He’s spent the last 28 1/2 years with two ABC Owned Television Stations and is presently the General Manager of The Walt Disney Co.-owned broadcast property serving the Triangle region of North Carolina. At the end of November, this 45-year industry veteran will retire.
In an internal memo obtained by RBR+TVBR on Monday, Rob Elmore announced that he has decided to conclude his career. “This is a deeply personal decision, and one I make with enormous gratitude,” he shared with staff across the eight ABC O&Os.
Elmore led WTVD “ABC11” in Raleigh-Durham, a role he earned in June 2020. Before that, he served as VP/News Director of KABC-7 in Los Angeles. It was a role gained in May 2015 after spending nearly 17 years as ABC11’s News Director.
“I am especially thankful to [ABC News Group & Disney Entertainment Networks President] Debra OConnell and [ABC Owned Television Stations President] Chad Matthews for their support of my decision and for their leadership and friendship,” Elmore said.
Elmore joined ABC Owned Television Stations in July 1998 for the WTVD ND role, having previously served in a similar role for WHEC-10 in Rochester, N.Y. He began his career in June 1982 as a reporter for WWNY-TV in Watertown, N.Y., during college breaks from SUNY Geneseo; his first full-time job came as a news producer for WHAM-13 in Rochester, N.Y., in 1984. In 1989, he’d begin a three-year stint as WSMV-4 in Nashville’s news producer.
He continued, “Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand the relentless commitment our teams bring every day to serving audiences with the very best in local news and community service. It has been an honor to be part of that work. Over the years, I have often said, “If it was easy, anyone could do it.’ Thankfully, I wasn’t working with just anyone. I was working with the very best people in our business.”
Calling his experience “a privilege of a lifetime,” Elmore concluded, “I have every confidence that Chad will identify the right next leader for ABC11, someone who will build on this station’s success and lead it confidently into the future. Leaving a career and a company that have meant so much to me is bittersweet. But what I will remember most is the people: your talent, your resilience, your passion for journalism and your commitment to the communities we serve. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, and even more grateful for the friendships and memories I will carry with me.”
