Veteran Anchor Staci Spanos Returns to TV News After 8-Year Real Estate Hiatus

Spanos will rejoin Jacksonville's WJXT as an evening anchor and investigative reporter.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 5:04am

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After spending over 30 years as a journalist, including more than a decade as the lead anchor for The Morning Show at WJXT in Jacksonville, Staci Spanos left television in 2018 to become a residential real estate agent. Now, she is returning to the Graham Media station and will join the station's "I-Team" and contribute to evening newscasts starting on April 13.

Why it matters

Spanos' return to TV news after an eight-year career change to real estate highlights the ongoing evolution of the industry, as experienced journalists sometimes leave the field only to later return. Her homecoming to WJXT, where she was a long-time fixture, also demonstrates the value that stations place on veteran talent with deep community ties.

The details

During her time in real estate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, Spanos focused on high-end property transactions. Prior to her career change, she was a long-time anchor, writer, and editor at WJXT, where her previous body of work includes an Edward R. Murrow Award for a documentary on the Gainesville student murders and various recognitions from the Associated Press.

  • Spanos will rejoin WJXT on April 13, 2026.
  • Spanos left television in 2018 to become a residential real estate agent.

The players

Staci Spanos

A veteran journalist who is returning to WJXT in Jacksonville as an evening anchor and investigative reporter after an eight-year hiatus to work in the real estate industry.

WJXT

A Graham Media-owned television station in Jacksonville, Florida where Spanos previously worked for over a decade as a lead anchor.

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What they’re saying

“After spending over 30 years as a journalist—including more than a decade as the lead anchor for The Morning Show—Spanos left television to become a residential real estate agent.”

— Scott Jones, Author

What’s next

Spanos will officially rejoin WJXT's evening news team on April 13, 2026.

The takeaway

Spanos' return to TV news after an eight-year career change demonstrates the ongoing evolution of the industry, as experienced journalists sometimes leave the field only to later return to their roots, bringing valuable expertise and community connections back to the stations they once called home.