KDVR Denver

This spring, three Denver TV stations installed news directors from out of state, all of them women. All have proven ratings success elsewhere. Two face the task of restoring morale at beaten, battered newsrooms. None believes that gender plays a role in journalistic decision making.

Peter Maroney, a veteran general manager who guided Tribune’s Denver Fox affiliate KDVR and CW affil KWGN to stability after a particularly rough period, will retire effective June 26. “I have decided to do some other things in my life,” Maroney said.

The switch from KMGH to Fox’s KDVR takes effect on Sept. 8.

He will leave Tribune’s Fox-CW duopoly in Denver when his contract expires next week after three years as news director.

A certain corner of Denver TV is seeing sudden turnover. Why are they fleeing Fox O&O KDVR and co-owned CW affil KWGN? Either it’s a terrific springboard to bigger things or there’s some malfunction at the sister stations.

Denver Fox affiliate KDVR has retracted a report that the grandson of a prominent gunmaker was detained for questioning by authorities after rival KUSA uncovered details that indicate the story was a hoax.

After KUSA anchor Kyle Dyer was bitten and seriously injured by a dog during a live broadcast, the station’s news director asked her colleagues at other stations to refrain from showing the most graphic portions of the incident. Most print and electronic journalists have honored the request. However, KDVR was the exception. “The other stations are wimps,” said KDVR News Director Ed Kosowski. “They caved in to pressure from KUSA.”

Local TV’s Fox affiliate has increased its morning audience significantly and is poised for “rebranding” (new slogan, set, music, graphics) Jan. 1. Now, it’s very much in the race to be No. 2 in Denver TV.

Ed Kosowski, currently executive producer at CNBC.com, has been named VP of news and digital content at Tribune’s Denver duopoly KDVR (Fox) and KWGN (CW).