Herwitz New Head Of Freedom Broadcasting

Thomas Herwitz, a former top station executive for Fox Television, has been named president of Freedom Broadcasting, replacing Doreen Wade who had run the TV station group for the past eight years and has been active in industry affairs.

In a prepared statement, Mitch Stern, CEO of parent of the financially troubled Freedom Communications, said Wade will be staying on briefly to ensure a smooth transition.

Stern thanked Wade for her contributions to the station group, which comprises eight full-power stations led by WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla. “She has been a tremendous asset and played a critical role in our successful restructuring.”

Stern noted that he and Herwitz had worked together at Fox Television. “I know…the kind of energy and commitment he’ll bring to the job of guiding our broadcast properties forward through the new media landscape.”

Herwitz, who will assume his new duties yesterday, first joined Fox in 1986 as VP, corporate and legal affairs, after serving as legal assistant to Reagan-appointed FCC Chairman Mark Fowler.

From 1989 to 1993, Herwitz was VP and general manager of WTTG, the Fox O&Os in Washington. There, he helped develop America’s Most Wanted and the Fox Morning News and was the creator of the children’s news show Not Just the News and the political talk show Off the Record.

He was executive VP for Fox from 1996 to 2000 and president of station operations from 2000 to 2005.

Since 2005, he has consulted on broadcast acquisitions, operations, and management.

He holds a J. D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Ms. Wade, a 26-year Freedom veteran, was VP and GM of WPEC prior to being named president of the station group in 2002. Before that she held positions at two other Freedom stations.

She is a board member of the CBS Television Affiliates Association, National Association of Broadcasters and the Open Mobile Video Coalition.