Patrick Paolini will lead streamlined group combining local, national and digital sales efforts.
Jack Abernethy (r), CEO of Fox Television Stations, got the Golden Mike Award at The Plaza in New York on March 6, the award given out annually by the Broadcasters Foundation of America. Richard E. Wiley (l), chair emeritus at Wiley and former FCC chairman, was presented with the charity’s Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award.
Fox’s Abernethy: Expanding News Must Avoid The ‘Ron Burgundy Shuffle’
With a 10 p.m. primetime hand back hanging over broadcast, Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy says producing more of the same local news will have diminishing returns for the whole industry. In a wide-ranging Executive Session interview, Abernethy weighs in on programming challenges and their pressures on newsrooms, streaming opportunities and his outlook for syndication, measurement, auto’s resurgence in spot and broadcast’s ability to compete against the big streamers.
He will be recognized at a gala award ceremony and fundraiser to be held March 6, 2023, at the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Station Group Chiefs: There’s Common Cause For Broadcast And Cable
Local broadcasters and cable operators needn’t be constantly at odds with each other, leaders from Fox Television Stations, Hearst Television and Gray Television said in a panel last week that also tackled streaming, M&A and diversity.
Exclusives
Station group leaders Jordan Wertlieb from Hearst Television; Jack Abernethy from Fox Television Stations; and Pat LaPlatney from Gray Television will unpack the state of TV amid enormous change at TV2025: Monetizing the Future, a virtual conference. Register here.
Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy says the group’s decision to target African-American viewers on OTT with Fox Soul was part of a broader strategy to break from the pack in streaming news. News Now, its multiplatform streamer, takes a different tack using live coverage stitched together and “deejayed” from its Phoenix station with other O&Os soon to contribute.
TVN Executive Session | Fox’s Jack Abernethy: TV Leadership Has ‘Never Been Tested’ Like Now
Political is bolstering a comeback for TV advertising, but as COVID-19’s uncertainties continue to loom, Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy says managing in a climate of fear continues to be challenging.
Abernethy Talks Super Bowl, Election, More
Jack Abernethy, head of Fox Television Stations, addressed NFL rights, the presidential election’s effect on regulation, station consolidation and other topics during a NATPE keynote session Wednesday.
The CEO of Fox Television Stations moves to eliminate commercials and other interstitials between newscasts and syndicated shows in hopes of hanging on to more viewers.
Wendy Williams received the 2,677th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday. She was joined at the ceremony by Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox TV Stations. “No one could be more deserving of this honor than Wendy,” he said, adding, “she outworked and outhustled everyone at each stage of her career.”
Mike McClain is the new VP and GM of the Fox duopoly in Orlando, including WOFL Fox 35, WRBW My65, and WOGX Fox 51 in Gainesville, the company said Monday. McClain most recently served as VP and GM of Fox’s Charlotte duopoly.
Abernethy: Stations Need To Get With 3.0
Fox stations chief Jack Abernethy used NATPE to stress the importance of the new tech. Its rollout and the services it enables, he said, is being held back by broadcasters’ short-term thinking and their inability to work with each other and to grasp the technology’s non-TV potential.
On Group CEOs Minds: FCC Cap, 3.0, Live Programming
Not all broadcasters believe that the cap should go away completely. Graham’s Emily Barr: “The problem is, 39% seems wrong and 100% seems wrong.” Other topics at the TV2020 conference Wednesday: The panelists were extremely bullish on how much live programming will play into the overall health of the broadcast industry. And they expressed enthusiasm for ATSC 3.0, saying that there is no need for a solid business 3.0 business plan to make sense of the massive initiative. L-r: TVNewsCheck’s Harry Jessell, Graham Media’s Emily Barr, Nexstar’s Perry Sook, Fox Television Stations’ Jack Abernethy and Gray’s Hilton Howell. (Photo: Wendy Moger-Bross)
Jack Abernethy: The Local Leader Of Fox 2.0
As CEO of Fox Television Stations, he is charged with executing the local component of New Fox’s plan to reinvent broadcasting by sharply focusing on what the medium does best — delivering live programming to mass audiences. This is part 2 of a three-part special report. Yesterday focused on the station group’s strategy going forward as a crucial component of New Fox. Part 3 on Wednesday will highlight the men and women who lead the 28 stations that make up Fox Television Stations. You can read the other parts here.
Fox’s Abernethy: Get Rid Of Any Station Cap
Fox Television Stations chief Jack Abernethy: “The best thing for our business would be full relaxation of ownership restrictions,” adding that such a move would also be the best thing for employees and consumers.
The top executives of four TV station groups will survey the state of the TV broadcast business and its major growth opportunities at TVNewsCheck’s third annual TV2020: Monetizing the Future […]
Led by CEO Jack Abernethy, the station group will become one of the centerpieces of the Murdochs’ TV holdings after they sell most of their Hollywood, regional sports, national cable entertainment and international assets to Disney or Comcast, which are now vying for them.
Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations and co-president of Fox News; Hoda Kotb of NBC’s Today; and Rosanna Scotto, co-host of WNYW’s Good Day New York, were among those celebrating in New York in advance of Page Six TV’s launch in syndication. The new show debuts Monday, Sept. 18.
Today, at the 2017 Hall of Fame Breakfast of the Emma Bowen Foundation, retired Fox President of Station Operations Dennis Swanson (l) was inducted into foundation’s Hall of Fame. He’s shown with Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy. Among its activities, the Emma Bowen Foundation recruits promising students of color and place them in multi-year paid internships at some of the nation’s leading media and technology companies, providing the media and tech industries with a pipeline of young talent and emerging leadership, and advocate for best practices in diverse hiring, retention and advancement.
David Smith: 3.0 The Only Avenue To Growth
The head of Sinclair Broadcast Group makes a powerful argument for ATSC 3.0. He believes it will spawn many enhancements and businesses that will more than justify the “immaterial” cost of implementation, especially the ability to deliver targeted advertising. There’s room for skepticism, but not enough to stop broadcasters from moving briskly ahead with the technology.
At last week’s TV2020 conference, TVNewsCheck Editor Harry Jessell sat down with station group heads Jack Abernethy of Fox, Pat LaPlatney of Raycom, David Smith of Sinclair and Perry Sook of Nexstar for a nuts-and-bolts discussion of the money-making potential of ATSC 3.0. Abernethy liked the technology, but was skeptical about the business models. However, the other three said adopting the new technology is a no-brainer. Said Sook: “It’s the next technological evolution of our business. I think it’s just a matter now of how fast we can roll things out.” Watch the session above.
Abernethy: Fox Not Yet Ready To Embrace 3.0
But three other major stations group heads led by David Smith of Sinclair expressed unqualified enthusiasm for implementing the new broadcast standard, saying it will transform broadcasting into a fast-growing business again. “It’s essential for this industry to survive to have ATSC 3.0 in the marketplace as fast as possible,” said Smith.
The CEO of Fox Television Stations and co-president of Fox News Channel joins David Smith of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Perry Sook of Nexstar Broadcasting Group and Pat LaPlatney of Raycom Media on a CEO panel at TVNewsCheck’s TV2020: Monetizing ATSC 3.0 conference in New York on Nov. 9-10.
Promoted to co-presidents in August following the exit of Roger Ailes, Abernethy and Shine oversee both Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, dividing responsibilities for all facets of the networks.
Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy, both Fox News Channel veterans, were named today by Rupert Murdoch to help fill the void left by the ouster of Roger Ailes.
Turbulent Times For Station Group Execs
NATPE’s only broadcast TV panel featured (l-r after moderator Paige Albiniak of B&C): Jack Abernethy of Fox Television Stations on the state of network-affiliate relations, Nexstar’s Perry Sook on why station groups shouldn’t be in national syndication; and Tribune’s Larry Wert on the on-going feud between CW and Tribune in which the network is demanding higher reverse comp fees from Tribune.
Fox Television Stations President Jack Abernethy will be a featured speaker at NewsTECH Forum, scheduled for Dec. 16-17 at the New York Hilton. The event will gather news, operations and engineering professionals into an off-the-record environment where they can compare notes, learn from the leaders and develop best practices. “The world of news production is changing rapidly,” says TVNewsCheck Editor Harry A. Jessell. “NewsTECH Forum will address this fast-evolving terrain and its impact on news storytelling.”
Chasing The Next Big Thing In Local TV News
Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy explains his vision for transforming local TV news. That vision includes more engaged anchors, non-traditional formats, more reliance on multimedia journalists and investigative reporters, sharing of news resources and deeper integration of social media. Read Part One of this two-part Q&A here.
Chasing The Next Iteration Of Local TV News
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Fox’s Abernethy: Plenty To Be Positive About
In Part I of this two-part interview, Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy talks business. He says he is looking ahead to double-digit growth in 2014, even if it is just barely double digits, thanks to the return of heavy political spending with a boost from Obamacare advertising. He also discusses the coming of TV Everywhere, his continued faith in Dyle, Fox’s station acquisition ambitions, the usefulness of Twitter and his personal mission to engender a more robust syndication market. Tomorrow, in Part II, Abernethy talks about his determination to change the look and substance of local TV news.
