Nexstar Reups Tom O’Brien Through 2021

Nexstar Media Group’s board of directors today extended the contract of its EVP of business and chief revenue officer, Thomas O’Brien, through Oct. 31, 2020. He will continue to report to Perry Sook, chairman, president and CEO and the extension supersedes his prior contract, which was to conclude in October 2018.

Since joining the company as chief revenue officer in November 2013, O’Brien has developed and implemented Nexstar’s multi-screen strategy, led the company’s business development and digital investment activity to capitalize on emerging market trends, catalyzed multi-platform audience and revenue opportunities and significantly expanded its overall digital business portfolio, which the company said has led to “nine-fold growth in the company’s digital revenue during his tenure.”

Commenting on the agreement, Sook said: “For nearly 21 years, Nexstar has been an industry innovator and pioneer in the development of diversified revenue streams as well as new services and products for our viewers and advertisers. Tom’s extensive broadcast experience and digital background has been a great fit with our operations and culture and has enabled us to rapidly expand our digital revenue streams, establishing Nexstar as one of the nation’s largest multi-platform local media companies. We are grateful for Tom’s value-building contributions and look forward to the continued benefit of his vision and commitment to the company’s viewers, advertising clients and shareholders. 

“With his successes to date, Tom’s responsibilities have been expanded to now include the development and execution of strategies and business opportunities to accelerate Nexstar Media Group’s transformation into a next generation, multi-media company.  He will also focus on positioning Nexstar to further capitalize on the convergence of broadcast and digital media in areas such as automated buying/selling, data science, expansion of the company’s digital products, monetizing OTT distribution opportunities and ATSC 3.0, including Nexstar’s recently announced consortium with Sinclair Broadcast Group that is promoting spectrum aggregation, innovation and monetization while strengthening our ability to compete in the wireless data transmission sector.”

Prior to joining Nexstar, O’Brien was an NBC senior executive for 14 years, last serving as EVP and chief revenue officer for CNBC.  He also spent 12 years as a president and general manager in the NBC Television Stations Division and was appointed president-GM of NBC’s flagship TV O&O, WNBC New York, in 2008.

Before moving to New York, O’Brien was the president-GM of NBC’s KXAS Dallas/Ft. Worth from 2001 to 2008.

He was recognized with an Emmy Award for Overall Station Excellence in 2008 and an AWRT Award of Excellence for TV/Cable General Management in 2006.

Earlier in his career with NBC, O’Brien was president-GM of WVIT Hartford, Conn. Before joining NBC in 1997, O’Brien spent nine years with Viacom Broadcasting, where he served in several sales management roles.  He started his career on the production side of the business, working in various production positions at Capital Cities Communications, CBS Sports and ESPN.