Channel 7 News Director Aaron Mason to Depart
Aaron Mason, who has led news at WKBW-TV for five years, will leave the Buffalo station on November 19.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Television
Aaron Mason is leaving WKBW-TV (Channel 7) in Buffalo on November 19, 2026, after 12 years at the station. Channel 7, owned by E.W. Scripps, has begun a search for its next senior director of news.
Why it matters
Mason's departure marks the exit of a longtime news leader who presided over layoffs and a recent shift to recorded newscasts at the station. The change arrives as the station fills a key leadership role for its Buffalo newsroom.
Personnel change confirmed through Mason's own social media announcement, with his Channel 7 tenure spanning 12 years and his news director role lasting five years. The station has not disclosed who will replace him or when the hire will be made.
The players
Aaron Mason
Aaron Mason is a Buffalo-area television news director who previously worked at WIVB-TV Channel 4 before joining Channel 7.
WKBW-TV (Channel 7)
WKBW-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station in Buffalo, New York, owned by E.W. Scripps.
The details
Mason announced his departure in a social media post, ending more than 25 years in local television news. He is moving to become director of public and media relations for Catholic Health, and said he decided to step away from the fast pace of the television news industry.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Mason announces his departure on social media.
November 19, 2026: Mason's final day at WKBW-TV Channel 7.
Newsroom Context
Mason's exit follows Channel 7's recent move to recorded newscasts and the layoffs he presided over, both changes that reshaped the station's newsroom. His departure leaves the station's next news director to guide the operation through that restructured environment.
Viewers of Channel 7's newscasts in the Buffalo market will see a change in station leadership as Mason departs on November 19. The station's newscasts continue on the recorded format it recently adopted while the search for a successor proceeds.
The takeaway
Leadership transitions at local stations can shape newsroom direction for years, so viewers in the Buffalo market may notice changes in coverage as the next news director takes over. Following the station's announcements is the most direct way to track the hire.
What happens next
Channel 7 has begun a search for its next senior director of news, with Mason's final day falling on November 19, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the Buffalo broadcast market, see Television coverage across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Buffalo News.
