Charles Benson to Sign Off at WTMJ-TV Wednesday
The longtime Milwaukee anchor will deliver his final farewell during the 4p News on Nov. 11, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Television
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Charles Benson will deliver his final farewell at WTMJ-TV during the 4p News on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. The announcement comes days after E. W. Scripps Company laid off more than a dozen workers at the Milwaukee station as part of a nationwide cutback.
Why it matters
Benson's departure ends a 22-year run at TMJ4 and closes a broadcasting career spanning more than four decades, much of it in Wisconsin. It is unclear whether his exit is related to the company's broader cuts.
Benson spent 22 years at TMJ4 after returning to Milwaukee in 2004, following 15 years at WITI-TV and three years at WKOW in Madison. The station has not disclosed how many of the laid-off workers were on-air talent, and the link between the cutback and Benson's exit remains unconfirmed.
The players
Charles Benson
A veteran Milwaukee television journalist who spent 22 years at TMJ4 and was inducted into the Milwaukee Media Hall of Fame last month.
E. W. Scripps Company
The media conglomerate that owns WTMJ-TV and recently cut more than a dozen jobs at the station as part of a nationwide reduction.
The details
Benson began his reporting career in 1982 in Peoria, Illinois, before working at WBAY in Green Bay. He announced his farewell date in a post on X, saying he hopes there is more to do after retirement and will keep people posted.
Timeline
1982: Benson begins his career as a reporter in Peoria, Illinois.
2004: Benson returns to Milwaukee and joins TMJ4.
Nov. 2, 2026: TMJ4 and Benson announce his departure.
Nov. 10, 2026: Benson posts his farewell date on X.
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026: Benson's final farewell airs during the 4p News.
Industry Dynamics
Benson's exit comes as E. W. Scripps Company carries out a nationwide round of cuts that reached WTMJ-TV, a pattern of consolidation affecting local broadcast newsrooms. Whether the anchor's departure is part of that restructuring has not been established.
Viewers can watch Benson's final broadcast live on WTMJ-TV during the 4p News on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Milwaukee audiences who follow his reporting will lose a regular on-air presence after the broadcast ends.
The takeaway
Benson's career reflects the long arc of local broadcast journalism, from first reporting jobs to decades anchoring in a single market. Viewers who wish to mark the milestone can tune in to his last 4p News broadcast on Wednesday.
What happens next
Benson's final farewell airs Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, during the 4p News on WTMJ-TV.
Further reading
For more on Milwaukee's local broadcast news, see Television coverage across the city's stations.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Journal Sentinel.
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