Paul Rennie Named GM Of WGN Chicago

Tribune Broadcasting today appointed Paul Rennie president and general manager of its CW affiliate WGN Chicago (DMA 3). He succeeds Greg Easterly who was named GM of Tribune’s WPIX New York last month.

In addition to overseeing the long-term strategy and day-to-day management of the station, Rennie will also be responsible for the operations of CLTV, Tribune Broadcasting’s Chicago-based regional cable news channel. Rennie will report to Larry Wert, Tribune’s president/broadcast media, and assume his new duties effective immediately.

Rennie was most recently the VP-GM of Tribune’s Indianapolis television stations, WTTV (CBS) and WXIN (Fox).

“Paul brings significant industry and Chicago experience to this role. He understands the variety of opportunities at WGN, from sports, to news, to becoming a true independent,” said Wert.  “He is a strategic and innovative thinker with a long history of success in Tribune’s major markets; the perfect fit for Chicago’s Very Own.”

Under Rennie’s leadership, Tribune said, WTTV-WXIN increased market share, maximized the development of new business and consistently exceeded revenue goals. In January 2015, Rennie played an integral role in re-launching WTTV as a CBS affiliate, debuting a full slate of newscasts that, Tribune said, “often out-perform long-established stations in the market.”

From 2004 to 2013, Rennie was general sales manager of Tribune’s Seattle stations, KCPQ (Fox) and KZJO (MNT), and their respective digital operations. Rennie also took the lead role in developing a partnership between KCPQ and the Seattle Seahawks.

Prior to his work at Tribune’s Seattle stations, Rennie headed sales for WRTV Indianapolis for two years, managing and selling across a multimedia platform that included not only the television station, but a cable news channel and website, as well.

Before joining WRTV, Rennie spent nearly eight years in Chicago at a variety of media firms, including Petry Television, ABC National Sales and WLS-TV.

He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in communications in 1985.