CLEVELAND, Ohio - Andy Baskin, the longtime sports broadcaster known for his insight and poise, is no longer the sports director and anchor at WEWS-Channel 5.

The station's vice president and general manager, Steve Weinstein, said Wednesday that Baskin and David Kaplar, an assistant news director, are no longer with the station. He declined to say why.

"I can only tell you that neither of them works at WEWS,'' he said.

Several attempts to reach Baskin and Kaplar were unsuccessful.

Besides working at WEWS, Baskin also co-hosts the radio show Baskin and Phelps, on 92.3 The Fan, WKRK-FM, with analyst Jeff Phelps. In a series of tweets, Baskin said he looked forward to spending more time with his family.

"Thank you all for watching me for the past decade doing local news,'' Baskin tweeted. "It became very clear to me when I lost my father a few weeks ago that what is important in life is your family and friends. It has been really hard juggling both radio and TV . . . I am looking forward to being home at night.''

Baskin, a Cleveland Heights High School and Kent State University graduate, got his start in Cleveland television at WKYC Channel 3 as a sports reporter and as an analyst for the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavs on Fox Sports Net, after positions including sports anchor at WBNS-TV in Columbus.

He joined WEWS in 2007, initially as a sports reporter and later as a sports anchor. While working in Cleveland, Baskin raised thousands of dollars for the research of cystic fibrosis. The Plain Dealer reported in 2006 that Baskin's brother, Bruce, died from it in 2005.

Kaplar had worked at WEWS for years. The longtime broadcast journalist is a graduate of the University of Akron.

The E.W. Scripps Co., which owns WEWS, has posted both jobs on its website. In a posting, the company said it is seeking "a dynamic, new sports anchor'' who could tell stories in a "bold, fresh and compelling way.''