Steve Dunn, a longtime news anchor for KATU, the ABC affiliate in Portland, Oregon, has announced his retirement from television news. His final broadcast will be in December 2025, concluding a 43-year career in the industry, including 39 years at the Portland station. KATU is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Dunn joined KATU in 1986 after working at KGUN-TV in Tucson, Arizona. His career also included stops at WILX-TV in Lansing, Michigan, and WPBN-TV in Traverse City, Michigan. He is a graduate of Central Michigan University, where he studied broadcasting, and he interned at WXYZ-TV in Detroit.

Throughout his tenure in Portland, Dunn has covered major local and national events. In recent years, he anchored the station's "City in Crisis" series, which focused on the challenges facing Portland during and after the pandemic.

Dunn has received numerous accolades for his work, including several Associated Press Awards and four regional Emmy Awards for Best News Anchor (2004, 2012, 2014, 2016). In 2022, he was inducted into the Silver Circle by the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, an honor recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the television industry and their community for 25 years or more.

A Letter from Steve Dunn

Dunn shared the following letter with viewers regarding his decision:

Hi Everybody,

I don't want to take much of your time, but I have an announcement for you.

I've always felt it was important to try to have several chapters in your life, and I'm ready for the next one.

I've been so fortunate to work in this incredibly fascinating business for 43 years, 39 of those here at KATU.

I will be leaving in December. I promise this is not a decision I made overnight.

When you work in one place as long as I have, you build up a lot of friendships. I will miss my colleagues greatly.

This is not retirement for me. I am exploring different options in areas that I'm extra passionate about. And no, I will not be a lounge singer.

You have been the most supportive viewers anybody on television could ever ask for. I hope to see you out in the community in the years to come. That's always been the best part of this job.

And you never know, you might see me on some special projects here at KATU once in a while.

Thank you for watching all of these years. It was a really great ride. I will miss you all.

You are stuck with me until mid-December, so we'll have lots of time for goodbyes.

Sincerely,

Steve Dunn