Robert Hadlock, the longest continuously serving Austin TV news anchor, will be ending his time at KXAN this summer according to an internal email obtained by mikemcguff.com.
His final airdate was July 29, 2022.
UPDATE JULY 2022
- Robert Hadlock signs off KXAN Austin
- Daniel Marin replaces retiring Robert Hadlock at KXAN Austin
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Newly promoted KXAN news director Haley Cihock shared this message from the longtime 4:30, 5, 6 and 10pm anchor (and 9PM on The CW Austin KNVA) with the Central Texas NBC affiliate's news department:
"I am proud that KXAN has been my work home for nearly 32 years. Take it from me - that's a long time at one place!
When I graduated from UT in 1977, my goal was to make it back to Austin to work in television one day. I think it worked out ok. I have had the privilege to work alongside wonderful colleagues here who have become lifelong friends.
We have been through a lot together. The folks in this building today in 2022 are the best and hardest working crew we have ever had at KXAN. Eric and Haley have this newsroom running on all cylinders. Because of that it’s gratifying to go on camera every night to present your great work.
It is hard to walk away from a job that I have loved doing with people I enjoy working with. However, life is short, and after 43 years in this business it is time to turn the page and see what not driving to 908 West MLK Boulevard every weekday will be like. That all starts on August 1.
In the meantime - the most important newscast is the one we do next - so let's get after it!"
One might guess this is the Nexstar Media Inc. job opening description for Hadlock's position, but his spot at the evening news desk will be a hard one to replace.
In August 2020, Hadlock celebrated 30 years with KXAN Austin having started with the August 29, 1990 edition of the channel 36 6pm newscast.
Hadlock is one of those types of news anchors who likes to get out of the studio to report. I can rattle off a bunch of big stories Hadlock has personally covered, but first, let's look at the caliber of person he is in the newsroom.
I had to do a little digging, but when Hadlock celebrated 20 years with KXAN, the station's own report on his anniversary says it all.
"Robert’s coworkers know him as that 'go to' guy when any question comes up about Texas history and politics. He has covered several national political conventions throughout his career and interviewed national and Texas leaders.
He is also the kind of guy who will stop whatever he is doing to listen to the concerns of a coworker.
Simply said, Robert is a very rare breed. In the broadcast journalism industry, a ten year career is a long one. Spending two decades at one television station is almost unheard of."
Little did the staff know at that time that Hadlock would continue delivering the news to Central Texas for another decade and more!
And yes, Hadlock has been an eyewitness to Texas news history covering such events as the 1993 Branch Davidian standoff in Elk near Waco and the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy debris site in Nacogdoches. Beyond Texas, Hadlock reported from New York in the aftermath of the 9/11/2001 attacks and from Louisiana in 2005 as Hurricane Katrina made landfall.
Hadlock's reporting from Cuba during Pope John Paul II's historic visit in 1998 earned KXAN the “Texas Headliners Award” for Best Hard News coverage. He was the only Austin journalist to report live via satellite from the Cuba trip. In the next few years, Hadlock would cover the pope two more times.
In November 2015, his longevity in the broadcast business led Hadlock to an induction into the Lone Star Emmy Silver Circle for his 25 years in television news. Hadlock said the night before the ceremony on the station's 5pm newscast that he was the first journalist from Austin to be inducted.
The University of Texas at Austin graduate interned with NewsRadio 590 AM KLBJ.
Hadlock's first TV job was with KPLC 7 Lake Charles in 1979 as an anchor/reporter. From there, he anchored for KSLA 12 Shreveport and KCRA 3 Sacramento.
In 1987, Hadlock returned to Austin television as an anchor/reporter, not at KXAN, but at rival KVUE 24. Three years later Hadlock moved "across the street" as they say in the TV biz to KXAN and the rest is history.
The family man, who raised two daughters with his wife Kathy, has served on numerous boards and devoted countless hours for Austin charities.
