The new KCBS/KCAL duopoly management has made changes to its key news teams on both Channel 2 and Channel 9.
In the biggest switch, Pat Harvey -- who just celebrated her 20th anniversary as anchor of KCAL's primetime newscasts -- will now move to KCBS, where she'll co-anchor the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts with Paul Magers.
As part of the change, Laura Diaz -- who had anchored the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. since moving to KCBS from KABC in September 2002 -- will now anchor the 6 p.m. newscast solo.
According to KCBS/KCAL, that makes Diaz "the first Latina to solo anchor a nightly newscast for a major station in Los Angeles." (On the flip side, it means that Los Angeles has lost its only Latino anchor on an English-lingo station at 11 p.m.)
Diaz will also now "devote more time to preparing her signature brand of award-winning news features and interviews with local heroes, newsmakers and community leaders," the station added.
As part of the change, Sharon Tay will replace Harvey on KCAL, and now co-anchor that station's 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts with Rick Garcia. Tay had served as a reporter and weekend anchor for KCBS/KCAL since 2007, after returning to the L.A. market (where she'd previously been at KTLA for years).
Additionally, with the retirement of KCBS weathercaster Johnny Mountain, KCAL's Jackie Johnson will also move to Channel 2, where she'll serve as the meterologist on the station's 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. Josh Rubenstein will take over the KCAL weather slot on a temporary basis.
Johnson had been KCAL's primary weathercaster since 2004.
KCBS/KCAL also confirmed our earlier report that Channel 2 sports anchor Jim Hill had signed a new contract with the station.
The shuffles were announced Wednesday by new KCBS/KCAL president/general manager Steve Mauldin.
"We are extremely fortunate to have an abundance of incredibly smart, talented and popular broadcasters on our team," Mauldin said. "The moves we are making today will allow our best people to become even more successful while also driving ratings growth for both of our stations."
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