A few other shows are in the works as well. During the late 1950s, both KFSA-TV and KNAC struggled for advertising and viewers. Heres what the anchor said about her departure from KFSM-TVs 5NEWS. This created a large "doughnut" in Northwest Arkansas where there could be only one commercial VHF license, plus a noncommercial license (eventually occupied by AETN's KAFT). FACT CHECK: Dave Ramsey Made a Statement About America Online, FACT CHECK: CIA Director Gina Haspel Found Dead, FACT CHECK: Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemens Clubs. Fort Smith residents have always loved the banter between Laura Simon and Ruben Diaz. My time at 5NEWS has been one of the greatest joys in my life. It also provides a 24-hour local newscast seven days a week on Cox channel 55 in Springdale and Fort Smith. Lewis said his wifes photography career has really accelerated and hes looking forward to being more supportive in her success. Before coming to the Ozarks, she launched her news career at WHLT-TV in Hattisburg, Miss. Sep 2012 - Jul 20152 years 11 months. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Matt Standridge is an American chief meteorologist currently working at KFSM Channel 5 since September 2021. Most markets received two commercial VHF licenses plus a noncommercial VHF license. A message seeking comment from KFSM station manager Van Comer was not immediately returned. Reynolds then built a microwave relay hop on Mount Magazine to relay live programming from the Little Rock stations. This month KFSM Channel 5 will celebrate 60 years on the air serving the people of Northwestern Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. In April 2018, she joined 5NEWS as a weekday morning and noon anchor. However, I think we have a lot of talent on the show and the show itself is awesome. We are also working on an actual podcast, more on that later, but this was an idea from one of our former hosts. "We reported it every day. I was executive producer at 5NEWS back then. His forecasted last day forecasting is July 30. 23, 2015 - 5:24 PM. At some point during summer 2012, KFSM became the first station in the Fort SmithFayetteville market and the last primary Local TV-owned station to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition. Here is a complete list of nearly every professional News Anchors in your town. KFSM morning anchor Laura Simon is leaving the Fort Smith, Ark. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21], Following the Sinclair deal's collapse, Nexstar Media Group announced its purchase of Tribune Media on December 3, 2018, for $6.4billion in cash and debt. Lewis and his wife, Ashley, have a son & daughter. Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time. Charlie's Famous Cheesecakes - West Fork, Ark Owner since Aug 2007 New York Times/KFSM TV - Fayetteville, Arkansas Area Multi Media, News Anchor, Reporter, Producer/Writer/Talent for 5News Sunday Morning 2009 - 2010 Full Profile Ashley Ketz Fayetteville, AR Professions & Specialties News Anchor Reporter Commercial Announcer Presenter On September 1, 2010, the FCC granted KFSM a construction permit for a fill-in translator in Van Buren on channel 24. Now the inspiring news anchor is moving to the next step of his career. Get a free, personalized salary estimate based on today's job market. The area's original affiliate, KPBI-CA which was repeated on full-power KPBI, went silent after its owner Equity Media Holdings went bankrupt. Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. This email address is already subscribed to the selected list(s). Claudia Sessa Leaving 59News: Wheres the West Virginia Anchor Going? The station operated out of an old building. Former 5NEWS anchor Bridget Schultz talks about what the Morgan Nick case meant to her. Her feature story on former pro-boxer Bobby Crabtree garnered the attention of George Foreman on Twitter. Roberts has play-by-play experience, and has worked as a network sideline reporter for NBC Sports. Jobin Panicker Jobin Panicker is a reporter at WFAA in Dallas, TX, specializing in stories from. On June 14, 2019, KFSM moved most of its operations to a newly built studio in Johnson, a suburb of Fayetteville and Springdale. As a result, the KFSA stations were sold off, with channel 5 going to Buford Television in 1973 and renamed KFSM-TV (after the airport designation for Fort Smith Regional Airport). The storm left four people dead in western Arkansas. It's one of the most important programs we've aired in recent years, and you can see it Saturday (April 17) at 12:00 p.m. [3] During the analog television era, KFSM was the only big three affiliate that did not need a second full-power station to reach the entire market. Until 1964, the station operated without a dedicated news department, instead relying on reports from its sister newspapers. After eight years at KFSM, she has accepted an anchor/reporter position in her hometown of St. Louis. So naturally, they are curious to know why she is leaving and where she is going next. I have some bittersweet news to share with you this morning, Lewis wrote Monday on facebook. Mike Irwin was fired by KFSM on Monday after 37 years at the station. Veteran journalist Ruben Diaz has been responsible for bringing the latest news coverage to Arkansas residents for four memorable years. Initially, KFSA-TV relied on kinescopes of network programming and various live performers in the Fort Smith area. The TV news business has taken me all over the country to cities like Chicago, Joplin, Kirksville/Ottumwa and Northwest Arkansas/the River Valley. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. In July 2021, chief meteorologist Garrett Lewis left KFSM after 20 years with the station[27] to pursue a career in finance and community relations.[28][29]. Professional Background CheckInformation on professionals, their work history and resumes. In 2013, she became the weekend anchor at KTVO-DT, covering news across Northeast Missouri and Southeast Iowa. Movies. Eustasis Psychiatric & Addiction Health. FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- It was 1958 when Jim Kell got the call to be one of the first news anchors at Channel 22, which would later become Channel 5. However, I must say I was really glad to get my show back. According to station manager Van Comer, the new facility is located near the population center of KFSM's 11-county, two-state primary coverage area. I honestly dont know. This has since moved to digital channel 661. I think that podcast is one step closer to being done. Prior to that, he was a Radar Meteorologist (Intern) at North Dakota Water Commission. No, it hasnt always been easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. My advice to the next generation of journalists would be to go after your goals, but dont get too attached to the outcome., Content WriterThe Brandon AgencyMyrtle Beach, South Carolina, Laura Simon Leaving Fort Smith Station for St. Louis, Prior to joining KFSM in 2014, Laura was an anchor and reporter at, An error has occurred, please try again later. We are also looking for people to come to our website to ask us questions. Sam Nelson Jacksonville, FL. Mitch and his two kids live in Fayetteville. Get TVSpy delivered straight to your inbox. In addition to forecasting, Clark . The simulcasts were discontinued shortly after Local TV consummated on its purchase of the former KPBI and changed its call letters to KXNW, and were replaced with Antenna TV and syndicated programming as KXNW began to simulcast KFSM-DT2. Related Searches:All TV News Anchor Salaries|All KFSM-TV Salaries. The two stations' operations were merged at a converted furniture warehouse in downtown Fort Smith at North 5th and B Streets that had originally been renovated for KNAC-TV. KFSM Channel 5 News Anchor since Oct 2006 Clear Channel Radio KWHN Morning talk show host 2002 - 2006 Skills: ENPS, Broadcast Television, Television, Media Relations, Videography, Public Relations, Journalism, . After that, she and her husband will depart for St. Louis. KFSM swapped affiliations with KLMN in 1980 and became a CBS affiliate, which it remains today. Malone joined KFSM in 2004 after working for ten years as a reporter for KFDA, the CBS affiliate in Amarillo, Texas; eight years as news anchor and news director of WOTV in Kalamazoo, Mich.; and a year as a reporter and anchor for WVEC in Norfolk, Va. (both ABC affiliates). Lewis saidshe was moving toSpringfield, Missouri to work as morning anchor on CBS affiliateKOLR. The estimated total pay for a TV News Anchor at KFSM-TV is $96,093 per year. It carried programming from all four networks of the time NBC, CBS, ABC and DuMont but it was a primary NBC affiliate. average salary for a TV News Anchor is $64,877 per year in Fort Smith, AR, The Ultimate Job Interview Preparation Guide. Many old timers remember the station's microwave problems that disrupted several games of the 1954 World Series. Many had started their broadcasting careers on KFSA radio just after World War II. It was owned by Donald W. Reynolds and his Donrey Media Group alongside Fort Smith's two major newspapers the Southwest American and Times Record (later merged as the Southwest Times Record) and KFSA radio (AM 950). However, the news of anchor/reporter Laura Simon leaving 5NEWS has been met with widespread disappointment. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Donrey owned one other newspaper/broadcasting cluster, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KORK-AM-FM-TV. Doing the hard things is what separates us from the rest. Over the coming months, we will join our viewers in celebrating Garretts incredible career at 5NEWS. FORT SMITH (KFSM) - 5NEWS Anchor Heather Lewis is enjoying some time at home with her husband, Curt, and their new baby, Benjamin. However, that changed with the addition of Cliff Walker, who became the outlet's first news director. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Engleman said he was pursuing other options. She decided to go to Columbia College Chicago to get a degree in broadcast journalism after taking a journalism class at Francis Howell North High School. Originally from Jacksonville, Illinois, Daren graduated from the College of Broadcast Journalism at Lewis and Clark College in Godfrey,.