The Orlando Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker is reporting both Robin Smythe, vice president and general manager of Central Florida News 13, and Rod Gramer, vice president and general manager of cable news station Bay News 9, have been let go due to a reorganization.
Elliott Wiser, vice president of local programming for Bright House Networks, announced the changes in a staff memo Monday. “Through careful analysis, we became aware there was redundancy in our organizational structure,” he said. “Therefore, effective today, the VP/GM positions at Bay News 9 and Central Florida News 13 will be eliminated.”
Smythe had been with the station since its inception in 1997. She started as news director before working her way up to the front office. Gramer joined Bay News 9 in July of 2011 after 13 years at Portland, OR, NBC affiliate KGW.
Wiser went on to say, “I want to thank Robin Smythe and Rod Gramer for their service and wish them success in their future endeavors. This was a difficult decision, but it makes the most sense for our business moving forward.”
According to the Sentinel, senior director of news, Tim Geraghty, will lead the news department for Central Florida News 13.