Sheila Gray, morning anchor for Cincinnati FOX affiliate WXIX, is leaving the station tomorrow.
In a rare moment of transparency revealing the oft-hidden world of local anchor contracts, WXIX general manager Bill Lanesey confirmed with TVSpy he told the Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Kiesewetter Gray is leaving after she turned down the station’s multi-year offer.
>UPDATE: Gray confirmed with TVSpy it was her decision to leave adding, “I can’t comment more, except today that I am exploring my options.”
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“We feel we made a very fair offer for her to stay with us for multiple years, which did not include a reduction in pay. She even told me that she felt it was a very fair offer,” Lanesey told the Enquirer. “But she said it was in the best interest for her and her career to leave.”
Lanesey, who initially told Kiesewetter he wouldn’t comment on the matter, said he didn’t know where Gray is headed next.
Lanesey explained that he declined comment earlier today so Gray could “say her goodbyes tomorrow in her own words” on her last ”Fox 19 Morning News” broadcast. He just called me to give the station’s side of the story after reading my blog, in which I said one possible reason for leaving could be that she didn’t want to take a pay cut.
“The speculation that we fired her couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.
Before working at WXIX, Gray worked at WSAZ in Charleston, W.V.
TVSpy has reached out to Gray for comment. We will update when we hear back.