Anchor Dana King Leaving KPIX San Francisco

Anchor Dana King announced Wednesday that she will be leaving CBS O&O KPIX San Francisco (DMA 6) on Friday, Dec. 7, after 15 years with the station and 25 years in television news in order to pursue her art career.

“I am leaving the business to build my next life as an artist,” said King, who a few years ago began working toward earning a master’s degree in classical sculpture from San Francisco’s Academy of Art University. “In order to do it right, I am making a commitment that requires a choice between continuing an already amazing career and starting a brand new one. KPIX has been my second home. I am honored to have worked beside everyone here and to have had the privilege of serving the people of the Bay Area by reporting the news during these last 15 years of enormous change. I will miss it all more than you know.”

The station’s news director, Dan Rosenheim, said: “It’s been my privilege to work with Dana during 12 of her 15 years here. We will always be deeply appreciative of Dana’s contributions to CBS 5 and proud of her excellent service to the people of the Bay Area.  While Dana’s departure will leave us with big shoes to fill, we are fortunate to have a strong bench of news professionals who will do an excellent job of holding down the fort while we take the time we need to make a thoughtful decision about her successor.”

King received a local Emmy Award for her reporting in Honduras. She is also the recipient of four other Emmy Awards for local news in Los Angeles, St. Louis and San Francisco. In 2010, her special on the Legacy of Loma Prieta was honored as the top Special News Program by the Northern California RTNDA.

King began her broadcasting career in Los Angeles as a general assignment reporter at KABC. From general assignment reporter, she moved to early morning news anchor.

In 1990, she moved to St. Louis to become the evening news anchor at KTVI. After King left St. Louis, she worked as anchor on Good Morning America Sunday and as a substitute co-anchor and reporter for Good Morning America. She joined CBS News in December 1993 as co-anchor and reporter for the prime time news magazine America Tonight.

She was co-anchor of the CBS Morning News, and a frequent contributor to CBS This Morning, as well as other CBS News programs. In 1995, King anchored a syndicated news and information program called Day and Date. Her most recent network assignment was that of general assignment reporter for the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.

King graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich.