Longtime “Eyewitness News” anchor Bill Ritter stepped back from the 5 p.m. broadcast on WABC-TV Channel 7, making way for a new co-anchor while continuing his presence in the station’s evening lineup.
Ritter, 75, passed the torch to reporter and anchor Mike Marza, who joined Sade Baderinwa as co-anchor of the 5 p.m. edition of “Eyewitness News” on Tuesday.
“I’ve been anchoring the 6 p.m. newscast since 2001, and I did the 11 p.m. show from 1999 until just a couple of years ago,” Ritter told The Post.
“That’s three shows a night for a long time. I’m almost 75-and-a-half — it feels like a good time to make this change.”
Ritter, a mainstay of New York City television journalism for decades, emphasized that he’s not retiring. He will continue co-anchoring “Eyewitness News at 6 p.m.” on weekdays alongside Liz Cho and hosting “Up Close,” the Sunday morning political affairs program.
Ritter had succeeded legendary local newsman Bill Beutel on the 11 p.m. newscast.
Marza joined WABC in 2019 after working at KSHB in Kansas City.
“We have a lot of people here who’ve been at Channel 7 for a long time, myself included, and now we’re looking toward the future. I’ll still be working here for a while longer,” Ritter told The Post.
He went on to note the importance of mentorship and succession.
“I want to get these younger people on the shows — it’s a big thing,” he said. “I’m happy we’re going to start opening the door for some other people. I’m going to be here and work with them, and it’s going to be great.”
The transition is especially meaningful for Ritter on a personal level.
“The same day this change happened, I became a grandfather. It’s a moving thing,” he shared. “No one has ever been as old as I am on Eyewitness News. I want to spend more time with my family, my kids, and now my new grandchild. But I’ll still be here.”
Reflecting on his decades-long partnership with Cho, he added, “She’s been doing the 6 with me longer than any anchor team in the history of Channel 7. We started together in July 2003, so this month marks our 22nd anniversary.”
“I’m honored to be part of Channel 7, the biggest station in the country, and I’m going to continue being part of it. It’s nice to get this kind of recognition — and it’s not for a funeral! I’m still here.”
