Telemundo Taps McDonnell As WSNS GM

Telemundo Media has named Chris McDonnell president and general manager of its WSNS Chicago (DMA 3). The announcement was made by Manuel Abud, president, Telemundo Station Group, to whom McDonnell will report.

McDonnell will be responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of WSNS. He will direct and manage all aspects of the station operations, including news, sales, promotions, engineering, finance, human resources and community relations. In addition, he will oversee the development and implementation of strategic sales and marketing plans, as well as direct sales forecasting activities to meet specific company goals.

McDonnell has been with the NBC-owned television station group since 1997. Most recently, he was VP, sales and marketing at NBC’s KXAS Dallas since 2009 where he was responsible for all revenue-generating activities. Prior to joining KXAS, he was VP, sales and marketing at NBC-owned KNSD San Diego since 2005.

Previously, McDonnell was VP, sales and marketing at Telemundo’s WSNS Chicago from 2002 to 2005. From 1995 to 2002, he was at NBC’s WMAQ Chicago, where he held multiple roles including local sales manager, national sales manager and account executive.

McDonnell also was a sales and marketing executive at New World Sales & Marketing in Chicago in 1994-95. He worked at Petry Media Inc. since 1991 as an account executive, and began his career as a media planner and buyer at Leo Burnett Worldwide for McDonald’s and Procter & Gamble in 1989.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in journalism from The Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.