Libby Weaver departing Fox31 after nearly 13 years as anchor

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From the Denver Post:

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2012/0904/20120904__AE04TVWEAVER~p1.jpg

Libby Weaver, co-anchor at KDVR-Fox31 for almost 13 years, will leave the station at the end of the year or early in 2013.

Weaver has been half of the longest-lasting late news anchor team in Denver TV, along with Ron Zappolo, who previously announced his intention to step down.

Weaver who teamed for the 5 and 9 p.m. newscasts with veteran Denver anchor Zappolo, and has recently been co-anchor with Jeremy Hubbard on the early evening and late night newscasts, was not available for comment Tuesday. The station confirmed her departure without specifying the reason.

"We can confirm that Libby Weaver will be leaving KDVR sometime around the end of this year or early in January," according to News Director Ed Kosowski. "Beyond that we cannot and will not discuss anything else at this time about Libby's departure except to say that we will certainly miss her presence both on the air in our newscasts and in the newsroom."

Zappolo has previously announced his intention to step down as news anchor and return to sports coverage in March 2013 when his contract expires. This summer he marked 35 years in Denver broadcasting.

The end of the Weaver-Zappolo run presents an unusual dilemma/opportunity for KDVR management, which has been talking to Weaver for months; the newsroom has been buzzing about the plan for weeks.

Weaver joined Fox31 in July 2000 after serving as the host of the syndicated "EXTRA" in Los Angeles and working for WMAQ in Chicago.

Kosowski on Tuesday declined to specify or speculate on future assignments. However, Hubbard, who returned to Colorado from ABC News in New York in 2011 to anchor FOX31's "Nightside" and sister station KWGN's "News at 7," is poised to take over prominent anchor duties. He previously worked at KDVR from 2004-2007 and has long been the heir apparent to Zappolo's side of the anchor desk.

The station expects to make a more detailed announcement in coming weeks but plans no immediate decision on Weaver's successor.

More... (http://feeds.denverpost.com/~r/dp-lifestyles-columnists-joanne_ostrow/~3/QcSN1ok3DE4/ci_21467181)

[Rob]

Ron and Libby have been a great combo over the years. Should be interesting to see who they find as replacements.

[radiodude]

From the Denver Post:

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2012/0904/20120904__AE04TVWEAVER~p1.jpg

Libby Weaver, co-anchor at KDVR-Fox31 for almost 13 years, will leave the station at the end of the year or early in 2013.

Weaver has been half of the longest-lasting late news anchor team in Denver TV, along with Ron Zappolo, who previously announced his intention to step down.

Weaver who teamed for the 5 and 9 p.m. newscasts with veteran Denver anchor Zappolo, and has recently been co-anchor with Jeremy Hubbard on the early evening and late night newscasts, was not available for comment Tuesday. The station confirmed her departure without specifying the reason.

"We can confirm that Libby Weaver will be leaving KDVR sometime around the end of this year or early in January," according to News Director Ed Kosowski. "Beyond that we cannot and will not discuss anything else at this time about Libby's departure except to say that we will certainly miss her presence both on the air in our newscasts and in the newsroom."

Zappolo has previously announced his intention to step down as news anchor and return to sports coverage in March 2013 when his contract expires. This summer he marked 35 years in Denver broadcasting.

The end of the Weaver-Zappolo run presents an unusual dilemma/opportunity for KDVR management, which has been talking to Weaver for months; the newsroom has been buzzing about the plan for weeks.

Weaver joined Fox31 in July 2000 after serving as the host of the syndicated "EXTRA" in Los Angeles and working for WMAQ in Chicago.

Kosowski on Tuesday declined to specify or speculate on future assignments. However, Hubbard, who returned to Colorado from ABC News in New York in 2011 to anchor FOX31's "Nightside" and sister station KWGN's "News at 7," is poised to take over prominent anchor duties. He previously worked at KDVR from 2004-2007 and has long been the heir apparent to Zappolo's side of the anchor desk.

The station expects to make a more detailed announcement in coming weeks but plans no immediate decision on Weaver's successor.

More... (http://feeds.denverpost.com/~r/dp-lifestyles-columnists-joanne_ostrow/~3/QcSN1ok3DE4/ci_21467181)

Will, she is going to be missed at 5 and 9 pm every weekend, just won't be the same without those two duo's. I enjoyed those two, I just can't believe she is going to call it quits. I guess it is time for her to be a mom actually to her kids and a wife to her husband.
For RON, what can I say? The news on Fox 31 just won't be the same without him and his wacky sense of humor. I totally enjoy watching the news because of those two.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

http://blogs.denverpost.com/ostrow/files/2012/09/libbyphoto-270x298.jpg (http://blogs.denverpost.com/ostrow/2012/09/06/libby-weaver-reflects/10738/libbyphoto/)Libby Weaver, KDVR anchor, in Cherry Creek


She calls it “perfect timing.” With three kids at home (13, 10 and 8) and a co=anchor set to retire in March 2013, Fox31′s Libby Weaver will end her run as half of Denver’s longest-lasting late news anchor team “at the top of my game and on my terms.” Her last day will be Dec. 13.

The down-to-earth anchor, 45, spoke frankly about her decision, which the station confirmed this week. The conflicting demands of being a mother and newscaster have created angst, she said, culminating in an “epiphany” some eight months ago when two of her kids were in tears, desperate for homework help, and she was running out the door after a hasty dinner to go back to work. “I thought, “what am I doing?”"

“You cannot do it all,” she concluded. “I think I surprised them (KDVR management)” when she broke the news.

“I’ve got to get off nights, they wanted me five nights a week (instead of her current four). I just can’t do it,” she said Thursday. After 22 years of TV news, the last 13 as KDVR co-anchor with Ron Zappolo, “I was lucky it was my own decision.”

Clearly she didn’t want to leave it up to the station to decide when it was time to pair a new, bright young thing with Jeremy Hubbard, the heir apparent to Zappolo’s chair.

Remarried three and a half years ago to an orthopedic surgeon, Weaver said the family plans to sell their Cherry Creek house and downsize. She won’t miss the billboards (“we look like vampires on the current one”) or the changing business of broadcast journalism. She’s not retiring, she insists, but she doesn’t know what her next chapter will be.

She aims for a low-key on-air departure. “I hope people remember me fondly.”

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/dp-entertainment-tv-blogs-ostrow/~4/vUEIaACtKfU

More... (http://blogs.denverpost.com/ostrow/2012/09/06/libby-weaver-reflects/10738/)

[PC Bigboy]

Ron and Libby have been a great combo over the years. Should be interesting to see who they find as replacements.They may already have replacements in Jeremy Hubbard & Deborah Takahara. Given this, I think the bigger question is who is going to replace THEM on the weekends? My guess is Dave Young & Shaul Turner

JMO though.....

Cheers :D