WCNC anchor Dave Wagner is out at the Charlotte NBC affiliate.
The Charlotte Observer reports his contract wasn’t renewed.
His departure comes as Gannett – the McLean, Va.-based media giant that acquired Channel 36 in December 2013 – is making changes to build audience for its Charlotte newscasts, which have long run a distant third to market leaders WSOC (Channel 9) and WBTV (Channel 3).
AdvertisementIn the May ratings sweeps, WCNC’s 6 p.m. newscast attracted only 15 percent of local news viewers in the time slot; WSOC’s No. 1 newscast commanded 50 percent.
Wagner came to WCNC from WLWT in Cincinnati in 2008, replacing an anchor who left TV to become a full time minister. He’s also worked in Tampa, Fla. and Lexington, Ky.