Whip-smart. Hyper-competitive. Extraordinarily skilled at solving
problems. Authoritative yet approachable.
That’s how colleagues describe Jordan Wertlieb, who ascended to
Hearst Television’s executive VP role early in 2011, with oversight of
the group’s 29 stations.
It’s worth mentioning that several of those same phrases pop up when
Hearst TV veterans describe David Barrett, the president and CEO.
Formerly the general manager of WBAL Baltimore (as was Barrett),
Wertlieb has crisscrossed the country since shifting to corporate, seeing up
close how the stations work. “It’s been reaffirming for me,” Wertlieb says,
“to get around to the stations and see the important work that they do.”
More recently, Wertlieb, 47, assumed the chairmanship of the
in! uential NBC affiliates board. In mid-June, he took over a director position on the National Association of
Broadcasters’ television board. Taking on such leadership roles is a core value at Hearst TV. “It’s important
for us to have a seat at the table,” says Wertlieb.
A University of Michigan grad, Wertlieb gleans management lessons from Wolverines football—what
the storied program does right when it’s successful, and just as important, what goes wrong in the leaner
years. He sees in Michigan many of the same principles that work for top-fiight media groups. “They’ve got
a leading edge all the time,” he says. “They value their people and win the right way.”
With their dogged coverage of local politics, the Hearst TV newsrooms are in their element leading up
to November’s elections. As part of the group’s Commitment 2012 initiative, each news station has pledged
a minimum 12 minutes of daily political news and candidate discourse per weekday and, where possible,
on weekends, in the month leading up to the primary and general elections. From the Hearst tower overlooking
Central Park, Wertlieb, a New York native, will ensure the stations are on top of all local political
stories, while pushing the group’s mobile DTV rollout as well.
Like legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, Wertlieb sees himself as a player’s coach. “I like to think I fit the company profile—find real good people, set expectations and give them the opportunity to be creative
and be thought leaders,” he says. “Empowering leaders is the benchmark of the company.”
