After a 26-year career in broadcast news, Catherine Anaya has decided to call it quits. She announced on Friday that she’s leaving her anchor job as weekday anchor at KPHO, the CBS affiliate in Phoenix at the end of July to spend more time with her family.
“It was not a tough decision – probably one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made,” Catherine tells Media Moves.
She says her career prevented her from witnessing key moments in her children’s lives. “I have had to miss a lot because of my career but I always gave myself a pass because Dave was there.” But Dave, the father of her two children, died six months ago. “Dave & I had a pact. One of us would always be there for the kids – at their sporting events, school events – whatever.”
So now, Catherine has decided to focus on being a full-time mom. “Briana is going off to college in a few months and Christian will need his mom more than ever. I’m excited to be there for him and witness his triumphs. I’m excited to be there to help move Briana into college and visit whenever I want. I’m excited to spend my evenings with my husband.”
Catherine says she doesn’t know what she’ll be doing yet. “I have a lot of ideas and opportunities presenting themselves. I hope to use my skills to continue to do good things with an emphasis on charity and non profit work – maybe for a foundation. Whatever will be flexible enough to allow me to be present for my family.”
A three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, Catherine, who joined CBS 5 News in January of 2003, currently anchors weekdays at 5, 5:30, 6:30 and 10 pm. She previously spent four years at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, where she anchored the morning news and co-hosted an afternoon women’s talk show.
Before that, she anchored the weekday morning and noon newscasts at KPNX-TV from 1992 to 1998. She began her career as an anchor/reporter at KRGV in Weslcaco, Tx.
“It’s been a glorious 26 year television news career and I have loved every moment and have accomplished more than I ever dreamed. But I’m looking forward to this next chapter & an eventual new career….Time waits for no one.”
