Shawn Ching to depart as Hawaii News Now 5 p.m. co-anchor
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – Emmy Award-winning news anchor Shawn Ching is departing Hawaii News Now to return to his law practice and spend more time with his wife and young son, General Manager Rick Blangiardi announced Wednesday.
Ching, who returned to Hawaii News Now in November 2016 after a short time away from television news, won a national Edward R. Murrow Award in 2012 for best evening newscast. He has co-anchored Hawaii News Now’s top-rated 5 p.m. newscasts with Stephanie Lum for the last three years.
In a statement, Ching thanked Hawaii News Now viewers for their support during his six-year tenure with the station, having also anchored the 5 p.m. news between 2011 and 2013.
“To the viewers who have watched Hawaii News Now each and every night — thank you for your enduring trust and support,” he said. “I have enjoyed being a part of your life all these years and it has been my honor to serve you.”
Ching and his wife Stephanie recently celebrated the first birthday of their son Eli, who was born three-and-a-half months premature. The child spent nearly six months in the newborn intensive care unit at the Kapiolani Medical Center, and Ching called his survival a ‘miracle.’
Stepping away from news, he says, will give him a chance to practice law from his home office and ‘dedicate more time to my family and raising my son.’
“Our son’s birth changed everything,” Ching said. “It opened up a completely new life for me — a life I’ve fallen in love with.”
Blangiardi says Hawaii News Now has been ‘privileged to have a man of Shawn Ching’s caliber on our team.’
“His character, intellect, passion and competitive spirit are exemplary in every aspect of his personal and professional life,” Blangiardi said. “For me personally, he has my complete respect and admiration for this career decision he is making for the betterment of his family. He will be missed, but always loved, and never forgotten!”
“Shawn is making this move for family, and he will be sorely missed around the newsroom,” added Scott Humber, the station’s news director. “He is a class act and I have nothing but praise and admiration for all the amazing work he has done for Hawaii News Now. I, like everyone else in our newsroom, wish he and his ohana nothing but the best.”
Ching will continue to anchor the 5 p.m. news until December 13, according to Humber. A search for his replacement is already underway.
Below is a statement from Shawn Ching and his family:
Image Source:*Ching Family
Source:hawaiinewsnow.com
