The head of Meredith’s Nashville NBC affiliate will step down next month after 39 years in local TV. From 2002 until 2011, she was president of the Freedom Broadcast Group. A search is underway for her successor in Nashville.
DMA 29
WSMV Nashville GM Doreen Wade To Retire
Doreen Wade, vice president and general manager of Meredith-owned NBC affiliate WSMV Nashville (DMA 29) for the past six years, announced Wednesday she will retire on June 30 after a 39-year career in local television.
“I have to say, this will go down as my favorite GM job and TV market,” said Wade. “I have made so many wonderful friends over the past six years at WSMV and in the Nashville community. WSMV has a rich history of award-winning journalism, unparalleled localism and devotion to community service, and I’m grateful to have had this opportunity to lead such a wonderful group of employees.”
During her tenure, Wade created and debuted a lifestyle and entertainment program Today in Nashville. It broadcasts out of the newly created Studio B, which was a labor of love for all involved. Earlier this year, WSMV aired a live telethon in Studio B that raised over $715,000 for the victims of the Pigeon Forge wildfires.
In the past year, WSMV has won four regional Edward R. Morrow Awards as well as five local Emmy Awards. Each of those regional awards is currently eligible for a national Murrow Award.
Wade has served on the Tennessee Broadcasters Board, the NBC Affiliate Board and the Regional NATAS board.
“Doreen is a terrific broadcaster and a great friend,” said Paul Karpowicz, president of Meredith Corp.’s Local Media Group. “All of us at Meredith wish Doreen the best in her retirement.”
BRAND CONNECTIONS
Wade began her career in television management at WLNE Providence, R.I., starting in sales and ultimately becoming VP-GM. From there, she moved to WRGB Albany, N.Y., as VP-GM, and then to WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla., in the same capacity.
In 2002, Freedom Communications promoted Wade to SVP-president of the Freedom Broadcast Group, where she had oversight of its eight stations until it was sold to Sinclair in 2011.
Meredith is currently conducting a national search to replace Wade at WSMV.
Comments (3)
Mike Long says:
May 25, 2017 at 10:02 am
Good riddance! A suck up/kick down boss.
dale Dietrich says:
May 25, 2017 at 12:14 pm
What a witch! Don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya!
Alex Gittleson says:
May 25, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Hey, give her a break. ‘Queenie’ has SEVEN followers on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/queenie33418
After landing her 747-sized broom at Nashville International, she left it in in the “Hourly” lot on the company dime (for the duration), and following her coronation, assumed the GM duties at grand ole’ WSMV in the ‘Throne Position’, just like a true Printer’s Alley pro.
Besides that, she was a mentor. Ask anyone who needed lessons in self-aggrandizement, cooking the books, throwing people under the bus, or fudge-packing a sinking ship’s annual revenue budgets. Great stuff, no doubt. Yet, sadly, this will undoubtedly also be remembered as the beginning of a very dire-time for the Vipers in Broadcasting Club.
Finally, hats off to the people who hired and tolerated her. Paul….Paul? Take a bow.