Bob Banfield, longtime Channel 7 reporter was 82

Banfield, right, with Stan Chambers of KTLA

Bob Banfield, a presence on Channel 7 in Southern California for 43 years until his retirement in 2010, died this morning, ABC7 announced. Banfield had cancer. He was for many years the Eyewitness News bureau chief in the Inland Empire. In the 1970s he co-hosted "A.M. Los Angeles" with Regis Philbin. From the ABC7 story:

Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob's loved ones today as we remember him on his first day as an ABC7 reporter on May 26, 1967. Bob came to Los Angeles during a turbulent time, covering the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, the Manson murders, and the South L.A. shootout.

Through it all, Bob brought a straightforward style to his reporting that reflected his Midwestern roots.

"Presenting things as I see them, in a straightforward way. I like to tell stories," Bob said during an interview with Marc Brown for a story on his retirement.

In 1980, he was assigned to the Eyewitness News Inland Empire Bureau, another place that fit like a glove. He said it reminded him of where he grew up, and figures working out of the city added years to his life.

"I prefer it here and I knew that I would be a little more comfortable because I always found the big city intimidating a little bit, it frightened me a little bit. For some reason, I don't know, the small-town kid never got over that," Bob said.

There's a photo gallery on the Channel 7 website.

Another media obit: Cindy Frazier, Coastline Pilot city editor was 60. She previously worked in the Santa Monica area.