Ken Wayne, KRON4 evening anchor, retires
San Francisco, CA – April 24, 2024 – KRON4 in San Francisco (DMA #10) a Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), owned and operated station today announced that Ken Wayne, veteran journalist, and evening anchor for KRON4 News is retiring from the anchor desk. Wayne has been anchoring KRON4 News for the past six years and career that spans 33 years in the Bay Area.
Born in Marin County, Wayne started his journalism career in 1979 as a Navy broadcast journalist for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network. He was only 19, when at Naval Station Adak, Alaska he sat down to anchor his first newscast.
Wayne made extended deployments to the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Black Sea aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Biddle from Norfolk, Virginia.
His Naval service ended as the News Chief, stationed at Subic Naval Station in the Philippines, where he covered the devastation from Typhoon Ike and the “People Power” revolution against Ferdinand Marcos.
After his military service, Wayne sought to return to the Bay Area as a local journalist. Following work in Palm Springs, Chico, Fresno, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, Ken landed back home. He worked at several Bay Area television stations, including 26 years as an anchor and reporter at the Bay Area’s Fox affiliate, and then joined KRON4 as weekday evening anchor in 2018.
Wayne said, “In 1987, I was working at a small station in Chico, assigned to cover the Pope’s visit to San Francisco, it was during my first satellite live shot from the KRON rooftop on Van Ness where I dreamed of being able to return to the Bay Area and maybe one day be a news anchor here. My dream came true.”
Ken Wayne has covered a wide variety of stories of historical significance including the Loma Prieta earthquake, the OJ Simpson trial in Los Angeles, the 2000 presidential election challenge in Florida, and Nancy Pelosi becoming the first woman speaker. “In all these stories, I tried to convey a sense of meaning and relevance to viewers. Why it matters. Why it matters to them,” Wayne shared.
Wayne has championed Veteran-related stories during his time with KRON, hosting Memorial Day events at the Presidio, traveling with veterans on Bay Area Honor Flights, and producing KRON’s annual Veterans’ Voices special.
Ken Wayne’s work in journalism has earned him multiple regional Emmys, Edward R. Murrow awards, and a Peabody, arguably the highest honor a journalist can receive. His Flying Tails franchise earned him praise and a national award from the US Humane Society. Wayne’s story of a Ukraine cat being reunited with a refugee family in the Bay Area led to a documentary on the film festival circuit, which just won the audience favorite award at the Sonoma Film Festival.
Josh Palefsky, News Director said of Ken Wayne, “There’s a lot to share about Ken, from his numerous awards to the years of service to our community, but I think what stands out most is his passion for our newscasts. You’d be hard-pressed to find another local journalist more dedicated to serving the Bay Area. It was common to find Ken at KRON before his shift started, often pitching a great story he was working or producing something compelling.”
“Ken has been a constant, reliable force of reassurance on the anchor desk. With his connection to the military community, he’s been a great steward of service to the Bay Area and our veterans,” said Jim Rose, Vice President, and General Manager of KRON4.
After Wayne acquired his pilot’s license, he learned of abandoned pets and threatened wildlife in need of transportation, sometimes from a kill shelter, or to be returned to the wild. “For some reason, these stores resonated with me, crossing political and cultural boundaries. I wanted to do more. So, I started a regular segment called ‘Flying Tails’ and have since started a non-profit. I’ll now be able to dedicate more time to broaden its reach,” Wayne shared.
In retirement, Wayne is looking forward to dedicating more time to animal rescues. Whether rare and endangered or domesticated, dozens have been saved by Wayne taking to the skies in his Cessna aircraft.
When reflecting on his career, Ken Wayne shared, “33 years is a pretty long time to stay in one business. Every day there are different challenges. I’m grateful for the many people who’ve helped me along the way and especially appreciative of the feedback from viewers. You kept me focused, honest, and humble. Thank you. It’s been a rewarding career. Now, it’s time for new challenges,”
A celebration of Ken Wayne’s career will be broadcast on KRON4 during his last newscast, May 24, 2024, at 6 p.m.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
