Hearst’s Barrett Passes Baton To Wertlieb

It’s been rumored for several months that Hearst Television CEO David Barrett would soon step down and turn over day-to-day operation of Hearst Corp.’s station group to President and COO Jordan Wertlieb.

In a state-of-the-corporation memo to employees today, Hearst Corp. CEO Steven Swartz today unceremoniously announced that the transition has already taken place.

“David Barrett completed at year-end an outstanding 15-year run as CEO of Hearst Television and handed over leadership to his deputy, Jordan Wertlieb, president, and himself a 20-year veteran of the group,” the memo says. “David will remain very active as a Hearst trustee and board member.”

It was just a year ago that Hearst gave Barrett the additional title of chairman of Hearst Television and promoted Wertlieb from EVP to president.

A spokesman for Hearst Television had no further information on the transition or just how “active” Barrett would be as trustee and board member.

Wertlieb was named EVP in January 2011 with management oversight for a portion of the 29 Hearst TV stations. He also assisted Barrett on various corporate matters.

Wertlieb was general manager of WBAL Baltimore from 2005 to 2011. He joined WBAL in 1999 as general sales manager. He joined Hearst in 1993 as national sales manager of WCVB Boston.

Wertlieb began his television career in 1986 as a research analyst at Katz Communications. He became an account executive at Katz in 1989, representing Hearst and other leading station groups.

Wertlieb was named to the Hearst board last November.

Barrett was named president and CEO of Hearst-Argyle Television in 2001, then a publicly traded subsidiary of Hearst Corp. He helped take the company private in 2009 when it was renamed Hearst Television.

Barrett joined Hearst in 1984 as general manager of the company’s Baltimore radio stations, later assuming general manager responsibility for the Hearst Radio Group and then for WBAL Baltimore.