Longtime ABC6 News anchor John DeLuca to be inducted into RI Radio & TV Hall of Fame
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Veteran ABC6 News anchor John DeLuca got a special surprise Thursday — he’s part of the 2025 Rhode Island Radio & Television Hall of Fame class.
ABC6 Sports Director Emeritus Ken Bell, a colleague of John’s and a Hall of Famer himself, stopped by the newsroom to share the exciting news.
A big surprise for @JDeLucaABC6 this afternoon.
Our old friend & Sports Director Emeritus @KenBellABC6 returned to @ABC6 to let John know he’s being inducted into the Rhode Island Radio & TV Hall of Fame this Fall.
A very well-deserved honor, congratulations John! pic.twitter.com/pDRm4iyvTq
— Nick Coit (@NCoitABC6) February 20, 2025
John celebrated his 25th anniversary at ABC6 News last March. He started his career at the station in 1999.
A graduate of Cranston East High School, John has embodied the station motto “Southern New England’s Trusted News Source” for decades.
Among colleagues, he is known for his attention to detail — checking every script to make sure it’s right, and then checking it again.
He’s also known as a great mentor to many of the reporters he’s worked with over the years, who are often in the early years of their broadcasting careers.
Dominique Turner, who is now the deputy chief of staff for the town of Johnston, started off as an assignment editor at ABC6. She remembers John taking extra time to help her perfect a reel of her work, and giving her the confidence she needed to jump into an on-air role.
“John DeLuca is more than a mentor — he was my biggest cheerleader and sounding board throughout my career at ABC6,” Turner said. “His support, wisdom, and generosity made all the difference in my TV news journey, and throughout my next career endeavors. His induction into the 2025 Rhode Island Radio and TV Hall of Fame is a well-earned honor for a true leader in journalism.”
For others — like Daniel Coates, who’s now a reporter at WFXT-TV in Boston — learning the ropes from John right out of college was the key to success.
“Whether it was working on my scripts, perfecting my pitches, or just being a friendly face, John exemplified what being a true professional day in and day out means,” Coates said. “He pushed me to take risks and believe in myself — and those lessons are carried with me today and will be with me throughout my career.”
John got his start in the business in Columbus, Mississippi as a weekend sportscaster at WCBI-TV. It was there that he met his wife, Amy, who was a weekend news anchor at the time.
He then moved to California with Amy, where they got married. Both worked at KMPH-TV in Fresno. Then, Amy landed the main news anchoring job here at ABC6, and that brought John back to Rhode Island.
He initially worked as a reporter, before starting to fill in as an anchor. He even got to share the desk with Amy on a few occasions, before becoming the main anchor.
John and Amy DeLuca sharing the ABC6 anchor desk (WLNE Archive).
“A lot has changed in the industry since John started his first TV job 31 years ago, but I can honestly say he cares as much now about delivering his best as he ever did,” Amy said. “He is a guy who shows up 100 percent and tries and cares deeply about quality and integrity. He loves what he does.”
Amy left ABC6 in 2000 after their son was born. John is the proud father of two children, who are both now young adults.
“John has mastered the fine art of balancing work and family life,” Amy said. “He’s an amazing father and husband in addition to being a great newsman. We’re lucky to have him.”
She said he really got his start back when he was 11 or 12 years old, right here in Rhode Island, walking around with a cassette recorder honing his broadcasting skills.
He’d eventually take those skills to URI, where he studied broadcast journalism, leading to his long career.
Standard Media Chief Operating Officer Stan Knott called John’s induction into the Rhode Island Radio & Television Hall of Fame a “well-deserved honor” for a news anchor who has the curiosity and intellect to do his job well.
“John is a real leader in the newsroom, a strong journalist who goes about every day in a high-level, professional manner,” Knott said. “I’ve enjoyed my many conversations with John, whether discussing vital news stories or his passion for family. We are lucky to have John as part of our team.”
More than 25 years after his time at ABC6 started, John continues to sit down with newsmakers in Rhode Island, like Judge Frank Caprio (WLNE Archive).
The Rhode Island Radio & Television Hall of Fame will celebrate the inductees, including John, at its annual dinner in the fall.
