Former Action News Jacksonville anchor Mark Spain heading back to anchor desk

Former Action News television anchor Mark Spain is leaving the Jacksonville market for another broadcasting job.

Spain was one of five anchors at Action News, WJAX TV-47 and WFOX TV-30, who were jettisoned from the news operations there last summer. Spain, who had remained in Jacksonville, has not been on the air in local TV news since leaving Action News, but Wednesday he confirmed he's agreed to a broadcast news job outside of North Florida.

"It's been a pleasure to serve the news viewers in Jacksonville over the past nearly 15 years," Spain said in an email statement to the Times-Union. "Moving out of state will be bittersweet. My family and I have loved Northeast Florida, the people and climate."

Spain said he would not be more specific on his relocation due to a pre-employment agreement that limits disclosure of the job prior to taking to the air.

Spain was at Action News as one of the main anchors for seven years before his contract was not renewed. The only Action News anchor that was part of the purge that remains with the station is Spain's former co-anchor Paige Kelton, who is an off-air special projects manager at the station.

Prior to landing at Action News, Spain was an anchor and reporter at First Coast News, WTLV TV-12 and WJXX TV-25, in Jacksonville beginning in 2000. He came here after working in Cleveland.

Spain's wife and 3-year-old son will be moving with him.

"We may be moving, but we will carry with us a treasure-trove of fond memories," Spain said. "I learned so much from my colleagues in Jax. They helped make the news products and me better."