Another anchor has left the Arizona's Family stations in Phoenix.
Whitney Clark, a weekend anchor and reporter for "Good Morning Arizona," announced in social media posts on Saturday, Sept. 26, that she was leaving.
"After almost 16 years, I've decided to leave TV news," she said in the posts. "This was a very bittersweet and emotional decision because this has always been so much more than just a job. It's been my life and a huge part of who I am. I was an intern for Good Morning Arizona and as cliché as it sounds, anchoring and reporting at this station is truly my dream job.
"But sometimes dreams change. I did it. I'm beyond grateful for all the beautiful things this career has given me. And I'm so excited to live a different kind of life."
Arizona's Family is undergoing an exodus
Reached by The Arizona Republic, Clark said the reasons for leaving are "really not that interesting or salacious. I'll be honest with you, I'm just extremely tired. I mean, I've worked in news for almost 16 years, and I've worked mornings, I worked overnights, I've worked weekends, I've worked every single shift you could ever imagine. And after a while, it just gets really exhausting.
"I'm just really burnt out. I mean, I'm just really burned out. I love this business. It was my dream job. It was all I ever wanted to do. But I think in the last year or so, it's just really started to affect my mental health, my physical health, you know, my actual life in a way that I could no longer ignore."
Arizona’s Family comprises Channels 3 and 5, both owned by Atlanta-based Gray Television. Clark joined the stations in February of 2020. She previously worked at KGUN in Tucson and KTVL in Medford, Oregon.
In the past few months, anchors Yetta Gibson and Simone Cuccurullo, as well as reporter David Caltabiano, have left Arizona's Family. Clark declined to address the other exits.
Whitney Clark is staying in Arizona
As for what's next, Clark said, "I think the most important thing that I want people to know is I'm not going to be doing TV news anymore. But I'm staying in Phoenix. I'm not moving. You know, I met my husband working in Tucson. My husband's a photographer at ABC 15, actually. So the news has obviously changed my life in a lot of ways."
Beyond that, Clark is keeping it quiet.
"My job has been a huge part of my identity in a way that I think at times can be unhealthy," she said. "So moving forward, I want my job to be secondary. People are like, what are you doing? OK, well, I'm going to go on hikes, I'm gonna read, I'll hang out with my husband. I will be working and have a job, but I'm really trying to make my job not my whole personality."
Clark's last day on the air at Arizona's Family is Oct. 18.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Good Morning Arizona' loses yet another anchor. 'Dreams change'
