Jeff Mulligan Named WSIL News Director

Allen Media Broadcasting’s ABC affiliate WSIL Paducah, Ky., has hired Jeff Mulligan, dayside executive producer at ABC O&O KGO San Francisco to lead its local content operation. His first day is March 7.

A native Chicagoan, Mulligan started his journey into television news by attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he studied radio and television. After graduating, he worked for the university’s PBS affiliate WSIU full time and then started his first stint at WSIL as a reporter and fill-in anchor.

He has worked in a variety of different roles including as a producer, an executive producer, assistant news director at Cape Girardeau’s KFVS, and eventually as a news director at WMBD Peoria, Ill., before moving to larger markets.

Mulligan says the return to WSIL is a homecoming for him and is excited to return to the station that gave him his start in the news business, saying: “Southern Illinois holds a special place in my heart. Outside of Chicago, I spent a good chunk of my life there. I look forward to returning to the area and leading a news team that is focused on telling stories that matter to the people who live and work there.”

WSIL has begun expanding its local news programming and Charlie Grisham, WSIL general manager, said there’s more to come. “Our goal is to provide the most local content to our viewers throughout the market,” he said, “both in terms of geographic coverage and the hours of local news programs available throughout the day. Jeff has local roots and significant real-world experience delivering compelling news and information that we’ll be leveraging to better serve our viewers.”

WSIL’s Evening Anchor Mark Kiesling has been serving as interim news director since November. Kiesling anticipates Mulligan will have an immediate impact. He said: “Jeff is inheriting a great team. I’m proud of the day-to-day work of my colleagues and was impressed by their dedication and effort during the tornadoes that struck Western Kentucky and the recent winter storm.”