Tribune Company today announced the appointment of Rich Graziano as president/general manager of WPIX-TV (PIX11) in New York City,
Graziano will be responsible for all aspects of the station, including strategic planning and day-to-day operations. He will begin his new duties immediately and report to Larry Wert, Tribune’s president of broadcast media.
Since 2009, Graziano has served as the leader of Tribune’s media properties in Hartford under the CT1 Media umbrella.. He was named vice president/general manager of WTIC-TV (FOXCT) and WCCT-TV (CT) in June 2005, and publisher, president and CEO of the Hartford Courant in March 2009.
Graziano led the co-location of the television stations and newspaper operations that same year, creating an integrated news organization unlike any other in the country. Graziano succeeds Eric Meyrowitz, who is departing Tribune.
“Rich is a skilled and innovative leader who has achieved great success in managing large-scale media operations and delivering results for viewers, advertisers and the community,” said Wert. “We’ve made a number of changes at WPIX, both on-the-air and in the management ranks — the station is gaining momentum. Rich is the perfect addition to lead the new team we’ve assembled.”
Graziano will continue to oversee the television stations in Hartford until a new general manager is appointed.
At the Courant, Nancy Meyer, chief revenue officer at CT1 Media, was named the newspaper’s new publisher Monday, replacing Graziano.
“Nancy is an accomplished executive who knows the Hartford market and has a proven record of delivering results,” said Tony Hunter, CEO of publishing at Chicago-based Tribune Co., the Courant’s parent company. “Her leadership skills, sales experience and keen understanding of the importance of top-notch journalism positions her well for this key role.”
During his tenure in Hartford, Graziano was a catalyst for change, committed to developing the kind of local content, community events and multi-platform journalism that resulted in unrivaled growth in ratings and revenue. He brings 23 years of media experience to WPIX-TV and has served in positions of increasing responsibility at a number of Tribune television stations. He joined Tribune in 1999 as national sales manager at WLVI-TV in Boston. He was named WLVI’s general sales manager in 2001, a position he held for four years prior to joining WTIC/WCCT in Hartford.
“WPIX is an iconic brand. The station has a distinct history and a wonderful legacy in New York,” said Graziano. “I see tremendous opportunity to lead WPIX to excellence, through hard work, innovation, and by creating value for our viewers and advertising partners.”
Graziano has received numerous awards from organizations for his dedication to helping children and families in Connecticut, including Camp Courant, Interval House and the Muscular Dystrophy Association – which named him Humanitarian of the Year. A native of Somerville, Mass., Graziano, 44, holds a B.S. in business management from Boston College.