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Even though technology has advanced to the point where we have countless sources for news, sports, and weather, and entertainment available at our fingertips 24/7, local news broadcasts are still crucial. Local news broadcasts remain important because they are a trusted source of information on local government, events, and community-specific issues, and are frequently relied upon during crises. Local broadcasts also help build a sense of community, because the people providing that information actually live in the area, so it's not uncommon to see them out shopping, attending events, and enjoying the city with the people they inform. Of course, the face of the newscast is the anchor, whose job is to provide information and a sense of stability and credibility to viewers. In Minnesota, there have been several highly respected and long-tenured anchors. One example is Dave Moore, who anchored the evening news on WCCO-TV from 1957 until his retirement in 1991. Another is broadcast legend Dennis Anderson, who had an even longer run as news anchor at WDIO-TV. He joined the Duluth station in 1970 and retired in 2011, an amazing 41-year run. It's tough to replace legends such as those, and in the case of Dennis Anderson, WDIO found the perfect replacement, who would then sit in the anchor chair for over a decade, but the time has come once again to pass the baton in Duluth. Darren Danielson Announces His Retirement From WDIO-TV WDIO-TV announced on November 6, 2025, that longtime anchor Darren Danielson would be retiring from the station after almost 15 years. According to the station, Danielson began his journalism career in 1981 at KMOT in Minot, North Dakota. He began covering Duluth news in 1986 at both KDLH and WDSE, until joining WDIO in 2011. During his career, he has earned numerous accolades, including Eric Sevareid awards, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) awards, and an Upper Midwest Regional Emmy as a newscast anchor. “My favorite stories are when our cameras take viewers into places that are unique, personal, emotional, inspirational, and make viewers stop and say, ‘Whoa, look at that! Turn this up, I need to watch this!", Danielson shared. Upon retirement, the Danielsons are planning to spend their free time camping, kayaking, hiking, biking, and traveling to catch up with family and friends. Danielson's Last Broadcast Date and Replacement Announced WDIO says that Darren Danielson’s final newscast will be 10:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5. Taking over as anchor will be Dillon Morello, who had previously worked with Danielson at WDIO before leaving for Buffalo, New York, where he would ultimately spend two years before returning to Northern Minnesota. SEE NOW: Only One Minnesota City Now Ranks Among The 100 Safest In America “Returning to Duluth, and more importantly, WDIO, is a blessing my family and I are super excited for,” shares Morello. “Learning from Darren to start my career, to now continuing his and the station’s goal of providing the Northland with news that matters is a dream come true.”
