Kevin O'Brien, who has run Cox's KTVU(TV) Oakland, Calif., since 1986, says he will retire when his contract with the company ends in December. O'Brien says he might take some time off but plans to continue working, probably in television, and would consider coming back in a station-group job. He says there have been no talks regarding the top job at KCBS-TV Los Angeles, but he did not rule out a management job in the rapidly changing San Francisco Bay Area.
O'Brien has been interested in running a group-a position not available at Cox given the recent elevation of Andrew Fisher to group leadership-and reportedly has been a candidate to head CBS' station group. Last week, Cox promoted KTVU Oakland and KICU San Jose, Calif., Station Managers Jeffrey Block and Tom Raponi to vice president and general manager at their respective stations, but O'Brien says he will retain oversight of both stations until the end of the year.
