Mark Spain, one of the five anchors let go from Cox-owned Jacksonville station WJAX-WFOX last year, has found a new job.
Spain told The Florida Times-Union he couldn’t be more specific about where he’s heading due to a pre-employment agreement, other than to say he’s taken a job outside of Florida.
“It’s been a pleasure to serve the news viewers in Jacksonville over the past nearly 15 years,” said Spain. “Moving out of state will be bittersweet. My family and I have loved Northeast Florida, the people and climate.”
Spain was at Action News as one of the main anchors for seven years before his contract was not renewed. The only Action News anchor that was part of the purge that remains with the station is Spain’s former co-anchor Paige Kelton, who is an off-air special projects manager at the station.
Prior to landing at Action News, Spain was an anchor and reporter at First Coast News, WTLV TV-12 and WJXX TV-25, in Jacksonville beginning in 2000. He came here after working in Cleveland.
Spain’s wife and 3-year-old son will be moving with him.
“We may be moving, but we will carry with us a treasure-trove of fond memories,” Spain said. “I learned so much from my colleagues in Jax. They helped make the news products and me better.”