Chicago City Wire

In a significant career shift, Fox 32 Chicago news anchor Anita Padilla is bidding farewell to the mainstream media and the blue state of Illinois to join Florida's Voice, a growing conservative news outlet based in Florida.

Padilla, a two-time Emmy award winner and Waukegan native, marked the end of her 25-year tenure in Chicago in late December.

Padilla will be joining Florida’s Voice.

“After 25 years I’m leaving the mainstream media and the blue state of Illinois to join the fastest growing news outlet in Florida - Florida’s Voice (@FLvoiceNews)," Padilla said on X.

“It’s about time we start amplifying conservative voices.”

Padilla's decision to join Florida’s Voice was applauded by former Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate and 2024 United States Senate candidate Kari Lake, herself a former news anchor and a native of Rock Island.

“You’re not gonna regret this for an instant, @AnitaPadilla32. The truth will always mean so much more than their narrative,” Lake said on X.

This transition marks Padilla's second stint in Florida, having previously worked for WFTV in Orlando.

With a career that began in radio as an intern at WBBM and later included notable roles in Chicago and the Quad Cities area, Padilla brings a wealth of experience to her new position as news director at Florida’s Voice.

Padilla earned her B.A. from Columbia College Chicago.

Brendan Leslie, CEO and founder of Florida’s Voice, officially announced Padilla's role, acknowledging her 25 years of experience and two Emmy awards.

Leslie highlighted the mission of Florida's Voice to redefine mainstream media, expressing excitement about the possibilities with Padilla on board.

“With so many waking up and starting their days with her face on TV, and now she's leaving the corporate media world, leaving the blue state of Illinois and joining our mission here in the great state of Florida. Without further ado, we welcome Anita Padilla. Anita, we're so excited to have you and see all the new possibilities with you on the team,” Leslie said.

Padilla shared her enthusiasm for the new venture, citing the warmer weather and the freedom she feels without the "corporate media chains."

She emphasized her commitment to truth-telling and being a watchdog of government actions, expressing a dedication to addressing tough questions even if they are unpopular in mainstream media.

”I believe that corporate journalism is dying and digital media is the future of journalism,” she said.

Padilla announced her exit from Fox 32 was on Dec. 27.

“Keep me all day, all during the show and everything, but it really has been my honor and my privilege to report for Chicago for 25 years,” Padilla said when her departure from the station was announced.

“This is one of those days that's really going to be seared into my memory because it really is the end of a chapter, and it's the beginning of a new journey for me, which I'm really excited about. I can't talk about that right now, but all the things that I'm going to be doing or I want to do, I'm going to pursue. But it was a decision that I didn't take lightly.”

“I had a lot of conversations with God and my family about this decision. I'm not really ready to talk about what's in store for me. But I will tell you that life has all kinds of changes. And you, you got to know and pay attention. And I just felt in my spirit, after many conversations with God, that it was time to do something new, which I'm really looking forward to.”