Morning anchor looking at options. (Media & Technology).

It took the "KTLA Morning News" a while to recover from last year's departure of popular anchor Barbara Beck. Now, the future of another member of the morning news team is in doubt.

Carlos Amezcua's contract runs out next month and while negotiations with KTLA-TV (Channel 5) continued as of last week, La Opinion recently reported that the co-anchor is considering making a change.

"After 11 years, I think about my future, in doing more than what I'm doing now," he told the Spanish-language newspaper.

Mendes Napoli, Amezcua's agent, told the Business Journal that "we are in negotiations with KTLA right now and they would like him to stay. We are trying to work that out."

But he added, "It would be customary at a time like this to look at other options."

KTLA News Director Jeff Wald said the station wants Amezcua to stay, but he declined to comment on the negotiations. While not familiar with Amezcua's contract, local television insiders said local morning anchors generally make between $500,000 and $1 million a year.

Beck left during the May 2001 sweeps period, during which time the "KTLA Morning News" posted a 3.1 rating. That put the show behind rival "Good Day L.A." the KTTV-TV (Channel 11) morning news program, which earned a 3.3.

"There was some sampling of our competition in that period," Wald said. "Whenever you make a change, even if it's for the better, there is a dip for a short period."

Giselle Fernandez, a former KTLA reporter and co-anchor, returned to the station in October 2001 to replace Beck. The competing morning shows came out tied in this year's May sweeps.