Jeffrey Marks

The former Gray Television executive succeeds Marvin Rhodes as head of United Communications Corp.’s CBS-Fox affiliate in Mankato, Minn.

The former GM of WDBJ Roanoke, Va., and current Gray Television executive will be honored for his contributions to journalism on Sept. 19 at the Excellence in Journalism 2016 convention in New Orleans.

Jeffrey Marks, the president-GM of CBS affiliate WDBJ Roanoke, Va., who guided the station through the shock, mourning and recovery that followed the on-air killings of two employees last year, will leave Roanoke’s top-rated TV station for a role with its new owner, Gray Television, as director of talent development.

Jeffrey Marks, president-GM of WDBJ Roanoke, Va., says that while representing the station to the world after two of his journalists were gunned down was tough, “I think 99% of reporters on stories like these do show compassion.” But, he added, holding up a mike to one side of the story and then the other side of the story doesn’t suffice. “We have to work diligently to provide history and perspective.”