ONE of the best-known faces in New York TV, sports anchor Len Berman, is out at Ch. 4 as the station continues to cut high-priced talent.
The well-respected Berman, 61, who’s been with the station for 24 years, is expected to remain with Ch. 4 through this month.
His reported $1-million-a-
year salary was apparently too much for the station to carry any longer in the face of a severe advertising downturn.
It’s unclear who will replace him on the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts — or even if he will be replaced by a permanent sports anchor.
“Len has been sharing with us his interest in pursuing different opportunities within the local sports arena,” Ch. 4 news VP Vickie Burns told staffers yesterday in an internal memo.
“To that end, we have mutually agreed that the time is right for Len to take advantage of those opportunities.”
Berman is the latest in a growing list of Ch. 4 veterans — including Otis Livingston, Carol Ann Riddell, Jay DeDapper, Kendra Farn, Carolyn Gussoff and Monica Morales — shown the door as the station slashes its staff to save money.
“I’ve had a great run here at WNBC and will miss the talented people I’ve worked with over the years both on and off the air,” Berman said in a statement.
“I’m looking forward to the various media projects I’ll be involved with.”
Ch. 4 isn’t the only local station that’s been cutting corners — and Berman’s only the latest high-profile sports anchor to be let go lately in a salary purge.
Last January, Ch. 2 decimated its sports department, firing on-air sports guys Ducis Rodgers and John Discepolo and leaving only Sam Ryan to handle weeknight sportscasts.
Many local stations around the country are even cutting their sports anchors completely — relying on news anchors reading scores and introducing highlights.