Morning Anchor Brad Hawkins to leave WFAA

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http://www.unclebarky.com/dfw_files/4ef2a07706716410183a926eef834279-886.html

 

Apparently Brad Hawkins won't be "getting the city started" for much longer.

 

Brad Hawkins, co-anchor of WFAA8's Daybreak since July and a member of the station's news team since January 2000, will be leaving next month to take a position with Dallas-based Southwest Airlines.

 

WFAA8 news director Michael Valentine confirmed Hawkins' departure Tuesday and also said that his last day at the station will be on Christmas Eve.

 

"I wish nothing but the best for Brad. He's a fantastic guy," Valentine said. "He just found a situation that he thought would be better for him."

 

Hawkins, who could not immediately be reached for comment, made the decision on his own and was not under any pressure to leave WFAA8, Valentine said. Daybreak has hit a ratings slump of late, and will run third in the November "sweeps" in both total viewers and among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.

 

Hawkins began co-anchoring Daybreak with incumbent Cynthia Izaguirre after Justin Farmer left WFAA8 in July to become an anchor at WSB-TV in Atlanta. WFAA8 had committed to Hawkins for at least the rest of this year. Beyond that, "no final decision had been made," Valentine said Tuesday. "But we thought Brad did a fine job. So we certainly could have envisioned a decision where he was still part of the morning team."

 

I for one will miss his upbeat style. He looked like a natural at the anchor desk. I do wish him well with the new job, though.

[Que 73]

Yet another anchor change for Daybreak.