The announcement that temporary KNBC weekend anchor Robert Kovacik has been given the job permanently, together with new partner Stephanie Elam (pictured), is great for a couple of different reasons.

First off, Kovacik’s delivery is as smooth as silk; in Hollywood terms, he’s the west coast local equivalent of William Hurt‘s Broadcast News character. Secondly, not only is Elam a woman of color, but she comes to the weekend anchor desk by way of CNN, where she was a much loved business news correspondent.

Since word of Elam’s new gig crossed the wire yesterday, the Howard University grad has been fielding Twitter congratulations from her former CNN colleagues. Audrey Irvine, U.S. editor for CNN.com, predicted “that smile will brighten up LA,” while Wall Street exec turned Anderson Cooper contributor Vladimir Duthiers paid his respects with a modified re-tweet.

Other former CNN colleagues on the congrats train have included HLN weekday anchor Richelle Carey and London based royal correspondent Max Foster. California native Elam moved back to the west coast in May.