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There were the usual changes in local news in 2024, with some anchors and reporters coming and going, though probably not as much as in years past.
Maybe things are finally setting down a bit after years of pandemic-induced career changes. Or maybe people just decided to stay put during a contentious and momentous election year.
The biggest change by far was Troy Hayden jumping ship from Fox 10 to 12 News, a move that was speculated about and all but confirmed for weeks before it became official. It was the worst-kept secret in town for people who follow local news. (The billboards and ads from 12 News hinting at the move made it pretty easy to tell what was up.)
But like every year there were some significant losses among local media personalities, ranging from a Tucson anchor suddenly gone to a full-on sportscasting legend passing away a season after stepping away from the microphone. Like the changes in the routine of a TV news lineup, the death of anchors and broadcasters seems especially notable, because these are, in various capacities, people who viewers have welcomed into their homes, sometimes for a few years, sometimes for decades.
Al McCoy
McCoy was the legendary voice of the Phoenix Suns for 51 years, the longest tenure of any announcer. The Suns announced his death at 91 on Sept. 21. He was the master of the catch phrase; any Suns fan would recognize, “Zing go the strings,” “Shazam” or even the one-time burger tie-in, “What a shot, Whataburger!”
McCoy called his last Suns game in 2023, and here’s how he signed off from the game: “I just want to say thank you for 51 wonderful years, and allowing me to bring the stories of the Suns and the NBA to you.” He said his final goodbye at the end of the postgame show. When he simply said, “We’ll just say so long … for now.”
Michael Grant
Grant, the longtime host of “Arizona Horizon” on Arizona PBS, died on July 15, one day short of his 73rd birthday. Grant was the show’s original host, from its first episode in 1981. He retired from the show in 2007, and from practicing law in 2014.
“No matter how much information you could gather on a topic, he always knew it before you did,” Mike Sauceda, executive producer at PBS Arizona, told The Arizona Republic. “He was amazing, as he would practice law all day and then come into the station half an hour before show time and be completely prepared for the night’s topics.”
Ana Orsini
Orsini, a morning anchor at KOLD TV in Tucson, was only 28 when she died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. Her colleagues tearfully announced her death during a broadcast on Dec. 16. They were understandably devastated by the loss.
“Please take a moment today to think about Ana,” Ty Butler, a KOLD anchor, posted on Facebook. “A time she made you laugh or think about something in a different way. She was too young, but we can remember her always. For years to come, we’ll be repeating her mantra. ‘Let the women do the work!’”
Orsini came to the station in June 2023. She began her career in Lubbock, Texas, in 2018, after she graduated from Texas A&M University.
Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. X: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly Watchlist newsletter.
‘Thank you for 51 wonderful years’: Al McCoy calls his last Phoenix Suns game
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona TV and radio personalities who died in 2024
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