Dave Baker Leaving KATC at the End of 2023

Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - Is Dave Baker ending his run KATC? His name is now on the list of people leaving the Lafayette ABC TV affiliate.

In early summer of this year, the station announced internally a change in format to more reporters on the streets contributing to a newscast stacked with pre-recorded segments and less emphasis on anchors, both in the morning and evening. As a result, the station's anchors were given the opportunity to apply for new positions created under the new format.

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First to depart was "Good Morning Acadiana" co-anchor Katie Lopez who left in early September. She has since joined the staff at Broussard Chamber of Commerce as Community Engagement Director.

In late September, evening anchors Marcelle Fontenot and Jim Hummel broadcasted for the last time from the KATC news desk. Prior to their final KATC newscast, they each shared their impending departure with their Facebook audience.

The social media community responded with messages of how the pair would be missed and wishing them luck on their next adventures. Viewers expressed outrage when Marcelle and Jim's farewell message was cut short during the 6pm news on Friday, September 29. KATC did air the message in its entirety at 10 pm.

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The comments in the KPEL Facebook post foreshadowed what may be the next step for both of them, suggesting they may be joining former coworker Scott Brazda or heading to another local TV station. Although unconfirmed by Allen Media who owns Lafayette Fox affiliate KADN and NBC affiliate KLAF, news broke the weekend of October 1 that the co-anchors would be headed across the street to join the current team there.

We have been monitoring all three stations websites as the television news landscape is always changing, and we came across an interesting sentence in the bio for meteorologist-turned-anchor Dave Baker.

Baker has filled the weather position both in the morning and evening since he started at KATC in 1994. Upon the departure of former Good Morning Acadiana co-host Steven Albritton in 2017, he stepped in as co-anchor for the show with me, Tracy Wirtz, until I left in 2018. Baker continued in that role when Katie assumed the co-anchor role for the morning show. He often pulled double duty, filling in when GMA meteorologist Daniel Phillips was out.

The one line buried at the bottom of the fifth paragraph of Baker's bio on the KATC website says:

Dave will complete nearly 30 years before stepping down at KATC at the end of 2023.

KATC management confirmed that Baker will be leaving:

Dave's contract is up at the end of the year, and he has decided to move on from KATC. Don't know what his plans are, but we'll certainly miss him in the morning!

On a personal note, I can tell you that Dave embraced Acadiana and truly loves being part of the culture. He is devoted to his wife and his boys, and he enjoys road trips. He has a quick wit, he's whip smart, and what you see is what you get with Dave. Sharing the set with him and Tom Voinche were the highlight and most fun I had in my television career.

No word yet on what the next step on Dave's path through life will take him.