Interior Alaska is losing its last local television newscast, as the corporate owner of NewsCenter Fairbanks downsizes its news operation and lays off employees.
KTVF Channel 11 and KXDF Channel 13, known together as NewsCenter Fairbanks, are collectively owned by Gray TV/Gray Media, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Gray, which also owns Anchorage TV stations KTUU and KAUU under the name Alaska’s News Source, bought the Fairbanks stations in 2017.
In a Nov. 8 conference call with investors, the company announced a plan to cut expenses by consolidating some its stations and reducing staff.
It is unclear if the downsizing at Gray TV means some local jobs will be lost. Reporters for KTVF and KXDF say they have been told not to comment, and to refer any media questions to Kevin Latek, Gray’s chief legal and development officer. Latek did not return calls or emails.
However, NewsCenter Fairbanks anchors let the public know about the change in their goodbyes on Saturday.
“Before we go, I would like to take a moment to thank our loyal and amazing viewers in the community,” said Stephanie Woodard, who has worked as a reporter and anchor on and off since 2010.
“I say goodbye to the evening news desk tonight and thank you to Fairbanks because you truly are the Golden Heart City that I have grown to love,” she added.
Some small segments of Fairbanks news will now be delivered as part of a newscast from Anchorage.
Skyler Lewis included that in his goodbye over the weekend.
“As you may have heard, NewsCenter Fairbanks is joining forces with Alaska’s News Source, our sister station in Anchorage, to bring you news from across Alaska,” Lewis said.
Starting this week, KTVF and KXDF will air news as Alaska’s News Source instead of NewsCenter Fairbanks. It means there will be no more local news or sports anchors, like Alex Bengel or Alex Johnson.
“It has been an absolute honor and a privilege to present your local news every night. Thank you so much for choosing NewsCenter Fairbanks as your source for news,” Bengel said.
“It’s time for me to sign off of Sports for the final time,” Johnson said. “To the friends I’ve made at the games I’ve been at, thank you for the memories made. I always appreciate it. I’ve gotten to cover some amazing events that before I came up here, I’d never even heard of. Whether that be the YQA at 52 Below or the Midnight Sun game. And that’ll do it for the final Middle of the Bench Sports Report tonight. Thank you so much for tuning in, everyone.”
Calls to the general managers of KTVF and KXDF, as well as the Anchorage TV stations, were not returned over the weekend.
