Here’s the Roundup for the Week Ending January 3

Happy Friday and Happy New Year to all who celebrate such things. In this edition of stories we didn’t write up for one reason or another, we see Gray making moves at the GM level and a longtime Portland anchor goes away after returning from leave last year.

Let’s chop the celery:

Moving and grooving:

• In Columbus, Ohio Stacia Naquin has stepped down from the anchor desk at ABC 6 and FOX 28. Here is more on the story.

• Brianna Perez is leaving her KVIA ABC-7 El Paso anchor job to join KVUE Austin as a reporter/MSJ in February 2025 mikemcguff.com has learned.
• Brian Calfano, an experienced journalist and political expert, will host FOX 43 News at 9 each weeknight. Calfano joins FOX 43 from the University of Cincinnati, where he served as a professor of journalism and department head for the College of Arts and Sciences. He earned his doctorate from the University of North Texas and has contributed journalism to television stations in Cincinnati and St. Louis. Click here for more.
• Laural Porter at KGW in Portland, Oregon shared a goodbye on social media: “Tonight marks my final episode hosting ‘Straight Talk’ My journey through journalism-from @ksonsandiego to @kifi.news3 in Idaho Falls to KCOY in Santa Maria,CA, @ktvb7 in Boise, @wesh2 in Orlando to @kgwnews in Portland-has introduced me to extraordinary journalists who continue to inspire me daily. Your dedication to truth-telling fills me with awe.While this chapter is closing, my passion for journalism burns bright. I’ll continue sharing stories and conversations as a KGW special correspondent. So instead of goodbye, let’s say ‘see you soon.’ I’m always here for your story ideas and interview suggestions. Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed holiday season and a joyful, healthy 2025. My heart is full of gratitude”

Three GM moves for Gray:

• Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) today announced the promotion of Alison Davis to the position of General Manager of WTOK, the ABC/CW/Telemundo affiliate in Meridian, Mississippi,

• Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) has named Jacque Harms as the next General Manager of KKTV, the CBS affiliate in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

• Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) today announced that longtime KTUU and KYES General Manager Nancy Johnson will retire on January 3, 2025. Nancy joined KTUU, Gray’s NBC affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1981. While at KTUU, she served in a variety of leadership roles including Director of Marketing, Programming Director, and General Sales Manager. During her tenure as General Manager, she facilitated the expansion of local news to more than 22 hours of content each week, encouraged the development and production of original programming, and crafted one of the most influential media organizations in Alaska.

Odds and Ends:

• For Tim Sakahara, “family means so much,” that he’s tracing his roots back to Sweden. The former Hawaii News Now reporter appears in Season 12 of the hit Swedish TV show, “Allt for Sverige,” which translates to “Great Swedish Adventure.” Click here to read about it.

• In Beaumont, Texas a former KFDM news anchor was celebrating on Bourbon Street early New Year’s Day and missed the attack by a matter of minutes. Click here to read about it.

• Seattle stations mourn the death of 76-year-old Aaron Brown. Brown began his career at KING 5 where he was a night assignment editor. He later became a reporter and anchor for the station. He later moved to KIRO 7 where he anchored the 11 p.m. newscast. Here’s the story.

• A man believed to be the last person to see a missing Iowa TV News anchor alive has died. A private investigator says John Vansice, a friend of former KIMT-TV reporter Jodi Huisentruit passed away earlier this month in Arizona. Here’s the story.

• From John Kieswetter in Cincinnati: Veteran anchors and reporters left their stations, and new faces appeared on Cincinnatians’ television screens. Here’s a look at the journalists who came and went in 2024, plus other major events.