In 1990, Ken Bastida started his first-ever TV news job, with KPIX. He’s been at the San Francisco CBS-owned station ever since, but Bastida said Tuesday that he’ll be retiring at the end of the month.
“In keeping with a promise I made to my family a few years ago,” the anchor said in a report on KPIX’s website. “I will be retiring from broadcasting at the end of October. Life is calling.”
The Bay Area native attended San Francisco State University, where he landed an internship at KFRC Radio, and worked his way up from the mailroom to the newsroom. He was on-air at several San Francisco radio stations, before transitioning to TV in 1990, joining KPIX.
Along the way, Bastida guided Bay Area viewers through the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, 9/11, 2013’s crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 and several San Francisco Giants World Series victory parades. He won six local Emmys, and also hosted HGTV’s Landscape Smart for four seasons.
After he leaves at station at the end of October, Bastida plans on spending time with family, “and there’s a ranch that needs a full-time tractor driver,” he said. “Needless to say, I will be very busy.”
The toughest part of stepping away is not being able to see my amazing co-workers like @ElizabethKPIX and @vernKPIX and @DennisKPIX and @PaulKPIX everyday! But being able to reconnect with @PaulDeannoNBC5 and many others. All amazing Pros and wonderful friends. Forever! @KPIX
— Ken Bastida (@KenBastidaKPIX) October 6, 2021