NYSBA Chair For 2027: A Key Audacy Leader

The New York Market President and corporate level Chief Business Officer of the audio content creator and distributor whose majority ownership is held by Soros Fund Management has been selected to serve as Chair for the 2027 term of the New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA).

Elected during NYSBA’s annual fall meeting in the City of New York, which saw the organization’s officers and Board of Directors fall into place for the coming year, Chris Oliviero will lead NYSBA under recently appointed President and Executive Director Heidi Raphael.

Joining him on the 2027 Executive Committee are Vice Chair for Radio is Kristin Cantrell, Owner and CEO of Seven Mountains Media, which dominates the Corning-Elmira listening area; and as Vice Chair for Television Chris McDonnell, the VP/General Manager of Nexstar Media Group-operated WPIX-11 in New York.

Taking the role of Treasurer is Jon Hitchcock, the VP/General Manager of Hubbard duo WNYT-TV & WNYA-TV in Albany-Schenectady-Troy; and serving as Secretary is Robert Morgan, the President of iHeartMedia’s radio stations in Upstate New York and the Mid-Atlantic region.

Chris Musial, VP/General Manager of WBBZ-TV in Buffalo, concludes his term as Chair and will continue to serve on the Board of Directors.

Meanwhile, new members of the NYSBA Board of Directors are Empire State local media veteran Chuck Benfer, the Chief Operating Officer of Pamal Broadcasting; Andria Langston, Co-Owner of WDKX-FM in Rochester, N.Y.; Nexstar Media Group Sr. VP/Regional Manager Ron Romines; and Salem Media/New York GM Laura Sheaffer.

“This is an exceptional team,” said Heidi Raphael, President and Executive Director of NYSBA. “Chris Oliviero brings vision and deep market leadership to the Chair, and our board reflects the full strength of broadcasting across New York. We are especially grateful to Chris Musial for his steady leadership and to our departing directors for their commitment. Together, we’re ready to make 2027 another remarkable year for our members and the communities they serve.”

Returning board members are Alan Bishop, President and CEO, Chadwick Bay Broadcasting Corporation; Amy Collins, Senior Vice President Group Manager, Sinclair Broadcast Group; David Feinblatt, President and General Manager, WLIG-LPTV, Long Island; Marilu Galvez, General Manager, WABC-TV, New York City; Johnny Green, Jr., President and Regional General Manager at CBS New York and CBS Boston; Lew Leone, Senior Vice President and General Manager, WNYW/WWOR-TV, New York City; Eric Lerner, President and General Manager, WNBC-TV, New York City; Chad Lopez, President, Red Apple Media and WABC Radio, New York City; Katelin Tinley, Vice President and General Manager, Cox Media Group Long Island; Bernie Weiss, President, iHeartMedia Markets Group; and Roberto Yanez, Senior Vice President of Content Strategy and Operations TelevisaUnivision.

Marc Jaromin, President, Roundtable Media, LLC, and Chet Osadchey, Managing Director of Media Sales and Affiliate Relations, Buffalo Bills, continue as Associate Board Members.