Broadcaster Ernie Zuniga Marks 30-Year Milestone
Long-tenured media professionals continue to influence the local broadcasting market in San Antonio.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Careers
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Broadcaster Ernie Zuniga is marking a 30-year career milestone that began with his first television appearance in 1996. The anchor currently leads evening news broadcasts for KSAT 12 in San Antonio.
Why it matters
Longevity in broadcast media provides a case study in career pathing and personal brand retention within competitive local news markets. Maintaining a consistent audience presence over three decades requires operators to successfully navigate shifts in station affiliation and viewership demographics.
Zuniga's career spans 30 years since his start at KAVU, including 17 years spent at KABB in San Antonio. He currently anchors the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. broadcasts at KSAT 12.
The players
Ernie Zuniga
A veteran broadcast news anchor currently serving at KSAT 12 in San Antonio.
KSAT 12
A San Antonio-based television station that operates as a major local news outlet.
KABB
A San Antonio television station where Zuniga maintained a 17-year tenure.
KAVU Crossroads Today
A Victoria-based news outlet that served as the launch point for Zuniga's career.
Texas A&M University
The institution where Zuniga earned his degree in 1998.
The details
Zuniga began his career at KAVU in Victoria while completing his degree at Texas A&M University. After transitioning to a full-time role at KABB in 1999, he spent nearly two decades at that station before his 2023 departure and subsequent move to his current position in February 2025. This career arc demonstrates the operational fluidity common in broadcast roles, where professionals frequently shift between local stations to manage career growth.
Timeline
1996: Zuniga began his career at KAVU.
1998: Zuniga graduated from Texas A&M University.
1999: Zuniga began full-time work at KABB.
2023: Zuniga departed KABB.
October 26, 2026: Zuniga marked his 30-year anniversary with a social media announcement.
Market Landscape
Zuniga’s long-term career progression mirrors the talent mobility trends observed in the Pew Research Center's state of the news media reports. The movement between local broadcast entities in San Antonio reflects a pattern of experienced anchor retention and recruitment strategies.
Operators in media-adjacent fields should track how long-tenured talent influences market-wide audience loyalty when shifting between local stations. Understanding the competitive value of established on-air personnel remains a critical factor for local station revenue and engagement.
The takeaway
Zuniga’s career illustrates how professionals leverage multi-decade tenures to remain relevant in changing media markets. Business leaders should track the career pathways of high-value employees to understand how institutional knowledge is transferred and valued during talent transitions.
Further reading
For more on industry employment shifts, see Careers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MySA.
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