Longtime personality Darla Montgomery will move into Marcelle Fontenot’s spot on the anchor desk at News 15 alongside with Jim Hummel, said Jim Parker, vice president and general manager for KADN and KALF.
Montgomery, who joined KADN in January after she spent 33 years in the Lafayette television news market mostly at KLFY, will end up anchoring two slots for the station. Her midday program, News 15 Midday with Darla, will debut Monday, Parker said.
“I recently said it was an honor to join News 15,” Montgomery said. ”I also look forward now to continuing the standard of broadcasting excellence at News 15 set by my friend Marcelle.”
Fontenot, first hired by KATC in 2001 as an intern while enrolled at Southern University, reached celebrity status in two decades in the Acadiana market. She was named co-anchor of the station’s 6 p.m. newscast in June 2006 and began anchoring the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. news programs each weeknight.
“It’s a bittersweet day at News 15,” Parker said. “While we are so excited personally for Marcelle and understand her decision, she will be greatly missed. But we are fortunate that Darla has agreed to fill that gap.”
She and Hummel left KATC in late 2023 as the station abandoned its anchor desk positions.
Gray Media has deals to acquire both KADN and KATC that are pending federal approval.
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