Popular LA TV Reporter Laid Off from KTLA Right Before 40th Birthday

Ellina Abovian, a single mom of two, says she was "blindsided" by the decision as her milestone birthday approached.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 10:11pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ellina Abovian, a general assignment reporter for Los Angeles station KTLA, was one of several on-air team members impacted by recent layoffs at the station. Abovian, a single mother of two, says she was "blindsided" by the news just before her 40th birthday. The layoffs also affected other longtime KTLA personalities like meteorologist Mark Kriski and anchor Lu Parker.

Why it matters

The layoffs at KTLA, owned by Nexstar Media Group, come as the company seeks a merger with Tegna. The decision to cut local newsroom jobs has been criticized by the SAG-AFTRA union, which said it erodes the resources and talent that local communities rely on for trusted news.

The details

Abovian, who had worked at KTLA for 11 years, says the layoff has had a significant impact on her and her colleagues. She calls Kriski, an eight-time local Emmy winner, a "legend" and says the departures of trusted names and faces will be felt by viewers who saw them as part of their lives for decades.

  • Abovian learned about the layoff shortly before her 40th birthday on February 26, 2026.
  • The layoffs at KTLA were announced publicly on February 25, 2026.

The players

Ellina Abovian

A general assignment reporter who worked at KTLA for 11 years before being laid off, just before her 40th birthday. She is a single mother of two.

Mark Kriski

A longtime KTLA meteorologist who was an eight-time local Emmy winner and was also laid off.

Nexstar Media Group

The company that owns KTLA and has been seeking a merger with Tegna.

SAG-AFTRA

The union that criticized Nexstar's decision to eliminate union jobs, calling it "particularly troubling" and saying it erodes the resources and talent that local communities rely on.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I gave 11 years of my life to this station and it hurts. That's all I can say.”

— Ellina Abovian, Reporter (People)

“These are trusted names and faces for not just a few months, but decades. They were a part of people's lives, and I felt that.”

— Ellina Abovian, Reporter (People)

“By laying off journalists across the country, Nexstar is eroding the resources and talent that local communities rely on for trusted news.”

— Sean Astin, President, SAG-AFTRA (Los Angeles Magazine)

What’s next

The layoffs at KTLA are part of a larger restructuring at Nexstar Media Group as the company seeks a merger with Tegna. The long-term impacts on local news coverage in the Los Angeles area remain to be seen.

The takeaway

The sudden layoffs at KTLA, a trusted local news station, highlight the broader challenges facing the media industry and the importance of maintaining robust local journalism that serves community needs. The departures of veteran reporters and anchors like Ellina Abovian and Mark Kriski will be felt by viewers who have come to rely on their coverage over the years.