Boston TV news is bleeding talent at an alarming rate, with more than a dozen high-profile anchors, reporters, and producers leaving the city’s major stations in 2024 and 2025 — many citing burnout, corporate cuts, and an unsustainable work environment.
According to The Boston Globe, the latest departures include WBZ-TV political commentator Jon Keller (laid off in October 2025), longtime WHDH anchor Kim Khazei (stepping away in December 2025 after 25+ years), and WBZ health reporter Mallika Marshall and veteran reporter Beth Germano (both exiting in 2025 amid buyouts).
They join a growing list that already includes morning anchor Liam Martin (WBZ), evening anchor Vanessa Welch (Boston 25), and reporter Sabrina Silva (WHDH), among others.
Industry insiders describe newsrooms as “a lot emptier,” with stations slow or unable to replace departing veterans. Former journalists blame grueling hours, repetitive crime-and-tragedy coverage, corporate cost-cutting (especially at Paramount-owned WBZ and Apollo-controlled Boston 25), and shrinking resources — one station eliminated its news helicopter and now relies on drones.
Many are leaving the business entirely for real estate, marketing, or PR, saying the mental toll and lack of depth in storytelling make the job unrecognizable. Viewers are noticing thinner coverage and lower quality, while remaining staff report being “undermanned” nightly.
Boston’s exodus mirrors a national decline in local TV news employment, but the concentration of big-name exits in one top-25 market has raised alarm about the future of trusted local journalism in the city.