New VPs Of News For KNBC & KVEA In L.A.

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations Los Angeles stations KNBC (NBC4) and KVEA (Telemundo 52) on Tuesday announced new leadership for the stations’ news operations.

Marina Perelman has been promoted to vice president of news for KNBC. Her role takes effect immediately.

Miguel “Mike” Gaytán has been named vice president of news for Telemundo 52. His first day at KVEA will be June 5. Perelman and Gaytán will both report to Todd Mokhtari, the stations’ president-GM.

In their new roles, Perelman and Gaytán will be responsible for leading the respective stations news operations. Harnessing the unique reach and storytelling power of KNBC and KVEA for English- and Spanish-speaking audiences, “Perelman and Gaytán will collaborate to lead the production of special news coverage and reporting to bring to light topics that reflect and impact our diverse Southern California communities,” the stations said.

Mokhtari said: “As local news stations, it is our responsibility to maintain the trust of our audiences, to reflect their stories and provide them with the most complete information to help them navigate their day-to-day lives here in Southern California. Both Marina and Mike are excellent news leaders who share a commitment to serve. I am confident they will help grow our talented news teams and solidify our position in the Los Angeles market.”

Perelman, born in Armenia and raised in Southern California, has more than 25 years of experience in broadcast journalism. Most recently, she was assistant news director for KNBC, a position she’s held since 2019. She helped navigate the KNBC newsroom through one of the most difficult and consequential periods that included reporting on the pandemic, the racial justice movement and the 2020 election.

At KNBC, she’s also held other news leadership roles including managing editor and executive producer for the station’s 11 p.m. newscast. As executive producer for the station’s late news, a role she held for four years, she helped increase the newscast’s ratings year-over-year.

Perelman’s tenure at NBCUniversal Local began in 2005 as the producer of KNTV San Francisco’s 11 p.m. newscast and was later promoted to senior executive producer. She launched her career in local news at KESQ Palm Springs, Calif., as the producer of the station’s local newscasts. In 2003, she moved to KNXV Phoenix as producer of its 10 p.m. newscast.

Perelman earned a bachelor’s degree from USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and was one of the founders of the student-run campus news station Annenberg TV News (ATVN).

Gaytán, of Mexican decent and raised in Laredo, Texas, has more than two decades of local news experience serving Spanish-speaking audiences. Most recently, he served as the vice president of news for KUAN San Diego where he led news specials and launched Telemundo 20 Investiga, the station’s first consumer investigative unit. Under his leadership, Telemundo 20 was recognized with numerous 2023 Golden Mike Awards, including Best News Broadcast and Best Weekend Newscast.

Before this, Gaytán worked at Telemundo Arizona for five years and held newsroom leadership roles including vice president of news and news director, with direct responsibility and oversight of local news operations for Phoenix and Tucson.

Gaytán launched his career in local news at Entravision’s KLDO Laredo, Texas, where he was news director for four years before joining Univision News Group in 2005. During his tenure at Univision, Gaytán held various positions including assignment editor and executive producer of news for KWEX San Antonio and News Director of KAKW Austin, Texas, a position he held for two years. A National Association of Hispanic Journalists member, Gaytán is a past NAHJ Regional Director for Region 7.