Pushed Out In Springfield
There are changes going down at Sinclair's WICS in Springfield, IL.
The station is blowing out the morning Anchor team of Adam Rife and Jenn Sullivan.
“My contract’s up at the end of December, and management has chosen to go in a different direction,” Rife said. “And that’s the nature of the business.”
“I’m really sad,” Sullivan said. “I love Springfield. This is an incredible community. And I’ve loved working at Channel 20. It’s been an amazing opportunity and I’ve really grown.”
The station has seen a lot of turnover and MMJ Esther Kwon, who started in May 2016 under a two-year contract said she decided to leave early, giving a 30-day notice and staying through a “sweeps” period important to station ratings.
“A BIG THANK YOU to all of my viewers, coworkers, friends and sources who have welcomed me to central Illinois a year and a half ago,” she wrote in a Nov. 16 Facebook post, a day before her final day at the station. “My time here has been filled with incredible people, unforgettable memories and stories I will always remember.”
David Coy, who was a sports anchor and reporter, also has left the station. Other recent departures include Jaclyn Driscoll, now with WUIS-NPR-Illinois in Springfield, and reporter Matt Witkos, now with WJRT, ABC 12 in Flint, Michigan.
Rick Lipps, general manager for WICS, did not comment on individuals.
“We’re committed to having a full staff here, and as people in this market or any market move on to bigger things or other seasons in their life, we are looking to replace” them, he said.