Laura Diaz Exits KCBS After Nearly 10 Years

KCBS anchor Laura Diaz, who's been anchoring KCBS' 6 p.m. newscast since April 2010 (and before that, was the station's 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. anchor alongside Paul Magers), is leaving the station.

She'll be replaced by KCAL anchor Rick Garcia, who will now anchor KCBS' 6 p.m. newscast.

Diaz, who had spent years at KABC before moving to KCBS in 2002, will now focus on her own production company.

"It has been an amazing run at CBS 2, and I’ll miss the many colleagues who have become close friends," Diaz said in a statement. "Getting a chance to serve Southern Californians with news that matters is something I will always treasure and it’s something I look forward to continuing to do. I feel now is the perfect time to branch out and begin producing my own shows and other content. I look forward to being back on the air shortly, and continuing to keep our city and our people informed."

Diaz, who has won 14 Emmy Awards, was named lead 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. anchor at KABC in 1997, making her the first Latino to hold the lead anchor role at an L.A. English-language station.

As for Garcia, the anchor will continue his duties on KCAL's 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts. The anchor first joined KCBS sister KCAL in April 2009 after 22 years at KTTV.

"As he approaches his 25th anniversary on Los Angeles television next year, it is clear that Rick Garcia has played a major role in the growth and success of KCAL’s primetime newscasts," said KCBS/KCAL president/GM Steve Mauldin. "In addition, he has been a regular contributor and substitute anchor on CBS 2’s evening newscasts, which makes him a familiar and well-liked presence on both of our stations. We are extremely pleased to recognize Rick’s importance to our stations and the communities we serve by expanding his responsibilities to include anchoring CBS 2’s 6 p.m. newscast."

KCBS/KCAL Shuffles Anchor Teams; Pat Harvey Paired with Paul Magers

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."