Dick Cable, a beloved Sacramento news anchor who spent nearly three decades at KXTV, passed away February 26, 2026 from an illness at 89 years old.
Born Richard Arnold Cable on June 23, 1936, in New Rochelle, New York, he followed a path set by his father, Homer Cable, who worked for the military news outlet Stars and Stripes during and after World War II. The younger Cable would forge his own distinguished career in broadcasting, becoming a household name in California’s capital city.
Cable began his broadcasting career in radio from 1958 to 1966, working at various stations before transitioning to television. From 1965 to 1969, he worked in Boise, Idaho, honing the skills that would later make him a Sacramento institution.
In January 1969, Cable was hired by the CBS affiliate in Sacramento at what would become News10. The station proved pivotal not just for his professional life but his personal one as well. In 1973, a young woman named Berta Gonzalez began an internship at the station, and four years later, in 1977, she and Cable married. The couple remained together for 48 years.
Cable’s career trajectory was not without challenges. In the late 1970s, he was taken off the air as part of a youth movement at the station. However, his talent and connection with viewers proved undeniable, and by 1981, he had returned to the anchor desk where he belonged.
His longtime co-anchor, Jennifer Smith, who now lives in New Orleans, remembered Cable’s genuine personality. “He was so warm and real and no-nonsense and certainly not any kind of how some people view TV anchors as kind of pompous and slick,” Smith said. “He was the opposite of that.”
Throughout his career, Cable developed a signature commentary segment called Cable’s Comment, which he wrote and delivered from 1978 to 1996. The segment showcased his writing abilities and allowed him to connect with viewers on issues that mattered to the Sacramento community. His approach to broadcasting emphasized credibility and authenticity during an era when those qualities defined television journalism.
Stan Atkinson, another giant in Sacramento broadcasting who died in 2025, once reflected on what set their generation apart. Atkinson described both Cable and himself as products of a different era in journalism, one where building trust with viewers remained paramount. The two anchors represented an old school approach to news delivery that prioritized substance over style.
Cable spent 29 years at the station before retiring, leaving behind a legacy that extended far beyond the newsroom. His contributions to Sacramento journalism were formally recognized in 1991 when he received a Silver Circle Emmy award, an honor acknowledging lasting contributions to the broadcasting industry. Governor Wilson declared a Dick Cable Day in California, cementing his status as a California broadcasting icon.
Even after his retirement from daily news duties, Cable’s name remained prominent in Sacramento. The Child Abuse Prevention Council named the Dick Cable Boardroom in his honor, recognizing his advocacy work beyond broadcasting. ABC10 took the tribute a step further by naming the station’s newsroom the Dick Cable Newsroom, ensuring that generations of future journalists would work in a space bearing his name.
Risa Omega, ABC10 President and General Manager, reflected on Cable’s enduring impact. “Dick leaves a legacy in this building and in this town,” Omega said.
Cable brought to his role not just journalistic skill but also the interpersonal qualities that made him effective both on camera and in the community. Former colleagues and viewers alike noted his quick wit, warmth, and lack of pretension—qualities that helped him build deep connections with the Sacramento audience over his three decades on air.
The broadcasting landscape Cable entered in the late 1960s differed dramatically from today’s fragmented media environment. Television news anchors in that era served as primary information sources for their communities, building relationships with viewers over years and even decades. Cable exemplified this model, becoming a trusted voice who guided Sacramento residents through countless local and national news events.
His career spanned a transformative period in television news, from the analog era through the digital revolution. Cable adapted to changing technologies and viewer expectations while maintaining the core journalistic values that defined his generation of broadcasters. His longevity at a single station—spending 29 years at KXTV—represented a level of stability increasingly rare in modern media.
Cable’s family life centered on the five children he had from a previous marriage, and the couple also had 10 grandchildren. Throughout his demanding career, he maintained connections to his family while serving the Sacramento community both professionally and through various civic activities.
Cable is survived by his wife Berta Gonzales Cable, his five children, and 10 grandchildren. His passing marks the end of an era in Sacramento broadcasting, closing a chapter on the type of anchor who became synonymous with a city’s news landscape. Former colleagues, viewers, and community members remember him not just as a skilled broadcaster but as someone who genuinely cared about the community he served for three decades.
