Mitzi Coleman Named GM Of WTRF Wheeling

Nexstar-owned CBS affiliate WTRF Wheeling, W.Va.-Steubenville, Ohio (DMA 163), today appointed Mitzi Coleman vice president and general manager of its broadcast and digital operations.

She will succeed Roger Lyons, who is retiring after serving as WTRF’s VP-GM for the past 19 years and a nearly 50-year career in broadcasting. Coleman will begin her new duties immediately and report to Traci Wilkinson, Nexstar SVP and regional manager.

“Mitzi is the ideal choice to succeed Roger and she will build on the station’s well-established legacy of outstanding local news and service to the community,” Wilkinson said. “Throughout her career, Mitzi has developed a variety of unique and innovative sales, marketing, and sponsorship opportunities for clients and spearheaded the development of new business for both linear and digital platforms. I am looking forward to working with Mitzi as she takes on this new role. Roger has done a tremendous job leading WTRF-TV since it was acquired by Nexstar in 2016, and we wish him well in his retirement.”

The station said: “Throughout her 20-plus years in broadcast advertising, Ms. Coleman has consistently demonstrated the ability to grow sales, revenue, and profitability, and the capacity to build highly-effective collaborative sales teams.”

Since 2020,. Coleman has been market sales manager and station manager for KTVL (CBS) and CW subchannel NTVL Medford, Ore., where she was responsible for the long-term strategy and day-to-day operations of both stations, overseeing advertising sales, sponsorships, and the development of new revenue streams. Under her leadership the sales team created and executed several unique sponsorship opportunities for advertisers and marketers, including “First Alert Fire,” sponsored by Keep Oregon Green, which provides fire-season tips and updates in conjunction with the Oregon Dept of Forestry.

She and her team also developed “Ask The Expert” in partnership with Valley Immediate Care, producing a series of special segments in which a team of medical professionals took viewer calls and the station produced multiple Public Service Announcements with health tips based on the needs of the community. The PSAs and news segments appeared across multiple platforms.

Before joining KTVL-NTVL, Coleman was senior region account manager for Spectrum Reach, leading outreach to large national and regional advertisers including the State of Oregon, a wide variety of auto dealership groups, and numerous medical facilities. Prior to working at Spectrum, she held a variety of broadcast advertising and administrative positions of increasing responsibility.