KNWA Fires Day, Promotes Jones

On Oct. 28, KNWA, the NBC affiliate in Northwest Arkansas, fired Deena Day, who has served as one of the main anchors for the television station’s evening newscasts since January 2003. Neile Jones, a morning co-anchor, replaced Day on the evening newscasts.

Day was nearing the end of the second year of her three-year contract. That contract was signed with JDG Television Inc. of Muskogee, Okla., which is in the process of selling KNWA (formerly NBC 24/51) to Nexstar Broadcasting Inc. of Irving, Texas.

“I’m very disappointed,” Day said via e-mail. “I worked hard to do my best at my job despite adverse conditions. My husband’s illness and subsequent kidney/pancreas transplant has been a real challenge for our three children and us, and to lose my job when we really need it is a blow. However, I respect the right of the company to make changes, and wish Neile Jones the best. I hope it leads to good things for her.”

We were unable to reach Blake Russell, the station’s general manager, before deadline for a comment.

Day, a Beebe native, previously worked as co-news director/anchor for WMDN and WGBC TV, the CBS and NBC affiliates in Meridian, Miss.