Longtime news anchors Rick Dayton and Susan Koeppen are no longer employed by KDKA-TV, the station’s vice president and general manager confirmed Thursday.
Chris Cotungo referred the Tribune-Review to a statement from CBS.
“We are restructuring various operations at CBS as part our ongoing integration with Viacom, and to adapt to changes in our business, including those related to covid-19,” the statement said. “Our thoughts today are with our departing colleagues for their friendship, service and many important contributions to CBS.”
Layoffs are taking place across various CBS divisions, including CBS Sports and CBS Entertainment. The cuts at CBS News have resulted in layoffs at local news affiliates nationwide.
Dayton joined the station in September 2009 as a morning news anchor. He was on air from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Koeppen served as an anchor on weeknight editions of the news at 4, 6 and 11 p.m. She had been working at KDKA-TV since September 2011 and for CBS News since 2004.
Koeppen, of Squirrel Hill, said Thursday that Pittsburgh is her home, and she loves the viewers who have watched her throughout the years.
She said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. She said she has heard from everyone from the man who installed the air conditioner in her house and a police officer to executives from companies as well as friends and family. She credits her husband and their three children ages 11, 13 and 14 years old as her biggest supporters.
Koeppen suffered a cardiac arrest while running with friends in November 2011. She said that she has a positive attitude about life and always looks for the silver lining. She said she isn’t sure what’s next but plans to cherish this time with her family.
“When you go through something where you almost die it totally changes your life and you perceive things differently,” she said. “I literally wake up every day trying to live life to the fullest. That helps me get through anything.”
