Robin Robinson

With the elegance and class that have been her trademarks, Robin Robinson signed off Tuesday night after 26 years as principal news anchor at WFLD-Channel 32.

But she left no doubt that it wasn’t her decision to leave the anchor desk: “This is what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be,” she told viewers.

At least until a better job comes along, Robinson, 56, will deliver "Chicago at the Tipping Point" special reports for the Fox-owned station. Morning news anchor Dawn Hasbrouck will succeed her on the 9 p.m. newscast alongside co-anchor Jeff Herndon.

“This is it,” Robinson said in her closing remarks. “This is a little bit hard. From the very first story I reported on a television newscast I thought — I knew — this is what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be: Right here in this chair. Now I’m leaving ‘the chair’ after nearly 30 years here at one station with the smartest, most engaged audience anywhere, some of the best colleagues in what I consider not just a business but a service. Not making news but making it matter to you.

“The good news for me, and I hope for you, is that I’m not done telling stories. I just won’t be sitting in this chair.”

Turning to co-anchor Herndon, she said: “Jeff, it’s been great getting to know you. And you have that rock solid work ethic that Chicago really appreciates. I know you have a great ride ahead of you. I’ll try not to be too big of a back-seat driver. That might be hard, but . . .”

The Chicago native and veteran journalist has been at Fox 32 since its news operation launched in August 1987. Her record run paired her with co-anchors Kris Long, Walter Jacobson, Mark Suppelsa, Jeff Goldblatt, Bob Sirott and Herndon. Before that, Robinson worked three years as a reporter and weekend anchor at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.