At month’s end, the News Director for the Hearst Television-owned ABC affiliate serving Pittsburgh will retire. Who is succeeding Jim Parsons? We now know the answer, and it is an individual who is moving from Birmingham, Ala.
Baylor Long, who has served as ND for WVTM-13 since August 2021 following the retirement of Sue Stephens, is returning to WTAE-4 in Pittsburgh, starting March 4.
Before becoming ND of WVTM, Long was the Asst. ND under Parsons at WTAE. He’d held the role since 2017, and prior to that served as an executive producer for Heart-owned WXII-12 in Greensboro. He’s also worked for Hearst Television at WBAL-11 in Baltimore, and at WLWT-5 in Cincinnati.
Long began his broadcasting career in Altoona, Pa.
“We are happy to welcome Baylor back to the WTAE Channel 4 family,” said WTAE President and General Manager Charles W. Wolfertz III. “His strong news instincts, passion for innovation, and knowledge of Pittsburgh make him uniquely prepared to excel in this important role. He understands what it takes to deliver the quality news coverage our viewers deserve.”
For Parsons, “Pittsburgh is a special city, so is WTAE and the Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 newsroom,” he said. “It’s an honor to return to Pittsburgh and lead this team of journalists as we continue the mission to connect viewers across Western Pennsylvania with content that matters to them.”
