Tribune Announces Executive Appointments
Within Broadcasting Division
Bureau to provide enhanced
editorial content for Tribune's newspapers, broadcasting and
interactive operations
CHICAGO, March 7, 2001 -- Dennis
J. FitzSimons, Tribune Company executive vice president and
Tribune Broadcasting president, today announced new executive
appointments within the broadcasting group.
Patrick J. Mullen, regional vice president/Tribune
Television, has been named president/Tribune Television. Michael
Eigner, president/Tribune Television, has been named to the
newly created position of president/Tribune Cable. Peter S.
Walker, regional vice president/Tribune Television, has been
named senior vice president/Tribune Television. John E. Reardon,
vice president/general manager of KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, has
been named West Coast regional vice president.
"Television and cable have been important
elements in Tribune's growth," said FitzSimons. "We
are refining our organizational structure to take advantage
of our strong management team and to position us for continued
growth.
"Serving as regional vice president, Pat
Mullen has done an exceptional job," said FitzSimons.
"His entrepreneurial instincts and drive have added new
energy to our station group. We're fortunate to have strong
management talent throughout our group, and Pat will have
some excellent resources to draw on in his new position."
In addition to overseeing Tribune's television
group of 22 stations, Mullen will be directly responsible
for WGN-TV, Chicago; WXIN-TV, Indianapolis; and WXMI-TV, Grand
Rapids.
In his new role, Eigner will oversee WGN Cable,
as well as Tribune's ownership interests in TV Food Network
and The Golf Channel. In addition, he will be responsible
for the East Coast region of Tribune Television.
"Cable is one of Tribune's fastest-growing
business sectors," said FitzSimons. "Michael has
played an important role in development of our television
group. His management experience, programming expertise and
a proven ability to work with cable and satellite providers
makes him an excellent choice to lead Tribune's cable efforts."
WGN Cable recently passed the 50 million mark
in homes reached. Today, the channel is America's most watched
superstation, featuring sports, movies, first-run action,
news and popular off-network programs. TV Food Network, in
which Tribune holds a 29% equity position, is currently seen
in 54 million homes. The Golf Channel is seen in 32 million
homes, and Tribune holds an 8% position in that service.
With this added responsibility, Eigner will
concentrate his television activities on the East Coast where
he is based. In addition to WGN Cable, Eigner will oversee
WPIX-TV, New York; WPHL-TV, Philadelphia; WLVI-TV, Boston;
WBDC-TV, Washington, D.C.; WTIC-TV, Hartford; WPMT-TV, Harrisburg-York;
and WEWB-TV, Albany.
"Peter Walker is one of our most able
and experienced senior executives," said FitzSimons.
"His ability to handle large-scale projects and effectively
manage change has made him an extremely valuable executive
for Tribune Television."
As senior vice president, Walker will oversee
the western and southern regions of the Tribune Television
station group including KTLA; KDAF-TV, Dallas; WATL-TV, Atlanta;
KHWB-TV, Houston; WBZL-TV, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale; KWGN-TV,
Denver; and WGNO-WNOL-TV, New Orleans. In addition, Walker
will assume responsibility for development of regional operating
systems.
Reardon will continue to manage KTLA and will
add responsibility for KCPQ-KTWB-TV, Seattle; KTXL-TV, Sacramento;
and KSWB-TV, San Diego.
"Based in Los Angeles, John is a veteran
broadcaster with the important relationships needed to work
with our West Coast stations on a regular basis," said
FitzSimons. "We're fortunate to have someone of John's
ability already based on the West Coast."
Mullen has been regional vice president of
Tribune Television since 1998. Previously, he was general
manager of WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, since 1989 and joined Tribune
with the acquisition of that station. Mullen began his career
in 1979 as an account executive in Traverse City, Mich. He
entered sales management at WKFT-TV, Fayetteville, N.C., in
1982 and the following year moved to WXMI as general sales
manager.
A native of Pentwater, Mich., Mullen attended
the University of Michigan. He is a past chairman of The Fox
Affiliates Board, and has served on the board of trustees
of Aquinas College, the Davenport College Foundation and the
Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired Foundation.
Eigner is a 30-year broadcasting veteran. He
joined Tribune in 1985 when the company acquired KTLA where
he was station manager. In 1989, he became vice president/general
manager of WPIX and has directed the television group since
1998. Eigner began his career in sales in 1970 at TeleRep,
joining Petry Television in 1972 before joining KTLA as national
sales manager in 1974. He was named KTLA sales manager in
1977.
A native of Queens, N.Y., Eigner holds a bachelor's
degree in marketing from City College of New York. He currently
serves as a director for the National Association of Broadcasters
and the International Radio & Television Foundation, and
is president of the Tribune New York Foundation. He previously
served as chairman for the Association for Local Television
Stations and the New York State Broadcasters Association.
Walker joined Tribune in 1987 in sales management
at WGN. He became station manager of KTLA in 1989 and was
named vice president/general manger of WGN in 1992. He was
named regional vice president of Tribune Television in 1998.
A Chicago native, Walker holds a bachelor's degree from Amherst
College.
Reardon served as station manager of KTLA from
1992 to 1996, and in sales management at WGN starting in 1985.
A Chicago native, Reardon holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola
University.
:: :: ::
TRIBUNE (NYSE:
TRB) is one of the country's premier media companies,
operating businesses in broadcasting, publishing and on the
Internet. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households,
and is the only media company with television stations, newspapers
and Web sites in the nation's top three markets. Tribune media
span 23 major-market television stations, including national
superstation WGN-TV; 12 market-leading daily newspapers, including
the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsday; and news
and information Web sites in 18 of the nation's top 30 markets.
Tribune Broadcasting owns and operates
22 major market television stations, including national superstation
WGN-TV, and reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. television
households. The company has interests in The WB Television
Network (25%) and TV Food Network (29%). Tribune also owns
and operates four radio stations, including WGN-AM in Chicago
and three stations in Denver. Tribune Entertainment develops
and distributes first-run television programming for the Tribune
station group and for national syndication. In addition, the
company owns the Chicago Cubs baseball team. |
