If you’ve clicked on WHO 13 recently and felt like someone was missing, you aren't imagining things. The anchor desk in Des Moines looks a little different these days. For years, Erin Kiernan was the face of the evening news, the kind of presence that felt more like a neighbor than a "TV personality." But after nearly twenty years at the station, the big question is: is Erin Kiernan still on Channel 13 news?
The short answer? No.
Erin Kiernan officially stepped down from her role as the main anchor at WHO 13 in late 2025. Her final broadcast aired on Monday, November 24, 2025. It was a heavy night for local television, marked by tributes, old clips of her various hairstyles through the decades, and a very emotional goodbye from her longtime colleagues.
Why she decided to walk away
Honestly, the reason she left isn't some dramatic scandal or a secret contract dispute. It’s actually something much more relatable to anyone trying to balance a high-pressure career with a family. Kiernan has been very open about her personal life, especially her journey with infertility and her advocacy for her son, Michael, who has autism.
She told the Des Moines Register that she had been mulling over the decision since early 2025. Basically, the "news life" is a grind. You have to be there at very specific, often inconvenient times. As her kids grew older, she realized she was missing out on the small, unscriptable moments of childhood.
"This is a job where you can only do the job by being at the job... I'm missing out on more and more," she shared during her transition.
It takes a lot of guts to walk away from the only career you've ever known, especially when you're at the top of the game. She wasn't just an anchor; she was a leader in that newsroom.
A look back at her Channel 13 legacy
Erin didn't just show up at WHO 13 yesterday. She started her career at WOI, moved to KCCI in 1998, and finally landed at WHO in 2005. By 2006, she was the main anchor. That’s two decades of telling Iowa's stories.
She survived the transition from traditional broadcasting to the chaotic world of social media journalism. Along the way, she became a massive advocate for the disability community. That wasn't just "content" for her. It was real life. Over the summer of 2025, she actually took a leave of absence to care for her son, which gave many viewers a hint that her priorities were shifting toward the home front.
Is erin kiernan still on channel 13 news in any capacity?
While she is no longer the "Main Anchor" you see every night at 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, her impact on the station remains. The farewell specials aired by the station, including a multi-part tribute titled "A Tribute to Erin Kiernan," featured appearances by legendary Des Moines news figures like John Bachman.
It’s common for veteran anchors to occasionally pop up for special projects or community events, but for now, she is fully focused on her family and her health and fitness coaching. People often forget that Erin is also a Certified Personal Trainer. She’s been doing group fitness "on the side" for over twenty years.
What the Des Moines news landscape looks like now
Turnover is part of the business, but 2025 was a particularly weird year for Channel 13. With other familiar faces like Dan Winters and Janae Townsend also making moves, the station is definitely in a "new era."
If you are looking for Erin today, you won't find her on the 10 o'clock news. You're more likely to find her sharing honest, "flawed" (her words!) updates on her personal blog or social media. She’s leaning into being a "mightily flawed, middle-aged woman who is tired of chasing perfect."
How to keep up with Erin Kiernan
Since she isn't on the air, many fans have migrated to her personal platforms. She still maintains a presence on Facebook and her personal website, where she writes about adoption, infertility, and raising a child with special needs.
💡 You might also like: Cuando fue el atentado de las torres gemelas: La mañana que cambió el mundo para siempre
If you're missing that familiar voice, here is how you can stay in the loop:
- Follow her social media: She remains active on Facebook, often sharing the "real" side of life that you don't see behind a polished anchor desk.
- Check her blog: She has been a prolific writer for years, and her "About" page is a great place to see her current philosophy on life.
- Support local advocacy: Erin frequently supports Iowa-based organizations focused on autism and disability rights.
The departure of a staple like Kiernan marks the end of a specific chapter in Iowa broadcasting. While the news goes on, the seat she occupied for twenty years is certainly hard to fill.
Next Steps for Viewers:
If you want to revisit her final moments on air, you can find the "Honoring Erin Kiernan" tribute videos on the WHO 13 YouTube channel. For those who want to see what she's doing next, subscribing to her personal newsletter is the most direct way to keep up with her advocacy work and fitness coaching updates.