Legendary Phoenix TV reporter dies at 93: 'a true broadcast pioneer'
Diane Kalas, a pioneering reporter in Phoenix TV news, has died.
Kalas, who was the first woman reporter for 12 News, was 93.
"With deep sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, and friend, Diane Kalas," her family posted on Facebook.
Reporter Diane Kalas, who died in June 2025, interviews San Francisco Giants manager Charlie Fox and TV personality David Hartman for KTAR-TV.
Kalas had no TV experience and didn't graduate from college, but always wanted to be a reporter, according to a story on the 12 News website. She started at the station in 1970. "The men I worked with all treated me like their little sister. They were helpful and welcoming," she said in a 2023 interview with the station.
'A true broadcast pioneer for women'
"She was a true broadcast pioneer for women," Mary Jo West, the first woman news anchor in the Valley, told The Arizona Republic. "When I was chosen as Phoenix's first prime-time anchorwoman, she was so gracious and helpful.
"We shared 'war stories' when we had lunch in Sun City a while back. She told me for the very first time that she applied for the job I ended up getting, but said the news director told her she was too old. She was in her early 40s."
According to Kalas' family's Facebook post, she had suffered health problems recently.
"At the end of March, she suffered a broken hip and faced a series of health challenges with determination and grace," the post says. "Despite her incredible strength and will to recover, God — or the Universe — had other plans, and she has now embarked on her next great adventure.
"She passed peacefully, surrounded by love. Diane’s strength, warmth, and unwavering love profoundly shaped our lives, and her memory will be cherished by all who had the joy of knowing her."
The family's post says that a celebration of life is planned for fall.
