A TV career is as fragile and fickle as the beautiful blossoms that make a cameo every year in the Central Valley. For a little Armenian boy growing up with an awkward name in Fresno, becoming a sports or news anchor was even less probable — but at the age of six, my mind was made up.

After pestering my eventual mentors, Orin Winnick and Raj Mathai, to let me in the door at KSEE24, my internship began the minute I enrolled at Fresno State in 1994. My first gig, as they call it, came in 2001 when a small ABC affiliate in south Texas came calling. I packed my bags and U-Hauled it to Victoria, Texas. Market size 204. I grabbed the camera with mics attached by long jump rope cables and hit the ground running.

My first task was Dallas Cowboys training camp in the smoldering heat of Wichita. It was there I started to show my TV moxie, positioning myself in a group of 200 reporters to go face-to-face with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Then tackling the NFL rushing king Emmitt Smith. You’ll never guess the nice backdrop for this once-in-a-lifetime interview: the blue triangle insignia on the bathroom door.

However, it was that interview, along with my coverage of former Bulldog David Carr with the Houston Texans, that launched my career in San Antonio where I would soon cross paths with the likes of Tony Romo, David Robinson, Gregg Popovich, and hardcore bull riders.

Coming Home Not Once, But Twice

My dream of coming home to sit in the seat where my mentors once had became a reality in 2004. The A-Team was born. Anthony Flores and I pioneered the brands Sports Central and Bulldog Insider, both of which continue to this day.

Knowing I also had a face for radio, I joined forces with behemoth KMJ in 2009, stepping into the legendary shoes of Bill Woodward, sitting alongside Ray Appleton every morning. and hosting game-day coverage of the Bulldogs.

I was also part of another historic broadcasting moment, creating the only FM sports show during drive time on KMJ, No Static Sports. Then came Phoenix and eventually Virginia, where in 2017 I reinvented my career, immersing myself into the world of news and politics and roaming the halls of Capitol Hill.

This transformation landed me back home, now anchoring next to my longtime friend Stefani Booroojian, forming the only prime-time Armenian news team in the nation. Together we won the station its first EMMY for “best newscast” in more than two decades. It was more than a sense of pride. It also was me telling aspiring journalists with a very ethnic name that you too can reach the pinnacle of the broadcasting ladder.

As they say, nothing is forever, so after 4 states, more than 2700 miles, tens of thousands of broadcasts, high-profile interviews, inspiring stories, scripts, and a lot less selfies, my broadcast career ended without a word.

#SundayMorningMatters @District5Chavez gets spooked on the campaign. In life we are all givens signs. It’s how you use that sign to make a difference! ‘Being the host of SMM is the greatest honor of my life.’ Thank you to all my guests and elected leaders! pic.twitter.com/kx8Lo0QZOD

— Alexan Balekian (@RealALEXAN) February 11, 2024

A Big Thank You to the Viewers!

I knew I wasn’t just reading a teleprompter or staring into a camera every night, I was connecting with you, the viewers. I truly did the job with you in mind.

It sounds cliché, but it’s what fueled my passion — from triumph to tragedies to the unparalleled stories of the great people and place we call home. Interviewing celebrities, mainstream athletes, and politicians was the glitz of the job. However, the glamour was telling the stories that moved the needle in our community and the trust I earned with you to tell those stories. That means the world to me.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to the local and elected leaders across the state and in Washington, D.C., who joined me week in and week out on “Sunday Morning Matters.”

Becoming the face of the only one-hour public affairs show in the region was a heavy lift. Having tough conversations with major political power brokers and leaders in our community was a delicate balancing act. Still, it was one I relished and one that will always hold a special place in my career time capsule.

The show became a local political juggernaut that recently received congressional recognition. I knew the impact was immeasurable in a world where right and left polarize our nation. However, I was never afforded the opportunity to say thanks on air, so I want to do so now. I’m incredibly thankful to those who have followed my rollercoaster of a career in an industry that’s ever-evolving for better and for worse.

Where Am I? For the Community, by the Community, at Community!

Where Am I? Well, many of you may not know that I enjoy helping nonprofits grow in our community. It began by emceeing big events over the years, like the Armenian Crab Feed or Make-A-Wish.

However, during COVID, two buddies, (Bryan Hunt and Dustin Koelewyn) and I started brainstorming on how we could help our local hospitals. We decided to create a non-profit, ECHO in the Valley. ECHO stands for Engaged Communities Having Opportunities.

We raised roughly $25,000 and are moving forward with the mission of helping every corner of our community. This work made it clear to me that I might have a higher calling. When an opportunity opened to join Community Health System in the Office of Philanthropy led by Senior Vice President of Development and External Affairs Katie Zenovich and her talented team, it was a natural fit.

I am thrilled to be part of such a big, vital, and impactful mission. It’s a place where love, healing, an award-winning medical staff, and the entire community intersect. Instead of just talking about it, I now get to be about it. It’s where I’m supposed to be. So, if we bump into each other around town, please stop and say hi. Let’s grab a bite and have a conversation. It’s nice to now get a lunch!

With gratitude,

Alexan Balekian

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