John Cater, morning anchor on WPCW and a reporter for KDKA-TV, will leave the station next week with plans to return to his hometown of Chicago. His last day on the air will be Dec. 7.

John Cater

Gus Rosendale

He's not the only departure in local TV: WTAE reporter Gus Rosendale is leaving sometime in mid-December to return to his previous station, WPTZ in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Though it's a smaller media market (around No. 90 vs. Pittsburgh, No. 22), Rosendale will be the station's 6 and 11 p.m. weekday anchor. Both WTAE and WPTZ are owned by Hearst-Argyle.

Cater, who's been at KDKA/WPCW for almost four years, said he's been working without a contract since February. He said the duopoly station offered him a new contract, but he wants to try something new. His ultimate goal is to have his own production company and maybe make reality shows.

"I watch a lot of TLC and HGTV, shows like 'Flip This House,' " Cater said. "Those are the types of longer-form things I'd like to move towards."

He doesn't plan to walk away from news, but he'd like to freelance in a larger market so he also has the time and resources to tackle new projects. In the meantime, he'll work for his father's firm, Integrated Media Solutions, which sells advertising for placement in Vibe magazine, among other clients.

"I'm trying to make a new chapter in my life," Cater said. "I'm trying to explore a number of different ventures.

"My lease is up by the end of next month and I've certainly put feelers out there in Top 10 markets in terms of freelance work and things of that nature. If someone comes calling me, then that would change things as well, but the plan is to go back home to Chicago."

For Channel 4's Rosendale, the move marks a return to a station where he previously spent five years as a reporter and weekend anchor. He's been in Pittsburgh a little more than two years, working as a general assignment reporter and occasional fill-in anchor on the weekends.

"I was very, very happy here and out of nowhere executives at that station and Hearst-Argyle said this opportunity has come up and you're the first choice for the job," Rosendale said. "It's a great honor and I was really flattered."

He said moving to a smaller market was not much of a concern.

"I look at the quality of the station and the work you can do," he said. "They have a terrific product, arguably a lot better than some newscasts in much larger markets."

Executives at KDKA and WTAE said the search to replace their departing personnel will begin.