Veteran WABC anchor Bill Ritter is expected to announce his retirement during Friday evening’s newscast due to Alzheimer’s disease, The Post has learned.
Ritter, 76, has been a fixture at WABC since joining the station in June 1998. In March 2025, he stepped away from the 11 p.m. broadcast after 25 years behind the desk on the late-night newscast.
According to sources, it remains uncertain whether Ritter will publicly disclose his Alzheimer’s diagnosis during the on-air announcement. He is the father of three children.
Colleagues in journalism describe Ritter as a dedicated “real newsman,” widely respected in the newsroom and deeply engaged in improving the quality of each broadcast.
“He’s everything you want in a New York City anchor. He sets a standard for all of us,” one source said.
Ritter succeeded Bill Beutel on the 11 p.m. news in 1999 and currently co-anchors the station’s 6 p.m. broadcast alongside Liz Cho.
