Meteorologist Brittany Bell is joining KHBS-KHOG in Fort Smith-Fayetteville, AR.  Bell will anchor the weather on the stations’ weekend evening newscasts and work as a reporter during the week.

“We are pleased to have Brittany join our team of award-winning meteorologists,” KHBS-KHOG news director Dawn Dugle said.  “She joins us in the middle of severe weather season, where our viewers will notice her commitment to keeping them safe during spring storms.”

Bell is set to graduate from Mississippi State in May with a B.S. in professional meteorology.  She recently worked as a fill-in weathercaster at WMC in Memphis. Read more

Lisa Kelsey has been named vice president and general manager of Nexstar Broadcasting’s KNWA-KFTA in Fayetteville, AR.

Since 2008, Kelsey has been the director of sales for Nexstar’s Fayetteville-Fort Smith television and e-Media operations. She began her career with KNWA in 1996 as a senior account executive. From 2002 to 2004, she worked for Johnson & Johnson, returning to KNWA as sales manager in 2004.

“She has built high performance teams which generate impressive revenue share growth, has overseen regional business development efforts with noteworthy success, created countless successful advertising solutions for businesses, and has championed many new station initiatives which resulted in audience growth and revenue success,” Nexstar EVP-COO Brian Jones said in a statement.

KHBS-KHOG is adding a new sports anchor.  The joint ABC-affiliate announced today that it has hired Josh Taylor as a weekend sports anchor and reporter.

Most recently, Taylor worked as a sports reporter and producer at KHBS-KHOG’s Hearst sister station in Pittsburgh, WTAE.

“Josh’s passion for college and high school sports will fit in well with our commitment to offer the best local sports coverage in Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith,” news director Dawn Dugle said, in announcing the hiring. “We’re excited for him to join our 40/29 Sports team.” Read more

Nexstar has promoted Mike Vaughn, the vice president and general manager of KNWA-KFTA in Fayetteville-Ft. Smith, to VP-GM of KARK-KARZ, the company’s Little Rock duopoly.

Before being named VP-GM in Fayetteville, Vaughn was based in Little Rock working as director of sales for KARK as well as KNWA-KFTA.

Vaughn said that he’s excited to be returning to Little Rock and promised that he “will be focusing on further extending our stations’ track record of broadcasting excellence and service to the Central Arkansas community.”

“Mike brings a wealth of broadcast experience and long-term track record of success to his new position,” said Rick Rogala, Nexstar’s senior vice president and regional manager, in making the announcement. He has “the right skill set and community commitment to lead our efforts in this important market,” Rogala added.

KHBS-KHOG will get a new anchor and s ports director this month, as Mike Jacques joins the Fort Smith-Fayetteville affiliate on June 27. Jacques has reported and produced sports at three stations in Wisconsin: WSAW in Wausau, WMTV in Madison, and WISN in Milwaukee.

“Mike shows viewers the human side of sports, not just the scores and stats,” said KHBS-KHOG  President and General Manager Brian Sather. “I’m convinced that will resonate with our viewers.”

Known to viewers as “Jocko,” Jacques recently received an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He received his undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Jacques has been reporting on high school and college sports for more than ten years. KHBS-KHOG news director Dawn Dugle called his passion for sports “a great asset,” saying, “He’s a unique story teller and we look forward to him reporting on the Razorbacks, University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and the outdoor sports our area is known for.”

Hearst’s KHBS-KHOG, joint ABC-affiliates serving northwestern Arkansas, is set to expand its morning newscast to 4:30 a.m. beginning next week.

“As the lifestyles of our viewers change, the news we deliver must change with them,” said Brian Sather, KHBS-KHOG’s president and general manager.

The extra half-hour will be anchored by Derek Burleson (right), who has been appearing alongside Melissa Kelly in the mornings since 2008. Meteorologist Matt Devitt will also be on-hand to offer early morning weather coverage.

“Not only will our early morning viewers get local news earlier, but we’re adding resources to provide them more local news and weather,” news director Dawn Dugle pointed out. The station says that a team of field crews will be setting their alarm clocks earlier to provide additional live news reports for the expanded newscast.