In its deal four years ago for the Lincoln
Financial stations, Raycom got three
quality TV outlets—and a talented operator
in then-WWBT Richmond general
manager Don Richards. Richards
gave up his day-to-day role at WWBT
last year and, in his new post, has taken
on oversight of eight stations
in Raycom’s southeastern stronghold
in Virginia and the Carolinas. From his office in Richmond, Richards
oversees a batch of market powerhouses including WWBT, WCSC
Charleston, WIS Columbia and WECT Wilmington. The region is targeted
by hurricanes and politicians alike: After storm season clears
out, the presidential hopefuls will lobby hard for votes in the region,
meaning lots of vital local news stories and bundles of political ad cash.
Raycom is pushing hard to ink shared services deals around the
nation, meaning Richards may even add more responsibility to his
sterling professional portfolio as the year moves on.
