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KTVX replaces co-anchor: TV News ? Barbara Smith taken off desk for newcomer.Jan 22, 2009 (The Salt Lake Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Barbara Smith, KTVX's co-anchor for two years is being replaced later this month as one of the faces of Channel 4's nighttime news. Smith is the latest change to happen at the local ABC affiliate, which has been struggling in last place in the 10 p.m. news ratings for nearly two years and has seen a wave of layoffs in the last year. KTVX has replaced Smith with Karen Carlson, a former co-anchor for KABC in Los Angeles. Carlson also worked for WWL-TV in New Orleans, WREG-TV in Memphis and KOMO in Seattle. She takes over the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newsdesk with Ross Becker beginning Jan. 26. "We are excited to have Karen join our team," KTVX news director Tom Bell said in a release. "Both her experience and leadership skills will be important assets to ABC 4 News." Smith, who was contacted Jan. 21, declined to comment about the change but said she was still working at KTVX and that the station had not told her what her status would be. "She's a valuable part of our team and we plan on keeping her for some time," said KTVX general manager Matt Jaquint. Since the sale of the station to Kansas City-based Newport Television, KTVX has undergone substantial layoffs and changes, including a new general manager and news director. It also let go some two-dozen employees last June and later co-anchor Randall Carlisle. Last December, the station also laid off Terry and Susan Wood, a married couple that also were the weekend anchors. Smith, a graduate of Brigham Young University from Midway, has been with KTVX for 18 years, first as the morning anchor. To see more of The Salt Lake Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sltrib.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Salt Lake Tribune Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] |