WLS anchor and reporter Alan Krashesky has announced his retirement.
Krashesky anchors the Chicago ABC owned station’s 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. He also reports on major stories.
“This job is the fulfillment of the dream I had when I first walked in the door at WLS-TV 40 years ago at the age of 21,” Krashesky said. “Over the past four decades, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside some of the best broadcast journalists in the business—and I’m honored that the people of the Chicago area chose to trust us and welcome us into their homes.”
His retirement announcement came forty years to the day since he started working at WLS as a general assignment reporter on October 4, 1982. The station said he has the distinction of being its first morning news anchor—and that, since he started, every newscast he has anchored has consistently been rated No. 1.
“Alan Krashesky’s career is a template for any aspiring journalist,” said to John Idler, president and general manager. “His professionalism, skill as an anchor and fairness as a reporter has earned not only countless awards, but the respect of our viewers and his ABC 7 colleagues. We thank him for a remarkable career and wish him nothing but the best. He will be missed by all.”
“Alan Krashesky represents the best of Chicago journalism. He approaches every newscast and story with integrity, class and humility,” said Jennifer Graves, vice president of news. “And there’s no one more trusted when the big stories break. Alan retires knowing he has the admiration and affection of our viewers and his ABC 7 family. There’s no better legacy than that.”
Krashesky’s work has been honored with numerous awards, including Chicago Midwest Emmys and a Peter Lisagor Award. His acclaimed reporting has taken him to Rome to cover the historic moments of three popes—and to Poland, where he documented Auschwitz survivor and President of the Illinois Holocaust Museum, Fritzie Fritzshall’s, emotional return to the camp.
Before joining WLS, Krashesky served as a news reporter and weathercaster for KTBC in Austin, Texas. He also worked on-air in news, weather and sports at WBNG in Binghamton, N.Y.
Krashesky will anchor his final newscasts on Tuesday, November 22.