CINCINNATI, Ohio — Bob Jordan, station manager at WFTS-TV in Tampa, Fla., has been named vice president and general manager of WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla. He succeeds Bill Brooks, who has been named to the newly created position of vice president/government relations for Scripps Howard Broadcasting.Scripps Howard Broadcasting, which operates WPTV and WFTS, is a subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company.”Bob Jordan’s impressive career has prepared him well to take on this important assignment,” said James M. Hart, Scripps Howard Broadcasting’s senior vice president for television. “WPTV has been a leader in its community and our company for more than 40 years and we’re confident Bob will continue that tradition.”Jordan, 51, joined WFTS as news director in 1994 and became station manager two years later. He helped the Tampa Bay station launch fully-competitive newscasts after the station moved from Fox to ABC affiliation.Following graduation from the University of Minnesota, Jordan joined KCMT-TV in Alexandria, Minn., in 1969 as news director and anchor. After stints in Waterloo, Iowa, Columbus, Ohio, and Mobile, Ala., he became news director and primary anchor at WFTV-TV in Orlando, Fla., in 1976. He went on to become news director at KPRC-TV in Houston, KCRA-TV in Sacramento, KING-TV in Seattle and KCBS-TV in Los Angeles before joining Scripps in Tampa.”Scripps Howard runs its stations as though it intends to own them forever,” Jordan said. “Leading an outstanding station in this kind of business environment is both exciting and gratifying. It’s the kind of job I’ve always wanted.”In his new position, Brooks will be the broadcasting company’s chief liaison with legislators and government regulatory agencies.”We’re extremely fortunate that Bill has accepted this assignment that’s so important to our broadcast television business,” Hart said. “His experience at WPTV is a valuable asset that we couldn’t resist tapping.”Brooks, 64, has a bachelor’s degree from Oblate College in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree from Boston College. He attended Harvard University on a fellowship from the National Foundation for Humanities. In 1975, he joined WPTV as public service director. Four years later, he became assistant general manager and in 1981 became vice president and general manager of the station.During his 17 years at the helm, WPTV continued its market dominance. WPTV’s local news broadcast audience frequently is as large as its network affiliate competitors’ combined audiences.Brooks was also active in the community and broadcasting industry, serving on the governor’s commission on education, the NBC television affiliate board of directors, the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Urban League and United Way. He is a past president of the Florida Association of Broadcasters.”There is an abundance of regulatory matters facing the electronic medium and we must be vigilant in protecting our interests,” Brooks said. “Truly, I am honored that the company would choose me for this increasingly important position.”The E.W. Scripps Company operates 20 daily newspapers; nine network-affiliated television stations; two cable television networks, Home & Garden Television and the Food Network; a television programmer, Cinetel Productions; independent Yellow Pages directories in Florida and Tennessee; and United Media, a worldwide syndicator and licensor of news features and comics.