is putting long-time local anchors Chuck Scarborough of WNBC and Paul Moyer of KNBC out to pasture.

NBC is said to be buying the news dinosaurs out of their very, very expensive contracts. Scarborough, who just marked his 35th anniversary at WNBC last week, makes a reported $3 million per year.

Moyer is reportedly one of the models for Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy character, and Scarborough (pictured above) looks and behaves on the air precisely like Kent Brockman.

[michael]

Bad journalism by the LAT, Moyer is part of the cost cutting by NBC searching to bring down costs including at main affiliates, its more of buy out push out than a retirement. Any reporter studying media right now knows these facts how was this republishing of a press release allowed? Seriously where is the journalism here?

[Scott]

Meh. I wish the man no ill, but I never liked him. Local TV news is abysmal, and it's hard for me to have a lot of respect for most of our anchors/reporters.

[shirley feeney]

i just hope he's not going back to KABC. It's hardly a 25 year run at KNBC, though maybe if you added up all his time there over two or three runs.

He makes me yell at my TV.

[JT]

Years ago my brother was in town and we decided to take in the NBC tour. Our tour guide was Peter Marshall's (Hollywood Squares) daughter. In those days Peter Marshall was a big fish at NBC, and we noticed his parking spot was right next to Johnny Carson's. His daughter (I think it was Jaime) was a lot of fun and kept the tour lively for the mostly out of towners (I was just up from OC). At one point Paul Moyer walked by and she said "Oh look, there's Tom Snyder." Moyers continued walking down the hall and without looking back stuck his arm in the air and gave her the finger--in front of the entire tour group, of course. In any event, I always considered it to be the highlight of the tour to see some of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes at the studios.

[leelaw]

OK this is ez. Yes his contract WAS bought out. NBC decided it didn't need a guy who makes 9 MILLION anymore who can read a teleprompter. If you need any further proof of this, think of this, Have you EVER seen ANYONE announce their retirement via a news release and their co-anchor? HMM wonder why? CAUSE HE IS REALLY PISSED OFF! He doesn't want to appear on air again on NBC. Boy that will show them Pauly. BTW he reads all of these blogs. HI PAUL!

[NBC4Fan4Life]

Now, if they could only get rid of Chuck Henry. I absolutely love Channel 4 News. Kelly Lange, John Beard, Colleen Williams, Nick Clooney, Kent "under the desk" Schockneck, Fritz, Traci Savage...True Professionals. I met Chuck Henry once at an Islands restaurant and he couldnt have been more uppity than he was. A true "I have a contract, I make money, f*** the viewers." Ratings and pay is what he does. Colleen Williams on the other hand is just as genuinely sweet and professional as they come. I didnt see it, but I heard that one time during a real emergency where there was no "writing" and camera shots were unplanned....there was a field reporter doing a segment and the camera came back to Paul Moyer without notice and you could see him motioning to "hurry this up" type of thing. These people are very important and I see how people grow an attachment to them. But, they are REPORTERS!! Not heros, not doctors, not saving lives! They read and hopefully look good doing it. Paul Moyer is an ego maniac and won't be missed. Now, if they could find a decent head male anchor to match with Colleen...that would be great. Paul...don't let the door or ego hit you on the way out.

[jeff gordon]

I think that's there is more to this than anybody has reported. Paul has been pretty non-existent for a while(I don't think he was on between Thanksgiving and New Years) and I'm afraid that there may be a health factor(remember the major heart surgery several years ago).
I've lived around the country and have seen plenty of news anchors in the major markets from the satellite dish. I'd rank Paul, Chuck Scarborough and Bill Kurtis as the top three(in that order) in the country. Paul's pacing,cadence and enunciation really put him in a class of his own.
By definition the anchor position is somewhat fatuous..so what?? When I turn the news I want a performance not profundity. If you really want to see bad newsanchors go watch some of the smaller markets in the US
Yes Paul and Chuck harken to an earlier day when there were no O'Reillys and Becks with their throbbing forehead veins to entertain us. When they are gone they will be sorely missed

[Gale Aznar]

Paul Moyer was one of our favorite news people. We miss him
and wish him all the happiness in the world, as he has
filled our evening news with much enjoyment. Never watched
any other news because of Paul Moyer...he was great.
Thank you Paul Moyer, you have been in our house every
evening with the news. We miss you.