Paul Karpowicz New BMI Board Chairman

Paul Karpowicz, president of the Meredith Local Media Group, was elected chairman of the board of directors of Broadcast Music Inc. at a board meeting held Tuesday in Nashville. He was most recently vice chair of the board.

Karpowicz succeeds Susan Davenport Austin, vice chairman of Sheridan Broadcasting Corp. and senior managing director of Brock Capital Group, who was elected presiding director at the meeting. Karpowicz joined the BMI board in 2007.

Karpowicz was appointed to his current position with Meredith in February 2005 and is responsible for the direction of Meredith’s 12 television stations. He has nearly 30 years’ experience in the industry, including more than 20 years at LIN, where he presided over the growth of its station group from 12 to 23 stations.

BMI also held its annual shareholder meeting. Newly elected to the board were Caroline Beasley, EVP-CFO-treasurer and secretary of the Naples, Florida-based Beasley Broadcast Group, and William S. Hoffman, president of Cox Media Group.

Re-elected as members of the board were Michael Fiorile, president-CEO of The Dispatch Printing Co., and vice chairman-CEO of Dispatch Broadcast Group; Catherine L. Hughes, founder-chairperson of Radio One Inc.; and Jerome L. Kersting. All will serve terms that will expire in 2018.

Continuing in their terms on the board are: Michael O’Neill, president-CEO, BMI; Amador Bustos, president-CEO, Bustos Media Holdings; Albert Cheng, EVP-chief product officer, digital media, Disney/ABC Television Group; Craig A. Dubow; Philip A. Jones; Dave Lougee, president, Gannett Broadcasting; Virginia Hubbard Morris, VP, Hubbard Broadcasting and chair-CEO, Hubbard Radio; Steven W. Newberry, president-CEO of Commonwealth Broadcasting Corp.; Mark Pedowitz, president, The CW Network; Jack Sander; and G. Neil Smith, President, GNS Media.

Honorary directors are N. John Douglas, Chairman and CEO, AIM Broadcasting,; and Ken J. Elkins.