After months of speculation and talks, KCBS-TV Los Angeles has hired Harold Greene, late of KABC-TV, as its lead male anchor. Greene, one of a handful of L.A. news folk with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, will anchor the 5 and 11 p.m. news.
It's a reunion for Greene and KCBS-TV General Manager John Severino, who used to run KABC-TV and ABC Television, and for Greene and former KABC-TV co-anchor Ann Martin. KCBS-TV sportscaster Jim Hill also worked with Greene and Martin at KABC-TV , as did Mark Coogan, whom Greene will be replacing at 5 p.m. Coogan will become a senior reporter, Severino said. Jonathan Elias, who has been anchoring at 11 p.m., will do special features and will continue to anchor at 6 p.m.
Severino said he's hopeful that Greene, who left KABC-TV in the fall, will bring some of his own audience. KCBS-TV has long been ratings-challenged. "The research we have shows Harold to be among the most popular and highly respected newspeople in the market," Severino said.
