Fox Names New GMs In Chicago, Detroit

Fox Television Stations today made two executive moves, filling the vacancy created in February by the death of Jeff Murri at its Detroit O&O, WJBK, by moving Michael Renda in from its Chicago duopoly of WFLD-WPWR.

Renda was then succeeded by Dennis Welsh, VP-GM of the Fox stations in Orlando, Fla. — WOFL and WRBW — as well as WOGX Gainesville, Fla.

Both positions are effective Jan. 7 and Renda and Welsh will report directly to Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations.

Most recently, Renda was VP-GM of the Fox-owned duopoly in Chicago, WFLD (Fox)-WPWR (MNT). Before that, he spent two years as VP-GM of Fox O&O, WTXF Philadelphia.

Prior to this, Renda spent 10 years as VP-GM of WJW Cleveland. He first served at WJW from 1982 to 1989 as national and local sales manager and was then the station’s director of sales through 1992.

Following this, Renda spent four years as director of sales at WLWT Cincinnati. Earlier in his career, he was a national sales representative at Storer Television Sales in New York and Chicago.

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in radio and television from Miami University of Ohio.

Before Welsh became VP-GM of WOFL, WRBW and WOGX, he spent eight years as VP-director of sales of Fox’s KDFW-KDFI Dallas and Fox Sports Net Southwest.

Prior to that, Welsh spent one year as VP-director of sales for Fox Station Sales in New York. Previously, he was VP-general sales manager of WJW Cleveland for four years. Before joining FTS, Welsh was with WPRI and WNAC Providence, R.I., where he was general sales manager for the stations.

In addition, he has held sales positions with WLWT Cincinnati, WPTT Pittsburgh, WPGH Pittsburgh, MMT Sales in Philadelphia and KDKA Pittsburgh. Welsh began his career as a national sales account executive at Branham Newspaper Sales in New York.

A graduate of the University of Delaware, Welsh holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications.