Nexstar Names Klarn DePalma SVP Of Group Sales/Sponsorships

Klarn DePalma

Nexstar Media today appointed Klarn DePalma senior vice president of group sales and sponsorships, responsible for the strategy, development, and execution of sales and sponsorship efforts across Nexstar’s entire portfolio of broadcast stations and associated digital properties. He will begin his new duties on April 1 and report to Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar Media’s broadcasting division.

DePalma has experience in all facets of the media business. He has spent the bulk of his broadcasting career in positions of increasing responsibility at Meredith Corp., rising from local sales manager to executive vice president for MNI Media, overseeing a staff of 150 sales professionals serving advertising and marketing clients across the United States and around the world.

As Meredith’s executive vice president for targeted media since 2018, DePalma has been responsible for the company’s targeted media planning and buying services offered to agencies and brands, providing clients with both proven and emerging digital and magazine products, proprietary data, and technology. In this capacity, he oversaw the long-range strategy and day-to-day execution of this fully digital activation subsidiary of Meredith, covering all of North America and some major European markets, including approximately 1,200 local, regional, and national clients.

During his tenure, DePalma and his team grew targeted media revenue by nearly 20% and profitability by more than 60%, increasing Meredith’s existing advertising market share, identifying new non-traditional revenue streams, and developing a variety of innovative cross-platform marketing strategies and sponsorship opportunities. He also spearheaded the implementation of a comprehensive new sales training program and launched a political division for candidate and issue advocacy in digital advertising.

From 2005 to 2018, DePalma led national sales efforts for Meredith Media Group and served as vice president and general manager for four of the company’s television stations, including WFSB Hartford-New Haven, Conn., and WGGB Springfield, Mass.

“Klarn is the ideal choice to lead Nexstar’s group sales and sponsorships efforts,” Alford said. “He is smart, strategic, innovative and aggressive, and is familiar with all the operational aspects of the broadcasting business. His ability to develop unique strategies for clients has resulted in consistent revenue growth. I am looking forward to working with him and I know that he will be successful in taking on these new duties.”

DePalma has been an active participant in media industry-related organizations and served on the TVB Board of Governors, as past-chairman of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association, and on the business committee of the Pearl Group.

DePalma earned his Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the University of Connecticut and his Master of Business Administration degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.