Breaking: After three years as general manager of WFLD in Chicago, Mike Renda is jumping to another Fox O&O. Effective January 7, Renda will be the VP-GM at WJBK in Detroit.
Renda and Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy are announcing the news to the WJBK newsroom at 9:30amET. The pair are expected to travel to Chicago later today to announce who will succeed Renda at WFLD.
“I feel honored to have the opportunity to lead the #1 station in Detroit, known for its edgy, unconventional and hard-hitting news product,” Renda said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing the station’s legacy of serving Detroit.”
Prior to working at WFLD, Renda spent two years as the VP-GM of WTXF, the Fox O&O in Philadelphia. He has also been VP-GM of WJW in Cleveland, which was owned by Fox when he worked there.
“Mike has proven his great leadership abilities at three FOX-owned stations over a fifteen-year tenure,” Abernethy said in a statement. “Regardless of the roles he’s held, he always inspires his team to be better, work smarter and think differently. There is no person better qualified to take charge of our premier Detroit station than him.”
Renda replaces Jeff Murri, who died in February.
Read the full release from Fox after the jump.
MICHAEL RENDA NAMED VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF WJBK FOX 2 DETROIT
NEW YORK – Michael Renda has been named Vice President and General Manager of WJBK FOX 2 Detroit, announced Jack Abernethy, Chief Executive Officer, FOX Television Stations (FTS). Effective January 7th, Renda will be responsible for overseeing the station’s business and operations, reporting directly to Abernethy.
In making the announcement, Abernethy stated, “Mike has proven his great leadership abilities at three FOX-owned stations over a fifteen-year tenure . Regardless of the roles he’s held, he always inspires his team to be better, work smarter and think differently. There is no person better qualified to take charge of our premier Detroit station than him.”
Most recently, Renda served as Vice President and General Manager of the FOX-owned duopoly in Chicago, WFLD FOX 32 / WPWR My50. Before that, he spent two years as Vice President and General Manager of FOX-owned station in Philadelphia, WTXF FOX 29. Prior to this, Renda spent ten years as Vice President/General Manager of WJW FOX 8 in Cleveland, which at the time was owned-and-operated by FTS. He first served at WJW-TV from 1982-1989 as National and Local Sales Manager and was then the station’s Director of Sales through 1992. Following this, Renda spent four years as Director of Sales at WLWT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Cincinnati. Earlier in his career, he was a National Sales Representative at Storer Television Sales in New York and Chicago.
Added, Renda, “I feel honored to have the opportunity to lead the #1 station in Detroit, known for its edgy, unconventional and hard-hitting news product. I look forward to continuing the station’s legacy of serving Detroit.”
He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Radio and Television from Miami University of Ohio.
WJBK FOX 2 is part of the FOX Television Stations group, one of the nation’s largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprising 27 stations in 18 markets and covering nearly 37.23 % of U.S. television homes. This includes six duopolies in the top 10 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and Houston; as well as duopolies in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.