Justin Draper has been named president and general manager of WBZ-WSBK Boston, the CBS-owned pair in DMA No. 10. He will report to Adrienne Roark, president, CBS Stations, and starts Oct. 25.
Draper has been general manager of KOVR-KMAX Sacramento. He was financial controller at WBZ-WSBK from 2006 to 2010.
He succeeds Mark Lund, who stepped down as WBZ-WSBK president/general manager last month.
“WBZ is one of great legacy stations in our industry, and we are pleased to have someone with Justin’s previous experience, and his appreciation of the people there who make it such a special place, as the new president and general manager of CBS Boston,” Wendy McMahon, president and co-head, CBS News and Stations, said. “We look forward to having Justin uphold our commitments to serving our viewers as well as our business and community partners, while also helping us reimagine the way we operate in order to drive future success across our broadcast, streaming and digital platforms.”
Prior to joining CBS Sacramento, Draper was financial controller at the CBS Stations in Los Angeles (2010-2018), Boston (2006-2010), Chicago (2003-2006) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (1997-2003). He joined CBS Stations as the assistant controller at WCCO Minneapolis in 1995.
“Justin has proven himself to be a thoughtful and impactful leader who is clearly aligned with the visions and values of CBS Stations,” said Roark. “During his time as the general manager of our Sacramento stations, he has demonstrated a commitment to producing best-in-class content, promoted a positive workplace culture and made a meaningful impact on the diverse communities we serve. We look forward to seeing Justin continue to succeed as he returns to CBS Boston.”
Draper took over as KOVR-KMAX GM in September 2018.
“I am deeply honored and thankful for the opportunity to move back to Boston and lead the terrific team at WBZ and WSBK,” Draper said. “I want to thank Wendy, Adrienne and everyone else at CBS Stations who has offered their support over the years. I am especially grateful for the wonderful experience I have had in Sacramento during the past three years. While I hate to say goodbye to my KOVR and KMAX colleagues, I am confident they will continue to shine as market leaders. And speaking of great teams, I am excited to come back to CBS Boston and partner with longtime colleagues, as well as everyone who has come on board since I moved to California.”
