Brian Sather Named President-GM Of KCCI

Hearst Television today named Brian D. Sather president and general manager of its CBS affiliate KCCI Des Moines-Ames, Iowa (DMA 72).

Sather, who since 2010 has been president-GM of KHBS-KHOG, Hearst’s ABC affiliates in Fort Smith-Fayetteville, Ark., succeeds succeeds Paul Fredericksen, who in September announced his plans to retire following more than four decades in local television and nearly three decades leading KCCI. Sather is only the fifth general manager in the history of the station since it signed on in 1955.

During Sather’s time at KHBS/KHOG, he shepherded the development of Arkansas CW, considered among the nation’s fastest-growing multicast channels. He also oversaw the significant expansion of local newscasts, including the addition of weekend morning news; a one-hour Sunday late newscast; and a 9 p.m. local newscast on Arkansas CW.

Prior to moving to KHBS/KHOG in 2010, Sather over the course of 13 years rose through the ranks at KETV, the Hearst ABC affiliate in Omaha, Neb. He started at KETV as national sales manager, then became local sales manager and ultimately general sales manager.

Prior to joining Hearst at KETV, Sather served as local sales manager and, before that, account executive, at KTTW Sioux Falls, S.D. He began his TV career in news, serving as a photojournalist and in various other newsroom positions at KELO Sioux Falls.

He has been honored by the Associated Press and the National Press Photographers Association for outstanding work as a photojournalist.

Sather holds a B.A in mass communication from Augustana College in Sioux Falls.