Marquee Closes Buy, Names Gray COO

Marquee Broadcasting announced today that it will close tomorrow on its purchase of WNKY Bowling  Green, Ky. (NBC-CBS, DMA 181) and promote the GM of the station, Linda Gray, to COO of the growing small-market station group.

Marquee is paying Max Media $5.6 million for WNKY, according to FCC records.

Gray will be succeeded as GM of WNKY by GSM Julie Milam, it was also announced.

“We are thrilled to be adding Linda to our corporate team,” said Marquee President Patricia Lane. “She will bring a wealth of industry experience to our growing group.  Julie is an outstanding leader at WNKY and we are excited to promote her into a well-deserved leadership role in Bowling Green.”

Gray has been in broadcasting for 36 years, many of them in station and group management.

“Being part of growing a small broadcast group is a rare opportunity in today’s industry,” she said. ” I am excited about the challenge and share Marquee’s vision for the positive future of television in all its forms.”

Milam, who has been with WNKY for nine years, said she was looking forward to building local news for the people of south central Kentucky. “I could not be more enthusiastic about the opportunities.”

Marquee Broadcasting also owns full-power TV stations in Atlanta (WGTA); Denver (KREG) and Salisbury, Md. (WMDT).