KTLA has cut a number of on-air journalists and presenters in Los Angeles as its corporate owner, Nexstar Media Group, carries out staffing reductions across major US television markets amid a wider shake-up in local broadcasting. Among those affected was reporter Ellina Abovian, who posted publicly about turning 40 on the same day the layoffs became known and released a new episode of her podcast with a message about entering a new chapter.
Abovian, an Emmy-nominated journalist who had worked at KTLA for years, was among a group of on-air staff laid off at the station, according to multiple reports. The cuts also included longtime weekday morning meteorologist Mark Kriski and midday anchors Glen Walker and Lu Parker, along with reporter and weather forecaster Kacey Montoya. Separate reductions were also reported at WPIX-TV in New York, which is operated by Nexstar under a services agreement, following earlier job cuts reported at WGN-TV in Chicago.
Nexstar, the largest owner of local television stations in the United States, has framed the changes as part of a broader effort to respond to shifting audience habits and pressures on traditional advertising-supported TV. In a statement reported by The Desk, a Nexstar spokesperson said the company was taking “steps necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change,” while declining to comment on “personnel issues.”
The staffing reductions come as Nexstar seeks regulatory approval for a proposed acquisition of broadcaster TEGNA, a deal that would further expand Nexstar’s reach in local television. The push for consolidation has drawn criticism from labour groups and at least one senior US regulator, who have argued that large mergers can lead to shrinking local newsrooms and fewer resources for community reporting.
In a social media post cited by The Desk, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Anna Gomez said the layoffs were evidence that “unfettered media consolidation has real consequences.” She wrote: “When business interests outweigh the public interest, communities face layoffs, shrinking newsrooms and fewer local stories.”
SAG-AFTRA, the union representing many US broadcast performers and journalists, said the job cuts amounted to an attack on local news, and warned that they undermined commitments companies make when arguing that consolidation will not harm community coverage. In its statement, the union’s president, Sean Astin, said: “By laying off journalists across the country, Nexstar is eroding the resources and talent that local communities rely on for trusted news.”
At KTLA, the departures hit several familiar faces for Los Angeles viewers. Kriski joined KTLA in 1991 and became a fixture of the station’s morning news. The Desk reported he took a brief leave of absence after experiencing a mild stroke, and had taken other short health-related breaks in recent years. Walker and Parker were prominent in the station’s late-morning and early-afternoon programming, part of a daytime news block that has been a steady presence for local audiences.
Abovian’s departure drew attention not only because of the timing on her birthday, but also because she addressed personal themes of reinvention and self-confidence in public posts and in a podcast episode released the same day. In comments reported by the New York Post, Abovian posted to celebrate her birthday as friends and supporters left messages for her online.
In an episode of her podcast released around the same time, Abovian delivered what the Post described as a pointed message about stepping beyond familiar boundaries. In the excerpt quoted by the paper, she said: “Stop hiding. Stop shrinking. There’s a big world out there and you can be a part of it. You don’t have to only exist within your Armenian community.”
She continued with remarks focused on body image and self-worth, saying: “Stop hiding your body, stop thinking you’re not good enough. You are so perfect in all your imperfections. If I could say that to my 21-year-old self and just say go for it. What are you waiting for.”
In further quotes reported by the Post, Abovian reflected on ageing and the idea of moving forward without trying to return to earlier stages of life. “But it’s easier said than done now being 40,” she said, before adding that she wanted to approach her current chapter with the certainty that comes from experience. She also wrote in an Instagram post, according to the newspaper: “I guess this is 40. Feeling lighter, loved and looking forward.”
The podcast, “Breaking Through with Ellina Abovian,” is described on Apple Podcasts as a platform for “real stories of resilience, healing, and transformation,” and introduces Abovian as a “KTLA 5 News reporter” and “Armenian American storyteller.” The listing says the show was created after “more than 15 years in front of the camera,” with Abovian saying it was time to “tell my own” story.
The latest episode is titled “Turning 40 and Turning the Page,” and its description says Abovian shares life updates and answers listener questions. While the full scope of her plans after leaving KTLA has not been set out publicly in detail, her public messaging has emphasised personal momentum and embracing change.
Abovian’s career in local television has included reporting on Los Angeles civic and cultural issues, and she has been recognised in regional journalism circles. A Southern California journalism awards document from the Los Angeles Press Club lists Abovian among KTLA entrants in past years, reflecting her professional footprint in the region’s broadcast news landscape.
The cuts in Los Angeles were mirrored by reported departures in New York, where NewscastStudio and The Desk said WPIX parted ways with multiple anchors, including John Muller, Craig Treadway, Kori Chambers and Arrianae LeBeau. The changes across several major stations underline the scale of pressure facing local television groups as audiences increasingly consume news via streaming services and social platforms, and as station owners argue they need greater scale to compete.
For viewers, the immediate impact is a reshaped on-air lineup at stations that have long marketed themselves on recognisable personalities and continuity. For those affected, the public comments and statements have suggested both shock at the abruptness and determination to pursue new roles. At the corporate level, Nexstar has given no indication that it will halt reductions, repeating instead that it is adapting to an industry undergoing rapid change.
