Legendary New York anchor Chuck Scarborough is leaving WNBC after 50 years, The Post has learned.
Scarborough, 81, is expected to break the news to viewers during Thursday’s 6 p.m. broadcast of NBC News 4 New York, according to a source close to the situation.
The Emmy-winning journalist briefed his colleagues in a meeting at 3.15pm on Thursday, the insider added. He said his last broadcast will be on December 12.
Scarborough, the longest-serving anchor in New York history, called his time at the network “historic,” a source with knowledge told The Post.
“It’s time to spread my wings,” the source said, paraphrasing Scarborough’s own words.
A network spokesman declined to comment.
No replacement has been named.
“It’s been a great run,” said an NBC source, who called the move expected since the anchor was retiring, working four days a week.
The person also noted turmoil in the news business, which has been squeezed by cord-cutting and layoffs in recent years, making it a good time for the anchor to retire.
A Pittsburgh native and Air Force veteran, Scarborough began his television career in Mississippi at WLOX-TV before moving to WAGA-TV in Atlanta, then WNAC-TV in Boston.
He joined WNBC-TV in March 1974 as a lead anchor for what was, at the time, the new NewsCenter 4 broadcast at 5 p.m.
Scarborough covered major New York stories such as the 1977 “Night of Terror” blackout, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
The reporter has also led breaking news coverage at home and abroad, reporting from Europe, Russia, the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico and South America.
Scarborough co-founders have included Jim Hartz, Jack Cafferty, John Hambrick, Pat Harper, Dawn Fratangelo, Sibila Vargas, Lynda Baquero, Natalie Pasquarella and, most famously, Sue Simmons.
Simmons joined Scarborough in 1980 for the 11pm newscast. They shared the anchor desk for 32 years.
According to NBC, they were the longest-tenured anchor team in New York City television news history.
Earlier this year, Scarbrough was honored for his amazing run of WNBC in true New York style. On March 25, the Empire State Building was lit up in blue and gold to honor his 50th anniversary at the station.
“This has been just wonderful, and what a wonderful way to kick off my 50th birthday celebration, because it was a Monday, March 25th, exactly 50 years ago, that I walked through the doors of NBC and began this career that has brought. to this point,” he said at the time.
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