WOAI-TV anchor exits to be full-time mom

SAN ANTONIO — After 16 years of anchoring and reporting at WOAI-TV, Jacqueline Ortiz is leaving to concentrate more on kids and family.

Ortiz waved goodbye to the reporting side of her job Wednesday night, but will continue to co-anchor weekends with Jaie Avila through July 13.

“It was her decision,” Blaise Labbe, director of news for WOAI/KABB, said. “She wanted to spend more time with her family. Before she signed her last contract, she had said her husband wanted her to be home more with her kids — a son, 6, and daughter, 9 — but she decided to stay on the job.”

However, when the contract came up this go-round, she opted to focus on parenthood.

Ortiz, 42, said her goal to be a TV journalist was kindled at age 13. “I’ll miss the story-telling and the advocacy — being the voice of so many people,” Jackie said in a phone chat. It also will be difficult to leave behind “my teammates,” she said: Jaie, weathercaster Siobhain Anders, sportscasters David Chancellor and Don Harris.

Labbe said WOAI certainly will miss her. “I’ve always thought Jackie was a really good reporter. She relates to people really well. When I worked at KENS, I thought she was one of the strengths over here.

“But it comes to a point when, because of he demands of your job, you miss a lot in your kids’ lives,” Labbe added.

Until the local NBC affiliate hires a permanent replacement, Grace White, weekend co-anchor at sister station KABB, will fill in next to Avila on WOAI weekends, leaving Ted Garcia to anchor solo Saturdays/Sundays on the Fox affiliate.

Photo: WOAI