WAPT Ups Lee Neely To News Director

Hearst’s ABC affiliate WAPT Jackson, Miss., is promoting Assistant News Director Lee Neely to news director effective April 8. Neely has more than 24 years of experience with Hearst Television.

Neely steps into the position with the departure of News Director Rick McLaughlin. McLaughlin leaves WAPT to pursue a TV news position in Ohio.

“Rick’s role in our station’s success cannot be overstated,” said Peter Keith, WAPT president-GM. “We wish him all the best as he transitions into his next role.”

Neely joined Hearst in 2002 as an editor at WYFF Greenville, S.C. He later became a producer for various newscasts, winning multiple Emmys in the Best Newscast category and multiple Radio Television Digital News Association awards in the producer category.

Since joining WAPT in 2017 as assistant news director, Neely has played a key role in the station’s success, contributing to multiple Mississippi Association of Broadcasters awards in Breaking News, General News, and Station of the Year as well as multiple Emmy awards. His work has included several station specials and projects, including coverage of the opioid crisis, the local impact of extreme weather, and highlighting community champions making a difference in Jackson’s neighborhoods.