Zahn Admits to GNA that Colleagues Were 'Shocked'

We all were thrown for a loop when longtime News Channel 13 anchor Benita Zahn announced that she was leaving the news station at the end of May. The local TV legend was gracious enough to talk to Brian and Chrissy on Wednesday morning about the news she was making, not the news she was breaking.

"On May 28th," Zahn told viewers on Tuesday, "I will be turning in my...anchor shoes. I'm going to be here through the end of the month then will be calling it a career here at News Channel 13."

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During the pandemic, while she was experiencing more downtime at home, Zahn said that she studied to become a certified health coach and that's exactly what she'll be embarking on with Capital Cardiology.

Zahn's been in the market for many years and during her time in our living room, she's carved out a unique niche that viewers won't soon forget. She comes across as caring, intelligent, compassionate, informed, trustworthy, hard-working, and versatile. These are all traits that work well in other fields, including healthcare which she's so passionate about.

Whenever someone with Zah's stature and clout announces they're leaving, speculation will always arise as to the reason why. Television media has changed so much over the years and much like radio, budget cuts have led to an increased amount of frustration from talent.

In an interview Wednesday morning on GNA, Zahn recognized that a changing industry might lead to frustration from others, but it's not the reason she's leaving local news. "Change is what I'm embracing," she told Brian and Chrissy this morning. "My office at home has become a mini studio, and I surely have to clean it up!"

In the rest of the interview with Brian and Chrissy on GNA, Zahn talked about how she broke the news to her colleagues just last week, and that Jerry Gretzinger was genuinely floored by the news.

And in a moment of pure levity, we finally got to ask her if she too hears her name in the Glen Frey song "The Heat is On."

Listen to the rest of the interview here with the one and only Benita Zahn:

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