BANGOR – Jan Smith, anchorwoman and news director at WVII-TV 7, is leaving the ABC affiliate to become assistant news director at WTO-TV 11 in Savannah, Ga.

Smith will give her final broadcast for WVII on Monday, Aug. 16.

“I’m extremely sad about going, but opportunities like this come every once in a while,” said Smith during a phone interview Friday. “I’m leaving the best staff I’ve ever worked with. This is a fabulous, dedicated, news department.”

Smith cites working in a bigger market as the primary reason for making the move south. Savannah is the 98th largest television market in the country, while Bangor is the 154th.

Smith was born in England, but grew up in Orono, where she attended high school and the University of Maine. She got her start in broadcasting in 1983 as an intern with WLBZ-TV 2 while still in college. She continued to work as a reporter at WLBZ until 1993, when she moved to Texas.

Smith returned to Bangor and WLBZ in 1998. In 2001, Smith joined WVII-TV 7 as anchorwoman and news director of the station’s evening broadcast.

WVII’s station manager could not be reached for comment.

Smith said she will begin her new job sometime in the beginning of September, after she moves to Savannah with her husband, Michael Finnegan, and 6-year-old son, Jack.