WAGA anchor Amanda Davis is taking a leave of absence from the Atlanta Fox O&O after her DUI arrest.

“Amanda Davis is currently away from the television station handling personal matters,” WAGA vice president of news Mike McClain said in a statement Monday afternoon.

Davis had her first court hearing yesterday. She did not appear in the courtroom. Her attorney, William Head, asked that the hearing be reset, according to the station.

Davis was arrested November 11 after she was involved in a wrong-way car accident in the middle of the night. She has not appeared on the station since then.

Linda Stouffer (pictured right) will replace Carol Sbarge (pictured left) as weekday morning anchor for Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB.

“Carol leaves the morning newscast and the team in a terrific place,” said Stouffer in a press release. “I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to follow her and continue her legacy.”

Sbarge will co-anchor the noon news with Fred Blankenship and report for the early evening newscasts.

“We’re so glad to have a veteran like Carol,” said vice president and general manager Tim McVay. “Moving Carol to the noon news takes advantage of her great relationship with Fred and adds her reporting power to the three hours of local news, 4-7 p.m.” Read more

Jack Walsh will step into the role of vice president and general manager at WUPA, the CBS-owned CW affiliate in Atlanta.

Walsh joins WUPA from rival WGCL, where he has been the local sales manager since 2009. Prior to that, he was the general sales manager at Atlanta’s WATL.

“Jack is one of the most highly regarded local television executives in the Atlanta market,” CBS Television Stations president Peter Dunn said in announcing the hire.  “His deep roots in the advertising community, relationships with local business leaders and reputation as a skilled manager and great motivator will serve us well as he takes on the responsibility of overseeing one of the top CW affiliates in the country and our talented team of employees in Atlanta.”

Walsh replaces Tom Candeo, who was recently named general manager of WWJ, the CBS O&O in Detroit.

Read the full release from CBS after the jump. Read more

Guy Rawlings has been let go from Atlanta’s CBS affiliate, WGCL.

Rawlings came to WGCL from WESH where he was a sports anchor.  At the time, Rawlings told the Journal-Constiution, “A lot of my friends who are sports anchors are unemployed. Local sports seems to be shrinking. This opportunity is a hybrid of news and sports.”

A Meredith spokesperson told TVSpy, “We exercised the early out option on his contract and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

WAGA anchor Amanda Davis was arrested for DUI over the weekend after she was involved in a wrong-way car accident, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Davis, who anchors WAGA’s 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts, was driving northbound in the southbound lane of Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta when the crash occurred just after midnight Sunday. Davis was taken to the Atlanta jail on charges of DUI, failure to maintain lane and reckless driving.

WAGA, the Fox O&O in Atlanta, posted a brief article about the arrest on its website. “We are aware of the situation and we are currently investigating,” WAGA vice president of news Mike McClain said in a statement to rival WSB, the ABC affiliate.

Watch WSB’s report on the incident after the jump. Read more

Hollywood films often use actors to portray TV anchors, reporters and photographers but sometimes they hire the real deal.  When Denzel Washington‘s new film “Flight” shot around the Atlanta area, WXIA‘s Ted Hall was lucky enough get a very brief flash of fame.  15 minutes?  Try 15 frames.

“So quick,” Hall told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about his brief cameo, “I could tell it was my tie and voice but didn’t register my face.”

The morning anchor for the Atlanta NBC affiliate told the Journal-Constitution when he watched the movie, he thought his part had been cut.  But after sticking around till the end, he saw himself in a quick flash as Washington’s character William “Whip” Whitaker is flipping through channels in his Atlanta hotel room.

Hall added, “That half second was a bonus.”  You can watch the movie’s trailer after the jump. Read more

Erin Coleman has been named co-anchor of the 4 p.m. newscast at WSB, the ABC affiliate in Atlanta.

Coleman will anchor alongside John Bachman beginning November 26. She replaces Monica Pearson, who retired in July.

“Through her roles of anchoring the early evening and late weekend news and reporting during the week, she has demonstrated the depth, caliber and commitment demanded of the anchor chair at ‘Channel 2 Action News at 4 p.m.,’” news director Mike Dreaden said in a statement.

Coleman also anchors the station’s 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. She joined WSB in 2009.

Ron Gant, a former Atlanta Braves all-star, has been named morning co-anchor at WAGA, the Fox O&O in Atlanta. Gant will join Gurvir Dhindsa, Karen Graham and Buck Lanford on the WAGA morning newscast beginning in October.

Gant comes from Fox Sports South, where he has been a Braves analyst for the past four years. Earlier in his career, he was a studio analyst for the MLB Network and a Braves commentator for TBS.

“Ron’s star power and talent as #5 on the Braves led him to be one of the most beloved athletes and well-known television personalities in Atlanta,” WAGA VP-GM Bill Schneider said in a statement. “He is a good communicator, with an engaging personality and will be a refreshing addition to morning news.”

WGCL, Atlanta’s CBS affiliate will be expanding its “Better Mornings” show to the weekends, according to ajc.com.

The weekend shows will feature two hosts: reporter Jocelyn Connell and Paul Ossmann.

Ossmann, who worked at WXIA-TV and WAGA-TV over 24 years, is currently serving as the weekend meteorologist for CBS Atlanta. He used to host “Good Day Atlanta” on WAGA-TV from 1992 to 1998.

The pair do not know each other well but Ossmann, who has worked at CBS Atlanta since January, said she’s “very bubbly, very friendly.” She has filled in for Tracye Hutchins, the host for the weekday “Better Mornings.”

The new show begins tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. and will air at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Shae Crisson, weekend anchor for WTVD in Raleigh-Durham, announced she’s leaving the station for WSB, the ABC affiliate in Atlanta.

Crisson, who announced the move via facebook, wrote a goodbye letter to fans saying,

Thank you for letting me tell your stories – through laughter, tears and prayers, we have made it through. Please know I’m leaving on a good note for a great opportunity at WSB-TV (still abc) in Atlanta. I know you’ll be kind to the next reporter here so he/she will stick around for a long time too. We’ll stay connected (sing our promo – keeping you connected) and stay classy Raleigh! . -Shae.

Crisson, who previously worked at WSLS in Roanoke, began her career at WLUC in Marquette, MI.  Tomorrow will be her last day at WTVD.