Days after finalizing its merger with Journal Communications, E.W. Scripps has bumped three station GMs into corporate roles and named their replacements.
Debbie Turner is now the VP of TV Operations for the station group. She’ll oversee all 33 Scripps stations and comes from Journal where she was EVP of the Broadcast Group and GM of WTVF in Nashville, Tenn.
Her replacement as VP and GM of WTVF is Lyn Plantinga. According to the press release, “Plantinga’s television experience includes successful management efforts in both news and sales.”
Ed Fernandez will step down as GM of WXYZ in Detroit to become VP and divisional GM for Scripps based in Detroit.
His replacement as VP and GM of WXYZ is Mike Murri who has worked at the station for more than 30 years as an account executive, local sales manager, director of sales and station manager.
Steve Wasserman will step down as GM of WPTV in West Palm Beach to take on his new role as VP and divisional manger for Scripps based in West Palm Beach.
Lloyd Bucher replaces Wassermann as VP and GM of WPTV. He’s been station manager there since 2012.
“As we look to define Scripps as a local media company that supports platforms and devices beyond TV, Lyn, Mike and Lloyd are progressive leaders who represent the modern view of what it means to run a market-leading media organization,” said Brian Lawlor, SVP of the Scripps Broadcast division.“ They each understand the intersection of media consumption in a TV, mobile and social world and will guide their local brands to continued media leadership in each of these great cities.”