KIII’s Joe Gazin Spends 40 Years In The Same Chair

Not many local TV news anchors get to sit in the same chair for the same station in the same market for 40 years, and counting.

Joe Gazin recently marked his 40th anniversary as the primary anchor for KIII, Tegna’s ABC affiliate in Corpus Christi, Texas.

“I’m so humbled to be part of only a few in the country who have sat in the anchor chair with one station through so many impactful events since 1977.” Gazin said.

“Having Joe at the anchor desk or on a special assignment brings a level of credibility unmatched in our area,” said Oscar Garcia, KIII’s news director.

“He exemplifies our 3NEWS moniker of ‘people you know and trust’.”

“Joe’s knowledge of our South Texas communities, coupled with his direct approach to newsroom leadership, are key assets in continuing our tradition of being the No. 1 station and the undisputed news champion of South Texas,” said Dan Robbins, KIII’s general manager.

Prior to KIII, Gazin worked at KABC Radio in Los Angeles, where he was the youngest talk show host ever on that station. His television career began in Wisconsin in 1975 and eventually led him to Texas. Gazin is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

Gazin has reported from Cuba, China, Austria, Colombia among other countries. He also anchored live coverage of the Selena murder and has kept viewers and listeners informed during Texas hurricanes Allen in 1980, Bret in 1999 and recently, Hurricane Harvey in August.

Gazin continues to anchor the 6 and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts and can be seen actively involved with several local charitable organizations throughout the year.

NOTE: As VP of Marketing for Nexstar, I visited every local TV station we owned in markets all over the country. Most displayed pictures in the hallways that traced the history of the station, some going back to the 1940s and ’50s.

It reminded me that while the ownership of the stations may change through the years, the stations’ connection with the viewers usually continued seamlessly.

Kind of like what Joe Gazin must represent to the people in South Texas, a person they know and trust.