Emmy-winning journalist Gary Sprinkle will step down as KITV news anchor and reporter at the end of the year.

Sprinkle co-anchors the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. weekday news with his wife, Pamela Young, for the local ABC affiliate.

Young also will see a reduced role at KITV as the station's weekend anchor.

"I'm not retiring, just scaling back," said Sprinkle, a KITV employee since 1991.

"I'll take a little time to do the things I haven't been able to do for the past 32 years."

Sprinkle, 57, said he plans to restart his media solutions and video production company Sprinkle Communications.

KITV said it will conduct a national search for a weeknight anchor.

Paula Akana, who anchors the 10 p.m. news, will serve as the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. anchor during the transition.

Known for relaxed style and long feature reports, Sprinkle has earned several Emmys as producer and director of "Pacific Adventures" series.

Sprinkle began his career in the broadcast industry in 1977 as a sportscaster at KVOA in Tucson, Ariz.

In 1978, he was hired as a sportscaster at KGMB by legendary local newsman Bob Sevey. From 1986 to 1988, he served as an anchor at KGMB.

"Gary has been a valued member of the KITV family and news team for the past 18 years. Though we will miss him, we respect his decision to step away at this time," said KITV president and general manager Mike Rosenberg.