By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Brien McElhatten, surprisingly let go by WPTA TV in Fort Wayne in late August, will be joining a Salt Lake City television station in December.
McElhatten and his wife, the former Krista Miller, a Decatur native, had formed a highly-regarded anchor team for several years at 21 Alive before his unceremoniously sudden firing.
Krista has since left the station, signing off on Oct. 13.
McElhatten will be anchoring for ABC4News in Salt Lake City, beginning Dec. 4.
“I am so pleased we were able to attract a top-notch talent like Brien McElhatten,” Nancy Bauer, Director of News at ABC4/CW30, said in making the announcement. “Brien is a strong journalist, who loves to tell stories about the people in his community. He will be a great addition to our ABC4 family.”
The McElhattens – Brien, Krista, and two-year-old daughter Milllie (see photo) – will be relocating to Salt Lake City.
The ABC4 announcement said McElhatten “has already made an impact and achieved quite a lot in the 15 years since launching his journalism and storytelling career in 2008 at WPTA in Fort Wayne, Ind. In addition to his work in Indiana, he’s reported and anchored locally, nationally, and internationally for KNXV in Phoenix, Arizona, and the syndicated magazine program “The List.”
“He returned to WPTA in Fort Wayne in 2015 to anchor the station’s primary weekday newscasts.”
The announcement said McElhatten will be joining ABC4 news anchor Emily Florez, chief meteorologist Alana Brophy, and sports anchors Dana Greene and Wesley Ruff on ABC4 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. starting Monday, Dec. 4.
“I’ve always approached journalism as a community service,” McElhatten said in the announcement. “We’re at our best when we serve the public interest by asking meaningful questions, uncovering facts, and exploring solutions to our toughest problems.
“When rumors and disinformation often spread faster than the truth, good journalism plays a critical role in helping us stay informed. I know ABC4 is committed to that.”
“Brien will be a great asset to our growing team of journalists at Utah’s first television station,” said Mark Danielson, Vice President and General Manager of ABC4-CW30. “Brien embraces fresh perspectives and will help illuminate stories that matter to Utahns.”
“Family is at the center of everything we do, and this community already feels warm and welcoming. We can’t wait to explore it and meet our neighbors,” McElhatten said. “I’m thrilled to join the team at ABC4. Their commitment to meaningful journalism and enthusiasm for the community resonated with me.”
