Longtime Vancouver television news anchor Mike Killeen has announced he’s leaving the industry to pursue new opportunities after four decades in broadcasting.
Killeen will anchor his final newscast on CBC Vancouver’s News at 6 on May 21. He’s been co-hosting the newscast, alongside Anita Bathe, since Nov. 2018, after a career that’s seen him work in almost every major TV and radio newsroom in the city.
“After four remarkable decades in broadcasting, I have decided it’s time for a change and I am moving on from CBC and the broadcast industry,” said Killeen, in a CBC release. “I consider it a privilege to wrap-up my broadcasting career at CBC, a trusted news organization that has always been committed to delivering accurate and local news. It is difficult to leave this team of consummate professionals, in particular my co-host Anita Bathe. I am so proud of what we have accomplished over the past few years and look forward to watching her take the reins and make the show her own. Anita, I’ll be tuning in at 6. It has been an honour to be trusted by British Columbians to deliver the news – thank you.”
Killeen began his broadcasting career in radio at Mountain FM (CISQ-FM) Squamish, before moving to CKWX-AM (now News 1130) and CKNW Vancouver. He moved into TV news in 1987 at CKVU-TV, leaving in 1991 to do a stint in Hong Kong media. He rejoined CKVU/Global Vancouver in 1995. In 2001, Killeen signed on with CTV British Columbia as a senior reporter and weekend anchor, going on to co-anchor the flagship 6 p.m. newscast from 2011 up until 2018, when station management undertook a major lineup shuffle.
CBC Vancouver says it won’t be recruiting a new co-anchor for the News at 6, with Bathe to fly solo on the show following Killeen’s departure. Bathe has been with the public broadcaster since 2016 and CBC says will become one of the youngest South Asian women to helm her own news show.
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