From his March 2007 appointment as a regional vice president through the completion of Raycom Media‘s January 2019 merger with Gray Television, Brad Streit has played a pivotal role at two of America’s biggest broadcast television companies.
Now, Streit — a longtime Tyler, Tex., TV executive before rising at Raycom — is saying goodbye to the industry.
His successor was revealed on Tuesday.
The next SVP/Local Media at Gray, following Streit’s February 12 retirement, is Tim Ingram.
Ingram is the GM of WVUE-8 in New Orleans, the FOX affiliate that in August 2019 suffered the tragic loss of beloved news anchor Nancy Parker while working on a report in a stunt plane flown by pilot Franklin J.P. Augustus, a member of a Louisiana group that honored the Tuskegee Airmen.
He remained at Gray following the Raycom merger, but relinquished his duties as Regional Group Vice President for Raycom upon the companies’ combination. This role, gained in February 2018, had Ingram overseeing KFVS-12 in Cape Girardeau and WQWQ-LP 24 in Paducah, Ky.; WTNZ-43 in Knoxville; KAIT-8 in Jonesboro, Ark.;and KYOU-15 in Ottumwa-Kirksville, Iowa in addition to WVUE.
Ingram began his career at KAIT in 1992, while a student at Arkansas State University. “I started as a studio camera operator at KAIT over 25 years ago and have had the privilege of working across the Raycom Media footprint,” Ingram said in 2018.
He would later serve as Director of Operations and Marketing at KLTV-7 in Tyler, Tex.
It would prove to be a career-steering role for Ingram, as he worked under Streit, who was KLTV GM from August 1990 until winning a corporate role at Raycom.
“Tim has a strong commitment to quality journalism and community service, and what he
and his team have done in New Orleans from both a ratings and business standpoint, is nothing short of remarkable,” said Pat LaPlatney, the former Raycom leader now serving as Gray’s President and Co-CEO.
Ahead of the February transition, Gray is recognizing the leadership of Streit demonstrated across his many years at Raycom, and today under Gray Chairman/CEO Hilton Howell Jr.‘s leadership.
“Gray proudly recognizes the distinguished career of Brad Streit,” the company said Tuesday, noting how he was a junior at Stephen F. Austin State University when he took a job as a camera operator at KTRE in Lufkin, Texas. Streit served as a general manager for Liberty until eleven years ago, and came into the Raycom fold following its acquisition of
Liberty’s stations.
“Brad represents the best in local broadcasters,” Howell said. “A big part of his legacy is his ability to identify and train future leaders. That comes full circle now with Tim.”
Streit has served as Chairman of the Texas Association of Broadcasters and previously
held positions on both the ABC and CBS affiliate boards. Over the years, he has received
numerous awards for his leadership and community involvement, including the Texas
Association of Broadcasters 2018 Pioneer of the Year Award.
