B&C will salute the finest in local broadcast in the Dec. 10 issue. The General Manager of the Year for markets 1-25 will be awarded to Jackie Bradford, president and general manager of WRC-WZDC Washington, NBCUniversal’s NBC-Telemundo pair in our nation’s capital. WZDC launched in January, offering the market a full slate of Spanish-language news content. Bradford increased WRC’s news output, bolstered the station’s digital approach and enhanced its investigative team.
For markets 26-50, B&C salutes John Humphries, president and general manager of Hearst Television’s WYFF Greenville (SC). The station went through a very difficult time in 2018. An anchor and a videographer were killed as they covered severe weather in May. Humphries managed the station through the tragedy, and through outstanding Hurricane Florence coverage in September as the station did roughly 42 straight hours of live news.
Ulysses Carlini Jr. is the general manager pick for markets 51-plus, running WJHG Panama City (FL). Carlini manages Gray Television’s NBC, CBS, CW and MyNetworkTV affiliates in market No. 150, and oversaw hurricane coverage in October, when WJHG was knocked off the air, and broadcast on Facebook Live.
Station Group of the Year goes to Tribune, which broke off its merger deal with Sinclair, and embraced its independent spirit throughout its 42 stations.
News Director of the Year goes to Carolyn Mungo of Tegna’s WFAA Dallas. The market had massive stories to cover this year, including a Senate race that much of the nation eagerly watched, flooding, immigration and a police officer fatally shooting an innocent man. Mungo oversaw WFAA’s top-flight coverage of them all, competing against network-owned rivals.
Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year goes to CBS Television Stations, which launches CBSN New York, a combination of 24-7 streaming news channel CBSN and WCBS New York, later this year. CBS’ other stations will follow suit, partnering with CBSN to give their users a worthwhile digital option for consuming news.
“We are pleased to salute the most progressive figures in local television, who further their stations’ relationships with viewers with their savvy leadership,” said Mark Robichaux, managing director, content, Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News. “Their innovation, acuity and passion for local broadcast is inspiring to witness.”
