The next generation of Chicago news talent to watch
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Chicago's dean of weather Tom Skilling recently announced that he's hanging up his microphone early next year.
Why it matters: Skilling — who won over the hearts of the city and the nation over his 45 years at WGN-TV — joins the ranks of several local news veterans who've recently retired.
The big picture: The parting of ABC 7 anchor Alan Krashesky, NBC 5's Rob Stafford, Fox 32's Corey McPherrin, ABC 7 sports anchor Jim Rose and soon Skilling leaves gaps in the third-largest news market in the country.
- These personalities will be replaced with younger broadcast journalists, hungry to make their mark.
What they're saying: "I look for great storytellers," NBC 5/Telemundo Chicago's SVP of News Sally Ramirez tells Axios.
- "We are journalists, but we are also Chicagoans. We all care deeply about making our city a better place."
Here are five newcomers to Chicago news who may be the next big name on a Kennedy billboard.
Anchor: JC Navarrete
NBC 5 has a formidable duo helming the 10pm news desk in Allison Rosati and Stefan Holt. They also have a deep bench of newcomers, including morning co-anchor JC Navarrete.
- Navarrete joined the station in 2022 after spending six years in El Paso.
One more to watch: Fox 32's Dawn Hasbrouck isn't exactly a newcomer, since she's been anchoring for a decade. Yet, the Chicago native is still a fresh face for the station's 9pm newscast.
Reporter: Marybel Gonzalez
Marybel Gonzalez made a smooth transition from Telemundo, where she was a bilingual reporter along the southern U.S. border, to CBS 2's go-to for top stories. She came to Chicago last year.
One more to watch: Cate Cauguiran shines alongside the top-notch reporting team for the highly rated ABC 7 newscast.
Investigative reporter: Samantha Chatman
ABC 7's Samantha Chatman is the newest face for the vaunted "I-Team" helmed by longtime reporter Chuck Goudie. Chatman has anchored mornings for the station, but she is turning heads with her consumer reports and investigations in the 10pm newscast.
- It helps that Chatman grew up in Chicago, attending Lincoln Park High School.
Meteorologist: Demetrius Ivory
The suits at WGN-TV would be smart to promote Demetrius Ivory to take Skilling's spot, which already seems to be in the works. He's not a new face, working at the station for 10 years, but most of that has been weekdays and weekends.
- If Ivory isn't the guy, how about Rockford's own Morgan Kolkmeyer?
Sports: Leila Rahimi
NBC 5's Leila Rahimi has cemented herself as the lead sports anchor for the 10pm newscast, although you do see others from time to time.
- Rahimi was most recently co-hosting at "The Score," where she still makes regular appearances. Before that, she hosted shows at NBC Sports Chicago. She moved here in 2015.