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Peterson named VP/ general manager of WPTV in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Oct. 18, 2001
 

CINCINNATI – Bill Peterson, a veteran broadcast television executive with nearly 30 years of news and station management experience, has been named vice president and general manager of WPTV in West Palm Beach, Fla., effective Nov. 5.WPTV, an NBC network affiliate and market leader in news, is owned and operated by The E.W. Scripps Company.Peterson, 58, returns to the West Palm Beach market after serving two years as vice president and general manager of WRAL-TV, the CBS network affiliate in Raleigh N.C. From 1989 to 1999 he served as president and general manager of WPEC-TV, the CBS network affiliate in West Palm Beach. Peterson succeeds Bob Jordan, who resigned last month.”Bill is an innovative leader whose strong news background and experience with digital broadcasting will complement our team at top-rated WPTV,” said John F. Lansing, senior vice president of the Scripps television group. “His ten years of experience in the market makes him uniquely qualified to lead our West Palm Beach television station.”While Peterson was president and general manager of WPEC, he also served as president of its parent company, Photo Electronics Corp., from 1990 until the company was sold to Freedom Communications in 1996. He then served as vice president, broadcasting for Freedom until 1999. Before joining WPEC, he served three years as president and general manager of WTKR-TV in Norfolk, Va.His career in broadcast television began in 1964 as a news photographer at WSPD-TV (now WTVG-TV) in Toledo, Ohio. In 1973 he was named news director at WSPD and then went on to serve in the same capacity for television stations in Cleveland, San Diego, Miami and Los Angeles.”I have always admired WPTV, as only a competitor can,” Peterson said. “It is the leading station in the market because of its relentless focus on local television news and community service. I look forward to returning to the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast of Florida.”During the 1990s Peterson served for eight years as a board member of the United Way of Palm Beach County and was chairman of the organization’s first countywide campaign. He is past chairman of Community in Schools of Palm Beach County and the Advisory Board of Local Initiatives Support Corporation. He also served on the boards of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County and Limestone Creek Community Development Corporation. In 1996 Peterson was named “Broadcaster of the Year” by the Florida Association of Broadcasters.Peterson has a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Toledo. He and his wife Kathleen have two grown children.The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, national television networks and interactive media. Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers, 10 broadcast TV stations and three cable television networks, with plans to launch a fourth.Scripps national television network brands include Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY Network (Do It Yourself) and Fine Living, due to launch in early 2002.The company also operates Scripps Howard News Service, United Media, the worldwide licensing and syndication home of PEANUTS and DILBERT, and 31 Web sites, including hgtv.com, foodtv.com, diynet.com and comics.com.###Contact: Tim Stautberg, The E. W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3286Email: [email protected]