Anchor Casey Smith Departed KNWA/Fox24
The veteran journalist left the Fayetteville station to join a news team in his Virginia hometown.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Jobs — General
Casey Smith has anchored his final weekend newscast for KNWA/Fox24 after a three-year tenure at the station. He will now transition into a new role as a weekend producer for WAVY.
Why it matters
The move represents a significant staffing change for the local newsroom in Fayetteville, as Smith leaves behind his role as a primary weekend anchor. His departure highlights the typical mobility of broadcast journalists moving between regional markets.
Smith served at the station for a total of 3 years. His reporting work included a 30-minute special on the May 26, 2024, Decatur tornado.
The players
Casey Smith
He is a broadcast journalist who recently concluded a three-year tenure as a multimedia reporter and weekend anchor at KNWA/Fox24.
KNWA/Fox24
This is a television station based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that serves the Northwest Arkansas region.
WAVY
This is a television station located in Newport News, Virginia, where Smith has accepted a new position.
Nexstar
This is a large media company that owns both KNWA/Fox24 and WAVY.
The details
After beginning his time in Northwest Arkansas as a multimedia reporter in October 2023, Smith moved into the weekend anchor position by February 2024. He accepted the new producer position within Nexstar, which is the parent company for both KNWA/Fox24 and his future employer, WAVY.
Timeline
October 2023 marked the start of his multimedia reporter role.
February 2024 saw the transition to the weekend anchor desk.
May 26, 2024, was the date of the Decatur tornado event covered by Smith.
September 27, 2026, served as the date for his final newscast.
Market Landscape
This transition aligns with the internal mobility strategies of Nexstar to move talent between its regional broadcast assets. By shifting experienced reporters into new roles within the same parent company, the network maintains continuity across its local news ecosystem.
Local viewers of KNWA/Fox24 will notice a change in the weekend anchor lineup starting after the September 27, 2026, broadcast. There are no changes to service availability or subscription costs for the station's regular programming.
The takeaway
Journalists often build their careers by moving between different regional media markets to gain broader experience. Viewers should expect occasional changes to on-air talent as these professionals pursue new opportunities within large media groups.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest labor shifts in our local Jobs — General section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Home Page.
