Overview

Sylvia Belle Chase (February 23, 1938 – January 3, 2019) was an American broadcast journalist and television correspondent. She became widely recognized during her years on the national news magazine ABC's 20/20 and later served as a news anchor at the San Francisco station KRON-TV. Her work blended investigative reporting, human-interest profiles, and on-camera anchoring across local and national platforms.

Early life and education

Chase was born in Northfield, Minnesota. She moved west for higher education and studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she prepared for a career in journalism and broadcasting. Like many television journalists of her generation, she gained experience in local stations before stepping onto the national stage.

Career highlights

Chase joined the reporting staff of the news magazine 20/20 in 1978 and worked as a correspondent there until 1985. During that period she became known for thorough reporting and a measured on-air presence. In 1985 she left 20/20 to accept an anchor position at KRON-TV in San Francisco, moving from a national magazine format to a major local news operation. She later returned to ABC News in New York in 1990, resuming work on national stories and contributions to network programming.

  • 1978–1985: Correspondent, 20/20 (ABC)
  • 1985: Left network reporting to anchor at KRON-TV, San Francisco
  • 1990: Returned to ABC News in New York

Later life and death

In later years Chase continued to be associated with journalism and remained a respected voice among peers. She lived in California and faced health challenges; she was known to have diabetes. Sylvia Chase died on January 3, 2019, in Belvedere, California, after a battle with brain cancer. She was 80 years old.

Legacy and significance

Chase is remembered as part of a generation of women who expanded the visibility and influence of female journalists on television. Colleagues and viewers cited her clear delivery, investigative instincts, and steady demeanor. Her career — moving between local and national roles and returning to network reporting — illustrates the pathways journalists took in late 20th-century American broadcast news. For additional contemporaneous accounts and remembrances, consult network archives and published obituaries by major news organizations referencing her life and work.