A Little Rock television news director is headed to his home state of Texas, announcing Thursday his departure from KARK-TV and Fox16 after nearly seven years at the stations' helm.
Austin Kellerman has overseen news operations at the stations since 2012, producing award-winning journalism and launching an initiative to draw attention to violence throughout the state.
Kellerman said on Twitter that he’s accepted a new role in Irving, Texas as director of digital content for the station’s mother company, Nexstar Communications.
“I’m proud and honored to continue serving the #NexstarNation in this new role,” he wrote, adding that he and his family “will miss Little Rock but look forward to coming home to Texas.”
THREAD: I’m excited to announce I’ll soon be serving as #Nexstar’s Director of Digital Content based in Irving, Texas. #NexstarNation pic.twitter.com/SdOcxyNNpO
— Austin Kellerman (@AustinKellerman) February 7, 2019
A graduate of the University of North Texas, Kellerman got his start in news as a producer for the NBC affiliate station in Shreveport, Louisiana in 2004.
Kellerman was a vocal critic of a radio segment, dubbed “the babe bracket,” which ranked local female journalists.
“The days of referring to educated women who serve as role models to our children as “babes” are over. It’s time to evolve with the times,” Kellerman wrote in a blog post last year.
He highlighted on his Linkedin page that under his leadership with KARK, the station and its reporters have notched 12 regional Emmy awards and five Edward R. Murrow awards in three years.
Kellerman didn't say when his last day with the station will be.