KREM-TV news anchor takes New Orleans job

By Tom Sowa
The Spokesman-Review

KREM television news anchor Beverly Carr finally gave in to the seven-year itch, announcing Wednesday she’s leaving Spokane for another job.

Carr, Spokane’s longest-tenured TV anchor, has given notice to KREM management that she’s signed a contract to work for a New Orleans TV station.

“I’ve been telling myself for the past two years it was time to leave,” Carr said Wednesday.

“Like my agent said, it’s now or never. It sounds trite but we’re not getting any younger.”

Carr’s departure is the latest in a series of recent defections and job reassignments at KREM. Earlier this summer weather reporter Shelly Monahan left KREM for a job in Sacramento.

Carr, 32, has worked at KREM for seven years, coming to Spokane from a similar position in Northern California.

In the past year she said she considered about a dozen TV news jobs around the country, having turned down two offers before choosing WDSU in New Orleans, the 34th-largest market in the country. Spokane is ranked 78th.

During her KREM career, Carr handled not just evening and late-night news anchoring, but produced both newscasts as well.

Carr will begin her New Orleans job at the end of August. The assignment there includes late-night co-anchoring and general news reporting.

WDSU, an NBC affiliate, is owned by Cosmos Broadcasting.

“I’ve been desperate to get back to reporting,” Carr added. “This is a great place to live but I can’t do all I need to do here. There just aren’t enough people.”

Her last day at KREM will be July 18, the same day the station introduces Carr’s replacement at the 5 and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Filling the co-anchor post will be Maureen O’Boyle, said Jan Allen, KREM news director. O’Boyle comes to Spokane from Macon, Ga.

Carr and her husband, Steve Miller, elected to move to New Orleans after two visits to that city. “It sounds corny, but what made me go there was the people. I want people to work with who’ll be as comfortable as the people here have been,” said Carr.

Friday, July 11, 1986