Pat Costello, who came to run CBS' WBBM-TV news department in his home town of Chicago a year and a half ago from Salt Lake City sister station KUTV-TV, said Monday that he is leaving to run the news departments at A.H. Belo-owned KING-TV and KONG-TV in Seattle.
Dave Lougee, who had the job, was elevated to general manager.
Costello's departure follows closely that of WBBM-TV Vice President and General Manager Hank Price, who is going to Hearst's WXII-TV Greensboro, N.C., next month, but Costello said the move had been in the works prior to Price's announcement and is unrelated.
"I'm not leaving something. I'm going toward something: a great television station, great group, at a great place," he said.
Costello helped launch Carol Marin's distinctive 10 p.m. news, which has received good reviews but has had trouble attracting a large audience.
Assistant News Director Danice Kern will serve as interim news director.
