Florida News Center

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – WKMG-Channel 6 has hired a morning anchor from Kansas City, Mo.

David Hall will join the CBS affiliate on June 23 and start co-anchoring with Bridgett Ellison from 5 to 7 a.m. weekdays after June 30.

He has worked as a weekend anchor and reporter at KMBC, the ABC affiliate in Kansas City. Hall has worked as reporter in Savannah, Ga.; Pittsburgh; and Secaucus, N.J. He also has worked in Philadelphia, where he provided color commentary for the Philadelphia Phoenix, the men’s ultimate team there….Cont….

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – Longing to be with his family in Seattle, WKMG-Channel 6 anchor Gaard Swanson (right #1) is departing the CBS affiliate after three years. Swanson said a short farewell on the 5 p.m. news Friday.

“I counted up my round trips. I think it was 73 from Orlando to Seattle,” Swanson, 52, told me Friday. “It was quite the trek, but worth it. I had a good run in Orlando. I’m in love with the city and the weather.”

Starting Monday, morning anchor Matt Austin (right #2) will replace Swanson at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

Swanson said he talked to WKMG General Manager Skip Valet a long time about leaving. “He totally understood my situation,” Swanson said. “I asked for a Christmas present. I wanted to be home with my children.”

He has four children, ages 22, 16, 6 and 5….Cont….

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – WKMG-Channel 6 anchor Laura Diaz said farewell to viewers this morning. She’s leaving the business.

But the business goes on, and come Monday morning, WKMG viewers will see a new anchor team.

Matt Austin is joining the station from KOKH in Oklahoma City. He replaces Erick Weber, who left the station to take a morning anchor job at New England Cable News in Boston….Cont….

UPDATE: 5/23 – (from News-Press.com) -WINK-TV welcomes the following new talent: Vanessa Ruffes is a new reporter. She most recently worked at WMAZ-TV, the CBS channel in Macon, Ga.

St. Louis native Alissa Reitmeier is a new reporter at WINK. She’s coming from KLFY-TV, the CBS station in Lafayette, La. where she was a weekend anchor and reporter.

Meanwhile, at WBBH/WZVN, Jason Dunning joins as a new meteorologist. H has made his way back to the Sunshine State after working at WCBI-TV, the CBS affiliate in Columbus, Miss.

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TVSpy.com reports on the following comings and goings in FL television:

Trevor Pettiford will join Bay News 9 in Tampa as a reporter. He was most recently a reporter-anchor at WVTM in Birmingham.

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(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – Laura Diaz of WKMG-Channel 6 will gain a new morning co-anchor in June: Matt Austin from KOKH in Oklahoma City.

Austin was born in West Palm Beach, grew up there and graduated from Florida State University.

“This is truly a dream job for me, and my wife and daughters are thrilled to be returning to the Sunshine State,” Austin said in a statement. “After learning that my new co-anchor, Laura Diaz, is a Gator and I’m a Seminole, I am sure things could get quite interesting every morning.”….Cont….