In a move that blends personal milestone with professional triumph, Chicago morning anchor Stefan Holt is heading to New York City to join NBC’s flagship station WNBC, marking the first time he’ll work in the same building as his father—NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt.
The announcement signals a major career step for the younger Holt, who has spent the last five years anchoring the morning newscast at NBC-owned WMAQ in Chicago. His transition to WNBC not only reflects the network’s confidence in his growing profile, but also symbolizes a special moment for the Holt family. Their bond—already strong and well-respected in broadcast journalism—will now unfold every day under one roof at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
Lester Holt celebrated the news with a proud father’s joy, tweeting:
“So proud of you kid. First lunch in 30 Rock commissary is on me.”
The message captured the enthusiasm shared by colleagues and viewers who have watched Stefan steadily rise through the ranks of local news.
Beginning later this year, Stefan Holt will serve as co-anchor of WNBC’s 4 p.m. weekday newscast, joining the station as part of an expanded afternoon lineup. WNBC, along with several other NBC stations, is increasing local news programming following the cancellation of “The Meredith Vieira Show.” The expansion offers Holt a prime opportunity to step into a major media market and broaden his on-air presence.
According to Chicago media columnist Robert Feder, Holt still had two years remaining on his contract at WMAQ. However, station leadership chose not to stand in the way of what many see as a natural next step in his journalism journey. Behind the scenes, executives reportedly felt the move reflected NBC’s long-term investment in developing their next generation of major-market anchors.
Stefan’s return to New York brings his career full circle. Before taking the Chicago role, he previously worked at stations in Florida and served as a reporter and anchor in West Palm Beach. His calm delivery, polished storytelling, and newsroom leadership helped solidify him as one of the standout young anchors within NBC’s local station group.
His father, Lester Holt, is a veteran in the industry. Before joining MSNBC in 2000 and later becoming the face of NBC Nightly News, he spent 14 years at Chicago’s WBBM, the CBS-owned station. Chicago has long played a central chapter in the Holt family’s career story—now New York becomes the next.
While both Holts have built successful careers independently, viewers are fascinated by the idea of them working just floors apart. They won’t anchor together, but the symbolic weight of their reunion inside 30 Rock resonates strongly: a father and son, two respected journalists, continuing a legacy in one of the most iconic news headquarters in the world.
With Stefan stepping into the WNBC studio and Lester continuing to anchor the nation’s most-watched nightly newscast, the Holts are poised to make their mark on a new era of NBC journalism—side by side, even if just separated by an elevator ride.
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