PHILADELPHIA—After more than 20 years at CBS Philadelphia and an award-winning career spanning nearly four decades, Jim Donovan, anchor of CBS News Philadelphia’s morning and noon newscasts, has announced his retirement. His final broadcast will be Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.

“Jim Donovan is a Philadelphia institution,” said Kelly Frank, president and general manager of CBS Philadelphia. “His passion for advocacy, his commitment to our viewers, and his ability to connect with the community have made him a trusted voice in homes across the region. We are grateful for his leadership, his heart, and the legacy he leaves behind.”

A 15-time Emmy Award winner, Donovan joined CBS Philadelphia in 2004 as the station’s “On Your Side” consumer reporter. In 2016, he took the helm of the morning newscast, helping to relaunch and grow one of the region’s most-watched programs. His coverage of Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia in 2015 remains one of his most memorable contributions.

Donovan’s career began as an intern at WWOR-TV in New Jersey and took him from CNBC to WGHP in North Carolina, WBNS in Ohio, and finally to CBS Philadelphia, where his consumer reporting helped thousands of viewers resolve issues and recover funds. His work has earned national recognition and deep respect from colleagues and audiences alike.

“I’ve had the privilege of living my dream every single day,” said Donovan. “From the newsroom to the anchor desk, and from the streets of Philadelphia to 55 countries around the world, I’ve been blessed with a career that’s been both meaningful and joyful. I’m grateful to my CBS Philadelphia family and to the viewers who welcomed me into their homes each morning.”

CBS Philadelphia will celebrate Donovan’s career with special on-air tributes during his final week, December 15–19.

PHILADELPHIA—Six local TV stations have launched NextGen TV aka ATSC 3.0 broadcasts in Philadelphia, the nation’s fourth largest TV market. 

The August 10 launch means that Philadelphia viewers can now access six channels over-the-air for free with NextGen TV from: CBS's KYW-TV (CBS, channel 3) and WPSG-TV (CW, channel 57); ABC's WPVI (ABC, channel 6); NBC's WCAU-TV (NBC, channel 10); FOX's WTXF-TV (FOX, channel 29); and Univision's WUVP-TV (Univision, channel 65). 

"NextGen TV gives consumers unprecedented entertainment, information and engagement opportunities," said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, the broadcaster business group that is leading the NextGen TV transition. "Today, and in the future, Philly viewers will have a television experience that is more immersive, with better picture quality and enhanced audio features, and it will continue to be enhanced as broadcasters continue to innovate with new features and content. Broadcast television is one of the leading platforms for local news and NextGen TV nurtures and enhances local services for all Philly viewers."

NextGen TV broadcasts can be received by more than 100 models of newer TVs from Hisense, Sony, LG Electronics and Samsung. The first NextGen TV certified upgrade accessory receiver from ADTH and powered with Tolka software will soon be available at retail, as a low-cost option for viewers across the country, including in Philadelphia.

Currently NextGen TV services are available in more than 65 markets, NextGen TV is expected to reach 75% of U.S. television households in 2023.

TV Tech has been tracking all the launches of NextGen TV broadcasts with a full list of where they have been launched here. 

Our complete coverage of the technology is available here.  

PHILADELPHIA—With CBSN Philly, Philadelphia becomes the sixth market in the U.S. to have its own local direct-to-consumer streaming news service from CBS Television and CBS Interactive. CBSN Philly officially launched on Jan. 30.

The CBSN streaming service offers viewers anchored programming, coverage of live breaking news events in the region from local station KYW-TV and a library of local news content available for on-demand viewing. CBSN Philly is available through CBSN, on CBSNews.com and on the CBS News apps for mobile and connected TV devices, as well as on CBSPhilly.com and the CBS Local mobile app.

CBS began these local news streaming services with CBSN New York in December 2018. Since then, CBSN Los Angeles, CBSN Boston, CBSN San Francisco Bay Area and CBSN Minnesota all launched. CBSN Pittsburgh is the next local streaming service scheduled to launch, doing so in February. Other markets expected to receive its own CBSN stream are Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Miami, Sacramento and Baltimore.

“It is very exciting to reach the midpoint of the rollout for our CBSN Local services with today’s launch of CBSN Philly,” said Peter Dunn, president of CBS Television Studios. “We have learned so much during our five previous launches and now have the structure in place to accelerate our rollout plan and go live in all of our markets within the next few months.”

PHILADELPHIA–NBC10/WCAU and Telemundo62/WWSI this week launched their new newsroom, which the stations’ claim features the industry’s most “cutting edge” technology, including an IP-based network and energy efficiencies not seen in any other TV facility in the U.S.

The nearly 200-person news staff began broadcasting from the new 80,000 square-foot broadcast center located within the new Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia on Monday, having moved out of their Bala Cynwyd facility in late September. The news set was designed with distinctive “Philadelphia-area” designs, according to Ric Harris, President and General Manager, NBC10 and Telemundo62.

In addition to the facility’s IP-based network, the two news sets feature 4K LED screens, automated cameras, three control rooms, eight edit rooms, a 1,500 square-foot room dedicated to shooting promotions in-house, extensive use of LED panel displays for immersive experience and Augmented Reality capabilities, among other newsroom technology that the station says is being used for the first time by local TV stations in the U.S.

The facility also uses heating/cooling and ventilating systems that improve indoor quality and reduce noise. Wall-to-floor windows capture natural light while automated window shades reduce heat from sunlight. In addition, all displays and computers are Energy Star compliant. The stations are currently pending for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification, the highest energy efficient ratings within the Council’s rating system. It also features an open-space layout designed to encourage and increase staff collaboration with wall-to-wall Wi-Fi access, sit-stand desks and flex-work spaces, coffee bars, quiet/focus rooms, huddle rooms and mothering rooms, among other features.

Systems integrator Diversified did the technical design and integration, while LF Driscoll constructed the set, which was designed by Gensler.

“We are excited to finally pull back the curtains on our breathtaking facility and reveal to our audience what our vision for a multi-platform, bilingual news facility looks like,” Harris said. “From our open newsroom layout to our studios that feature cutting edge technology and distinctive Philadelphia-area designs, the Comcast Technology Center enables our team to leverage innovative technologies in our storytelling. We look forward to delivering news and information that our audience expects from us while setting a new standard for Greater Philadelphia and our industry.”

The debut of NBC10 and Telemundo62’s new facility follows the unveiling of seven other new, state-of-the-art local television stations housed by NBC and Telemundo owned stations in Los Angeles (KNBC/KVEA) Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS/KXTX), West Hartford (WVIT/WRDM), Denver (KDEN), San Antonio (KVDA), McAllen (KTLM) and San Diego (KNSD, KUAN), with the NBCUniversal Boston Media Center set to open in late 2019. NBC10 and Telemundo62 are part of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal.