The comings and goings of local TV news journalists in Phoenix tend to wax and wane.
Things will be steady for a while, and then all of a sudden there will be a wave of changes. And the last month or so has seen a virtual tsunami.
The longest-tenured of the bunch saying goodbye is John Hook, who left Fox 10 after 33 years at the Phoenix station. Fox 10 wasted no time in naming his replacement, Marc Martinez, who has been with the station since 2002. Those are just two of the changes you will see when you watch local news. Will more follow? Time will tell.
Longtime Phoenix meteorologist left 12 News
Lindsay Riley, a longtime meteorologist at 12 News, has left the Phoenix station.
"I am officially stepping away from the mic and stepping into retirement to be with my boys," Riley said in an Instagram
post on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
"While I have loved every second of fulfilling my childhood dream as a meteorologist alongside the absolute best in the business, I am choosing to gain the greatest gift of all: TIME. Time with my boys and my family is what I am most excited about in this next chapter."
'Good Morning Arizona' anchor Simone Cuccurullo left the show
Simone Cuccurullo, a "Good Morning Arizona" anchor for Arizona's Family in Phoenix, is leaving the stations.
Cuccurullo announced her exit in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
"This week is my last at azfamily 3TV CBS 5," she said in the post. "I came here three years ago with just a dog and a dream. In 3 years, I’ve had some incredible opportunities. I’m beyond grateful for both the personal and professional growth, and the incredible people I’ve met along the way."
Arizona’s Family is composed of Channels 3 and 5, both owned by Atlanta-based Gray Television.
Another departure from 'Good Morning Arizona'
David Caltabiano, a reporter at Arizona's Family in Phoenix, also left the station.
Caltabiano, a graduate of Arizona State University, announced his departure on Friday, Sept. 4, in an Instagram post.
"Today was my last day at Arizona’s Family!" Caltabiano says in the post. "I used to pray to work for this station in my home state and God blessed me with 7 incredible years. A job that connected me with my beautiful wife, our pup and lifelong friends."
Longest-serving Fox 10 news anchor said goodbye
John Hook, the longest-serving news anchor in Fox 10 history, retired from the Phoenix station after 33 years on Sept. 14.
"It's hard to believe," Hook joked of his retirement. "I know there's a sense of relief in the community that this long national nightmare is finally over."
As for his plans after leaving the station, Hook said on the site, "I want to travel and experience some parts of the world I haven’t seen. I want to dive the Great Barrier Reef… surf more… ski more… play a little more golf… play more music… volunteer, and I want to mentor."
'Good Morning Arizona' anchor Whitney Clark left the show
Whitney Clark, a weekend anchor and reporter for "Good Morning Arizona," announced in social media posts on Saturday, Sept. 26 that she was leaving.
"After almost 16 years, I've decided to leave TV news," she said in the posts. "This was a very bittersweet and emotional decision because this has always been so much more than just a job. It's been my life and a huge part of who I am."
In the past few months, anchors Yetta Gibson and Simone Cuccurullo, as well as reporter David Caltabiano have left Arizona's Family.
Clark's last day on the air is Oct. 18, she said.
And a familiar face stepped into a new role at Fox 10
Fox 10 has chosen a familiar face to replace John Hook, the longtime anchor who left the Phoenix station 33 years after he started there.
Marc Martinez, who has been with Fox 10 for a while himself ― he came to the station in 2002 as a reporter ― will take over Hook's co-anchoring slots at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 15. He will anchor alongside Christina Carilla, who replaced Kari Lake in 2021. It's the end of a local TV news era.
"I couldn’t be more excited to step into this new chapter with our evening news team," Martinez told The Arizona Republic. "Serving this community is a huge privilege, and doing so by following in the footsteps of John Hook ― who set the gold standard at Fox 10 for 33 years — is deeply humbling."
Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Subscribe to the weekly Watchlist newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona TV news saw mass exodus with 5 farewells this month
