San Antonio TV: A Lot of Doors Are Revolving

Phil Anaya, Mariza Mendoza and John Paul Barajas (My SA Graphic)

San Antonio’s TV news scene has been a revolving door in recent months, with anchors and reporters coming and going like a Texas two-step. Here’s the rundown on the major shakeups based on what’s been happening:

KENS 5 Shakeups: 

• Phil Anaya left the CBS affiliate after 14 years in April 2025, calling it a “bittersweet” move driven by his love for journalism and family. No word on his next gig, but he’s a seasoned pro, so expect him to pop up somewhere.
• Sarah Forgany switched from KENS 5’s morning show, where she’d been waking up at 1:30 a.m. for 13 years, to co-anchor the noon, 4 p.m., and 5 p.m. newscasts starting late November 2024. A health scare and raising her young daughter prompted the change to a saner schedule.
• Jessica Coombs exited KENS 5’s morning news in March 2025 after over two years, wrapping up with a Lone Star Emmy for her investigative work on construction impacts. She praised San Antonio’s community but didn’t spill on her next move.

KSAT 12 Moves:

• Courtney Friedman got a promotion to noon anchor alongside Stephanie Serna, announced in April 2025. She’s been with the ABC affiliate since 2014, and the station’s hyping her community impact.
• Ernie Zuniga became a permanent anchor for Good Morning San Antonio in March 2025 after joining KSAT earlier in the year. He’s already a trusted face for morning viewers.
• Last year saw a mass exit when six veteran KSAT anchors and reporters—Mark Austin, Mike Osterhage, Ursula Pari, David Sears, Jessie Degollado, and Marilyn Moritz—retired in July 2024 after accepting a buyout offer.
• Tiffany Huertas left KSAT in July 2024 after seven years to join UTSA’s communications team, and Max Massey ditched the morning anchor desk in March 2024 to pursue a law career.

News 4 and Fox San Antonio:

• Diana Rocco quietly slipped out of News 4 San Antonio in December 2024 after three years to move closer to family in the Northeast. She loved her morning anchor role but was ready for a change.
• Zora Asberry, a former traffic anchor for News 4 and Fox 29, resurfaced in January 2025 as a Las Vegas correspondent for Society with Karen Grace, a lifestyle show. She left San Antonio in 2019 but is back in the TV game.
• Amanda Henderson said goodbye to News 4 and Fox 29 in August 2024, though her next steps weren’t shared.
• Mandy Noell joined News 4 SA as an anchor in October 2024, bringing experience from stations in Kentucky, Ohio, and beyond.

Other Notable Shifts:

• Karen Grace, a former KENS 5 anchor who left in 2017, returned to TV in December 2024 with her own lifestyle show, Society with Karen Grace. She’s also added familiar faces like Delaine Mathieu and Zora Asberry to the mix, focusing on Boerne and San Antonio stories.
• Camilla Rambaldi left Fox San Antonio in January 2024 after eight years and landed at NBC Los Angeles by April, showing not all exits are local.

Why the Changes? Some of it’s personal—family moves, health concerns, or career pivots like Massey’s law school leap. But the broader trend screams industry flux. TV news is grappling with digital competition and shrinking budgets, pushing stations to refresh lineups or lose veterans to retirement and buyouts. San Antonio’s market, big but not massive, feels these waves hard. Viewers are left adjusting to new faces, while stations bet on fresh talent to keep ratings steady.