L-A TV: "Happy Birthday...You're Fired'

Ellina Abovian

KTLA's parent company, Nexstar Media Group, laid off five longtime on-air journalists on Wednesday amid cost-cutting efforts tied to its pursuit of a merger with Tegna. The affected staff include veteran meteorologist Mark Kriski (with KTLA since the 1991 launch of "KTLA Morning News"), meteorologist Kacey Montoya, midday anchors Lu Parker (joined 2005) and Glen Walker (joined 2010), and reporter Ellina Abovian (joined 2015).

On Thursday, Feb. 26, morning anchor Frank Buckley addressed the layoffs directly on air during "KTLA Morning News." He acknowledged the pain felt by the newsroom and viewers, calling KTLA a family that includes its audience. "This is a difficult time for us. And we will go through it together," Buckley said, while noting limited details could be shared. He emphasized the team's commitment to continuing to deliver essential morning news and bring smiles to viewers, concluding in under a minute.

Abovian, who learned of her termination on her 40th birthday, posted an emotional video on Threads about being "blindsided." "It hurts. It cuts deep, because I cared about what I did," she said, thanking colleagues and expressing how much she would miss viewers and field interactions. As a single mom to two children, she described the personal impact but noted such layoffs are widespread across industries in 2026.

Kriski was one of the show's original members; the last remaining from 1991, reporter Eric Spillman, reposted Buckley's statement on X with "For those that have been asking." The cuts reflect broader Nexstar reductions at stations like WGN in Chicago and WPIX in New York, drawing criticism from unions like SAG-AFTRA for undermining local news.