Lori Waldon has been named KOAT Albuquerque president and general manager. Waldon was Hearst Television regional director of news and the news director at KCRA-KQCA Sacramento. All are part of Hearst Television.
Waldon starts Jan. 1 and succeeds Mary Lynn Roper atop the station.
Hearst TV has not named a successor at KCRA-KQCA.
“Lori is an accomplished, award-winning journalist with an outstanding record of leadership,” said Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst Television president. “Lori brings the experience, skills and reputation to build upon the exceptional work of Mary Lynn and the KOAT team.”
Under Waldon’s leadership, KCRA earned a 2018 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall News Excellence. Waldon joined KCRA from Hearst TV’s WISN Milwaukee. Before joining Hearst at WISN, Waldon was assistant news director at Sacramento’s KOVR. Before that, she was managing editor at KPIX San Francisco.
Waldon serves on the NBC News Directors Task Force, and was chair of the ABC News Directors Advisory Board. She is a visiting faculty member at The Poynter Institute for Journalism Studies and a leadership coach for the RTDNA. Waldon graduated from the National Association of Broadcasters’ Broadcast Leadership Training program and is an active member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
