Mark Kriski Among KTLA Layoffs as Nexstar Cuts Staff Nationwide

mark kriski, the longtime KTLA weather anchor and eight-time Emmy winner who joined KTLA Morning News at its 1991 launch, has been let go as part of a wave of nationwide staff cuts by Nexstar that affected several major local stations.

Mark Kriski among KTLA's on-air departures

mark kriski’s exit was one of several across KTLA’s roster, where midday anchors Glen Walker and Lu Parker also were let go. Kriski had been a fixture on the station since the morning show began in 1991 and accumulated eight Emmy awards over his career.

WGN and WPIX among other stations hit

Broadcast groups beyond Los Angeles were affected. WGN’s recent round of on-air cuts removed long-tenured personalities including entertainment critic and reporter Dean Richards and sports anchor Chris Boden, along with anchors Ray Cortopassi, Sean Lewis and Judy Wang, reporters Julian Crews and Bronagh Tumulty, and political analyst Paul Lisnek. At another group of stations, anchors at WPIX were among those dismissed.

Unions denounce the cuts and contract fights continue

SAG-AFTRA criticized the eliminations, saying the layoffs erode the resources local communities rely on and that they come as the union is actively bargaining with Nexstar stations. SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin said the move highlights the risks of media consolidation and urged regulators and the company to prioritize the public interest and professionals who serve it. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator, added that members deserve contracts that respect their work and safeguard their futures.

The cuts at multiple stations coincide with broader corporate maneuvers. Nexstar is in the process of acquiring Tegna in a $6. 2 billion deal that would expand its oversight of local newsrooms. The transaction will require regulatory steps involving the Federal Communications Commission’s ownership cap.

Executives at Nexstar have said the company is taking steps necessary to compete in a changing market. Unions including the Communications Workers of America have also criticized Nexstar for resisting unionization efforts and for actions they say retaliate against staff involved in activism.

For now, stations are reshuffling anchor schedules and continuing coverage with remaining teams. Nexstar’s pending acquisition of Tegna and ongoing labor negotiations with SAG-AFTRA and other unions are the immediate next developments to watch as the industry adjusts to the staffing changes.