KLAS-TV - News Operation

News Operation

KLAS' newscasts are generally named 8 News Now. KLAS previously branded its newscasts as Eyewitness News, taking over the name from 1982 after KVBC discontinued using the branding until late 2009. Originally, its newscasts were branded as Newscenter 8, and used the opening Phenix Horns music of Earth Wind & Fire's 1979 single In The Stone for two years.

For years, KLAS produced a daily interview show, Face to Face with business and political writer Jon Ralston, on sister channel Las Vegas One. Face to Face moved to KVBC Channel 3 in January 2010. Channel 8 has been the ratings leader in Las Vegas for most of its history. On September 21, 1981, KLAS-TV became the first station in Nevada to provide hour-long newscasts.

In March 2006, KLAS revamped Eyewitness News This Morning. At the time, Casey Smith and Charlotte Evans anchored the newscasts, with Sherry Swensk doing the weather, and Dayna Roselli and Justin Cooper (who is no longer with KLAS for non-conflicting reasons) with Skywitness Traffic. Casey Smith left the station to further pursue his professional career, while Charlotte Evans moved to the noon and 4:30 p.m. newscasts. Smith was thanked for his dedication and contributions. In their place, the station promoted longtime sports director Dave McCann to fill one anchoring spot. Denise Valdez, who had just joined the station in January 2006, swapped positions with Charlotte, leaving the noon and 4:30 p.m. newscasts. Smith joined ABC affiliate KTNV (channel 13) a short time later and is now that station's morning and midday anchor. Evans was let go from the station during a massive reorganization in 2008.

Later that year, the station kept its name going. Longtime Metereologist Kevin Janison left the station before re-surfacing (after sitting out a year) at NBC affiliate, KVBC (now KSNV). Gina Cancelliere, Kevin's replacement, joined the station in September 2006. Cancelliere did not stay with the station long. After having a baby, she left to be a stay at home Mom and KLAS brought in Darren Miller as her replacement. On September 17, 2006 KLAS became the first station in the Las Vegas market and the state of Nevada, and the eleventh station in the United States, to broadcast its local newscasts in high definition.

KLAS produced a 10 p.m. newscast for KTUD-CA called UPN Eyewitness News, anchored by Denise Saunders. In the fall of 2006 when UPN and The WB merged, KTUD was rebranded on-air as "Vegas TV" and the newscasts was renamed to suit the new identity. Shortly after the merger however, the station dropped the 10 p.m. newscast and Sanders would later go to KTNV (KTUD later revived its 10 p.m. newscast, produced by KSNV, from October 2009 to August 2010).

In recent years, KLAS has been losing ground in the ratings race. Rivals KTNV and KSNV have successfully eroded KLAS's evening ratings and 11pm is currently the only newscast that KLAS wins in total viewers thanks in large part to a strong CBS primetime lineup. In June 2012 a new anchor team was announced for KLAS's last place morning show.

On July 9, 2012, longtime evening Anchor Gary Waddell announced on the 4:00 broadcast that he was retiring after 32 years at KLAS-TV. His tenure at channel 8, along with 4 years previous at KORK-TV (now KSNV) is, as he figured out, the longest of any television anchor in Southern Nevada. He also noted that as many people know, he rides motorcycles and wants to get to a lot of places on his "Bucket List". His last day was August 3, 2012. WOIO's Paul Joncich took over on August 13.