WHAM‘s longest running anchor team of Ginny Ryan and Doug Emblidge have announced their plans to leave local television.
The two anchor the Rochester N.Y. ABC affiliate’s 5 p.m. weeknight newscast. They also co-anchor the 10 and 11 p.m.
“Doug and Ginny are consummate professionals—and great people on top of that,” said Chuck Samuels, vice president and general manager. “You won’t find two better journalists who care more about their community than these two Hall of Famers. Their dedication to making 13WHAM News the best it can be is second to none. I am very happy for them as they take on new challenges—and extremely grateful for the legacy they will leave here.”
Ryan started her career at WENY in Elmira, N.Y. before graduating from college. She worked as a reporter and anchor before being hired by WHAM in 1987.
Emblidge joined WHAM in 1983. One year later, he started anchoring weekends while also reporting weeknights. Between 1986 and 1989, he served as weeknight sports anchor before anchoring the at 5 p.m. He co-anchored the WHAM morning news from 2000 until 2020.
Emblidge said the move away from TV was a coincidence and that their contracts came up for renewal at the same time.
“It’s with mixed emotions that we share our plans to leave the TV news world. And while we are announcing this together, the timing of our departures is not part of any grand plan. It is coincidence—related to the end dates of our individual contracts with the station.”
“I will soon be continuing those community connections as part of the team at Canandaigua National Bank, as director of community engagement,” said Ryan. “I will represent CNB in the community by continuing to build its positive relationships with the region’s businesses—and community-based non-profit organizations. I will also direct CNB’s external public and media relations and help lead the company’s brand efforts.”
“I will soon be joining Alesco Advisors, a Rochester based investment advisory firm. Alesco serves more than one hundred nonprofit organizations, as well as numerous households and corporate retirement plans,” said Emblidge. “I have come to know Alesco during my time as a board member of multiple nonprofit foundations—and look forward to working on behalf of similar organizations that seek to thrive financially and continue their vital missions.”
Ryan plans to leave on October 7. Emblidge said his last newscast will be on November 29th.