Fall Brings Change to KARK

This from the tip box:

At KARK- Melissa Simas moves to dayside and only anchor 5pm. Jessica Dean will be new 6 and 10pm anchor. Trager moves to weekends. Happening very soon.

Musical Chairs at KATV

This from a tipster:

KATV is advertising a new Daybreak morning show person in October that looked like Chris Kane the sports person with no Barry Brandt.

It is interesting they are pulling from the sports team.

Is Barry leaving or just doing the Noon time show?

Tracy Douglass filled in tonight at KARK as it continues its search for a new met to join the team. I wonder why Nexstar doesn't hire her for the job.....

Just did some research and she's not even a Met.  KARK needs to pull an already local established Met over to the station.  Sure they might have to dish out the big bucks but would be worthwhile because otherwise you are gonna have 3 unknown Mets on the air.

HD News...I Guess Someone Had to Bring Up the Rear...

With little fanfare KATV broadcast its late evening newscast Saturday in High Definition.

Pic from KATV's Facebook page

Cummins Gone From KARK

Well it looks as though KARK can stop telling viewers Brett Cummins is off mourning the loss of his friend....he is now unemployed. Though the station is likely not making this public but the fact his bio has been pulled from the KARK website is proof enough!

Additional: Arkansas Business.com reports Cummins resigned from the station Friday. The article says the station confirms Cummins isn't employed there anymore but refused to comment if he resigned...or something else!

Cummins' Attorney: No Foul Play Involved

KARK weather man Brett Cummins' Attorney tells CNN no foul play was involved in the death of his client's friend. Mark Hampton said Thursday that his client was devastated by the death of his friend. It added that Cummins was cooperating with authorities investigating the death and "looks forward to a conclusion of the inquiry, secure in his own innocence and confident that no foul play was involved."

Cummins remains off the air at KARK. The station is not saying when Cummins will return to the airwaves.

Sorry folks I have a Full time job in which I work 14 hours a day at...no internet at work so I can't blog.....

KARK Weather Guesser at the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time....

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports KARK weather guesser Brett Cummins was questioned in the death of a friend. The paper says Cummins is not considered a suspect in the death of his friend who was found dead in a hot tub. AR DEM/Gaz reports alcohol and drugs were involved. Cummins is off the air at this time. Read the full article HERE.

MMJ Becomes Anchor

Press Release: KHBS/KHOG-TV (Channels 40 and 29) is pleased to announce the promotion of Kelly Johnson from Multi-Media Journalist to Anchor/Reporter.

Johnson will join the 40/29 News Sunrise anchor team alongside Derek Burleson and Meteorologist Matt Devitt. 40/29 News Sunrise airs weekdays from 4:30 – 7:00am. Viewers will recognize Johnson from her live morning reports from Fort Smith & the River Valley. Johnson has been part of the Sunrise team since April, when the newscast was expanded to 4:30am.

“Kelly’s energy and personality will be a great addition to the morning anchor desk,” said Dawn R. Dugle, News Director. “She has also been integral to our late breaking news coverage since the day she joined our team, with one of her first stories being the disaster at the Albert Pike campground.”

Johnson joined 40/29 News in May 2010 as a Multi-Media Journalist covering Fort Smith & the River Valley. Johnson is a graduate of Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

Johnson will begin anchoring 40/29 News Sunrise on Monday, September 12th.