President/General Manager Named at WZZM-TV at Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek
ARLINGTON, Va. –Janet Mason has been named president and general manager of WZZM-TV, the ABC affiliate in Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Mich. She had been vice president, news executive, Gannett Broadcasting. Gannett announced the completion of the acquisition of WZZM-TV as part of a trade with Argyle Television Inc. today.
The announcement was made by Cecil L. Walker, president and CEO, Gannett Broadcasting.
Mason served as vice president, news executive, Gannett Broadcasting in 1996. Prior to this, she served as vice president, news at KARE-TV, Gannett’s NBC affiliate in Minneapolis, Minn., since 1988. She began her career at KARE in 1979 as a general assignment reporter and held various positions including news director, assistant news director, managing editor, St. Paul bureau chief, and “Today Show” local news anchor. Before joining KARE, she worked for television stations in Wausau, Wis.; Des Moines/Ames and Mason City, Iowa. She graduated with honors from Iowa State University with a bachelor of science degree. Mason is married to Chuck Halverson.
“Janet’s 17 years of newsroom experience and her industry knowledge will complement the strengths of WZZM. During her tenure, KARE showed tremendous growth. We are certain that with her leadership, WZZM will continue to deliver a quality product to the viewers in the communities of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek,” Walker said.
Mason is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer. She is an annual guest instructor at the News Executives’ Seminar at the University of Missouri. She is a member of the Radio Television News Directors Association, the RTNDF Advisory Committee on Diversity, and a mentor for the Asian American Journalist Association. She is a past member of the Minnesota Joint Media Committee board of directors and Minnesota Bar-Media Committee. She was awarded the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism in 1996 and was given the 1995 Twin West Career Achievement Award, sponsored by the Twin West Chamber of Commerce.
Gannett Broadcasting consists of 16 television stations reaching 16 percent of the U.S. television homes. Those stations are: W*USA (CBS-Washington); WXIA (NBC-Atlanta); WKYC (NBC-Cleveland); KARE (NBC-Minneapolis); WTSP (CBS-Tampa); KPNX (NBC-Phoenix); K*USA (NBC-Denver); KSDK (NBC-St. Louis); WZZM-TV (ABC-Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek); WGRZ-TV (NBC-Buffalo); WFMY (CBS-Greensboro); WTLV (NBC-Jacksonville); KTHV (CBS-Little Rock); WBIR (NBC-Knoxville); KVUE (ABC-Austin); and WMAZ (CBS-Macon). Gannett Broadcasting also includes cable operations in five states, alarm security services and five radio stations.
In addition to its broadcasting operations, Gannett publishes 92 daily newspapers, including USA TODAY, and USA WEEKEND a newspaper magazine.