‘Time to write a new story.’ Longtime Fresno TV news anchor for CBS retiring

A familiar face on local TV is leaving the Fresno media market.

Ken Malloy publicly announced Wednesday that he will retire near the end of the month after a 17-year stint as a primary anchor for the CBS47 evening and nightly news. His last day is Nov. 24.

Malloy had been a consistent on-air presence for the local CBS affiliate while his co-anchors changed over the years, as did the ever-evolving field of on-air reporters at the television station.

Malloy, a TV reporter/anchor for 38 years, has worked in Fresno since 2004.

“I want to thank God for his peace, providence, protection and provision,” Malloy wrote. “Because of His blessings I am able to walk away from broadcasting with an attitude of gratitude. ... I also want to thank everyone who has helped me over the years, including family, friends, colleagues and loyal viewers.

“As a local journalist I have always strived to be a neutral and transparent conduit to tell the stories of others. I was taught context, balance and objectivity. I was also taught to never make the story about me.”

Malloy’s departure means the Nexstar duopoly of CBS47/KSEE 24 has only one male on-air personality who’s been on Fresno newscasts for more than 15 years. And that’s meteorologist A.J. Fox.

The station, however, still has some veterans.

Stefani Booroojian, who heads the KSEE 24 coverage, and Kathryn Herr, who anchors on the CBS47 side, have had more TV time each in Fresno than Malloy.

Malloy said he’s anchored more than 30,000 newscasts and written more than 10,000 stories throughout his career. He’s also won several awards along the way.

Malloy worked at four other television markets before coming to Fresno, including 11 years in Dallas.

He interviewed the likes of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens and Ross Perot earlier in his career, and in more recent years earned a pair of Edward R. Murrow awards, which highlights the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.

Malloy tried to put in perspective how much local television and the media as a whole has changed since the start of his career.

“When I started my Television broadcasting career, I used a manual typewriter and banged through 4 or 5 copies of carbon copy paper — with gusto,” Malloy wrote. “No auto correct. No spell check. No liquid paper ‘Wite Out’ for mistakes. Just an emphatic flurry of “X & O’s ’’ to cover up the typo and keep writing.

“Now, that’s old school.”

Malloy also recalled newsrooms being filled with smoke and working for a news director who would chain smoke unfiltered Camel cigarettes.

“I remember tape-to-tape editing in an analog world with no cell phones, pagers or internet,” Malloy added. “Imagine that. No Google, Facebook, Twitter or any social media. ( I recently told that to my son and he asked ‘What did you report on then?’)

“Back in those days, cable TV was a burgeoning business, Newspapers were Kings and the Three Main Network Evening Newscasts were tantamount to Gospel.”

In his retirement announcement that he shared on social media, Malloy expressed gratitude to his many co-workers, his current ones as well as those from the past.

He said he plans to move back to Texas but wasn’t exactly sure how he’d spend life in retirement.

“Someone recently asked me what I thought my broadcasting legacy would be,” Malloy wrote. “I told him that I hope people will say ‘He was fair. He stayed in his own lane.’

“And so, that’s my backstory. We all have one. In fact, you’re writing yours right now.

“For me, it’s time to write a new story — a new chapter, “ Malloy added. “I’m not entirely sure what that will look like. ... I believe for the most part, we write our own stories in life. It’s my hope and prayer that with God’s blessing, you will continue to pursue your purpose driven life — and be the hero of your own story.”

This story was originally published November 18, 2021 at 10:14 AM.