L-A TV: Former KTLA Anchor Lynette Romero Lands At KNBC

Lynette Romero 

After a tumultuous exit from KTLA-TV Channel 5, news anchor Lynette Romero has landed at crosstown rival KNBC-TV Channel 4, reports The L-A Times..

The NBCUniversal-owned station announced Tuesday that Romero would become the new co-anchor of “Today in L.A.,” its early morning show, beginning Oct. 10. The position has been open since the departure late last year of Daniella Guzman, who moved to an NBC affiliate in her native Houston.

“This is good news .... I have a new family. I have a new home,” Romero said in a video message to fans, many of whom were outraged by her departure from KTLA, which was abruptly announced on air Sept. 14 by KTLA anchor Sam Rubin.

The station’s 37-second send-off, during its morning newscast, startled and upset Romero’s fans. Three days later, Romero’s former co-anchor, Mark Mester, gave her an emotional farewell while blasting the station’s management, alleging it mishandled the situation because Romero didn’t personally say goodbye to viewers.  Mester was fired last week.

Romero worked at the independent KTLA for nearly 24 years.

KTLA managers are still stinging over the episode. Industrywide, stations typically downplay exits of anchors who move to a market rival out of fears of losing viewers to the competition. But KTLA spokesman Gary Weitman said this week that Romero could have said goodbye to viewers on her final telecast, but she unexpectedly asked for vacation that week.

KTLA news executives offered to send a camera crew to Romero’s house to record a goodbye video — but that offer came only after the station was facing widespread viewer backlash. Romero declined.

Her final day at KTLA was set for Sept. 18, when her contract expired.

KTLA sought to keep Romero at the Nexstar Media Group station, offering her a salary increase to match KNBC’s offer, according to sources. But she had worked weekends for eight years and wanted opportunities to anchor on weekdays, which was not in the offing.

Romero will join the anchor desk of KNBC’s 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. program, alongside co-anchor Adrian Arambulo, meteorologist Belen De Leon and traffic anchor Robin Winston.