ABC 7 Ends Contract With Anchor Ravi Baichwal
Chicago station parts ways with its longtime evening co-anchor after 20 years, with Mark Rivera filling in on an interim basis.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Television
WLS-TV ABC 7 Chicago has concluded its contract with anchor Ravi Baichwal, who spent 20 years at the station. The station confirmed the exit in an emailed statement on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
Why it matters
The change removes a weekday co-anchor from the station's 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts that Chicago viewers have followed. The station has not yet named a permanent successor, leaving the evening lineup in an interim arrangement.
Baichwal joined ABC 7 in 2006 as a reporter and weekend anchor and was promoted to weekday co-anchor of the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts in 2023. The station has not disclosed a successor, and Baichwal did not respond to a request for comment.
The players
WLS-TV ABC 7 Chicago
The Chicago ABC-owned television station that employed Baichwal for two decades and produces the newscasts he anchored.
Ravi Baichwal
An Emmy Award-winning Toronto-born journalist who previously anchored at CTV News in Canada before his long run at ABC 7.
Mark Rivera
A Chicago broadcast journalist who is filling in as interim evening co-anchor at ABC 7 following Baichwal's departure.
The details
Baichwal, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and Toronto native, had previously anchored at CTV News in Canada before joining ABC 7. The station said he moved on following the conclusion of his contract, and Mark Rivera will fill in on an interim basis alongside co-anchors Cheryl Burton at 5 p.m. and Judy Hsu at 6 p.m.
Timeline
2006: Baichwal joins ABC 7 as a reporter and weekend anchor.
December 2007: A car crashes through the ABC 7 State Street studio window during a newscast.
2023: Baichwal is promoted to weekday co-anchor of the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The station confirms Baichwal's exit in an emailed statement.
Industry Dynamics
The departure follows a pattern in Chicago local news, where long-tenured anchors have moved on while stations rebuild their evening lineups. Entertainment coverage of television personnel changes increasingly reflects the broader turnover across local broadcast markets.
Viewers of the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. ABC 7 newscasts will see Mark Rivera alongside Cheryl Burton and Judy Hsu until the station names a permanent co-anchor. No change to broadcast schedule or channel availability has been announced.
The takeaway
Long-running local anchors can leave with little public explanation, so viewers who want to track the evening lineup should watch for the station's announcement of a permanent co-anchor. Following station confirmations rather than rumor is the most reliable way to know who is delivering the news.
Further reading
For more on the local broadcast landscape, see Television coverage in Chicago.
