The former news director of KSDK St. Louis will oversee journalism at Tegna’s Atlanta NBC affiliate.
TVNewsCheck’s Michael Depp talks with Carol Fowler, director of content at Tegna-owned NBC affiliate KDSK and Art Holliday, its news director, about the station’s 75-year milestone, how it’s evolving its reporting approach to crime coverage amid a dramatic surge and how the station is creatively navigating the staffing crisis facing the entire industry. A full transcript of the conversation is included.
Carol Fowler Named KSDK News Director
After the Labor Day weekend, Tegna-owned NBC affiliate KSDK St. Louis will have a new “director of content” — known in days gone by as “news director.” Carol Fowler, most recently of the Chicago Sun-Times, will take over Tuesday and be in charge of the broadcast and digital newsroom operations.
The May ratings book told a similar story as sweeps past for Chicago’s WFLD: the Fox O&O’s morning show increased viewership while its 9 p.m. newscast continued to struggle.The challenges facing WFLD are certainly not lost on VP-GM Mike Renda, who has been with the station since 2009. Renda talks about the job status of News Director Carol Fowler, how he plans to turn around the 9 p.m. newscast, and what Oprah’s departure means for the market.
Mike James’ industry website NewsBlues.com reported that WFLD News Director Carol Fowler was “ousted late Friday” after a little more than two years as vice president and news director. He said the move was part of an overhaul of news directors at five Fox-owned stations just days before the start of the May ratings sweeps. Fowler referred a call for comment Saturday to a Fox stations spokesperson in New York, who denied the report unequivocally.
