ABC7 New York’s Bill Ritter Hands 5 PM Anchor Duties to Mike Marza

He's one of the most familiar faces in the entire city of New York, and now we've learned that he'll be stepping away from the anchor's desk... sort of. It's no secret how much we love our New York City TV, so let's dig in.

Eyewitness News' Bill Ritter Is a New York City TV Icon

Earlier this year (in March), Bill Ritter announced plans to step away from the station's evening broadcast at 11 pm. That duty was turned over to Mike Marza. Ritter, however, stayed on for the station's 5 pm and 6 pm shows. Ritter, who is 75 years old, is the longest-serving anchor in the station's history.

He first joined the station in June 1998 as he took over for Bill Beutel.

Bill Ritter Announces Departure From 5 pm Newscast

Well, the next piece of the transition at ABC 7 has now happened. In some ways it was a bit of a surprise during Monday evening's 5 pm broadcast of the iconic Eyewitness News show on ABC 7. And yet, in many ways it wasn't surprising given the context.

READ MORE: Whatever Happened to Eyewitness News' Roz Abrams?

At the end of Monday evening's show, Ritter shared his news that he would be stepping away from the 5 pm broadcasts. Ritter will be replaced (effective immediately) on the show by Mike Marza.

As for Ritter, he will remain with the station and continue anchoring the 6 pm show with Liz Cho. But he said the timing was right to step away from the 5 pm show citing the desire to spend more time with his family (including his new granddaughter who arrived earlier this week).

"After much thought, I've decided to step away from the 5 o'clock news. This job has been a privilege and a joy, but I want to spend more time with my family, especially my new granddaughter," Ritter said on camera.

Mike Marza Replaces Bill Ritter on 5 pm Broadcast of Eyewitness News

Replacing Bill at 5 pm?

Of course, that will also be Mike Marza. He has been a rising star at the station over the past few years, and recently took over the 11 pm broadcast as Ritter started to slowly step away from the station. Mike has been with the station since 2019. Mike previously worked for an NBC affiliate in Kansas City and a FOX station in Miami.

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"Mike Marza is a talented journalist and a dear friend—I’m thrilled he’s taking over. I’ve learned so much from my colleagues over the years." Ritter said Monday evening.

Mike's first broadcast as the permanent anchor of the 5 o'clock news was for Tuesday (June 3). He joined Sade Baderinwa at the anchor desk and meteorologist Lee Goldberg on the show (the same team he works with at 11 o'clock each day).

Meanwhile, the gravity of the transition was not lost on Marza who took time to praise Bill and the role he's played at both ABC 7 New York and in the city's TV history.

"It's an incredible honor to step into this role. Bill has been a mentor and a friend, and I hope to uphold the standard of excellence he has set," Marza said.

What's Next For ABC 7's Bill Ritter?

It sounds like Bill Ritter isn't planning on leaving the station anytime soon. In Monday's announcement, he was explicitly clear that he wasn't planning on leaving the 6 pm show anytime soon.

"Journalism is in my DNA, and this newsroom is my home," Ritter said.

Ever wonder about some of our other favorites in New York City TV history? We found out where Sue Simmons is now!