In response to our posting earlier this week about Mark McEwen, a WKMG insider says the morning anchor likely will not return to work until March at the earliest. The source said McEwen is still undergoing rehabilitation from his November stroke.

We wish McEwen a speedy recovery and hope he returns soon. But his extended absence, we're told, has WKMG pondering options -- especially for the upcoming February sweeps. With WESH overhauling its morning show, Channel 6 had a good opportunity to try to grab some of Channel 2's audience. But Local 6's morning anchor team of McEwen and Jacquie Sosa hasn't been together on the air in months -- first due to Sosa's maternity leave, then McEwen's stroke. Hard to build an audience when your anchors aren't in front of the cameras.