Sinclair Broadcast Group owns and operates the ABC and Univision affiliates serving the Pacific Northwest’s biggest market, in addition to three radio brands the company inherited from Fisher Communications.
The radio and TV stations have a new GM, and is relocating from the Mitten State.
Now in charge of the media properties that comprise Sinclair/Seattle is Chad Conklin.
He will have oversight of ABC affiliate KOMO-4 and Univision affiliated KUNS-51, in addition to KOMO-AM & FM, KPLZ-FM “Star 101.5” and Talker KVI-AM.
Conklin reports to Rob Weisbord, President of Sinclair’s Local News & Marketing Services division.
“It is a privilege to join the accomplished team in Seattle,” Conklin said. “I am excited to be part of Sinclair’s continued history of excellence in the Pacific Northwest and look forward to building relationships in the local community.”
Conklin has spent the last two decades with Sinclair, and since 2011 had been GM of WSMH-TV in Flint, Mich., the market’s FOX affiliate. There, he also oversaw Sinclair’s provision of services to NBC affiliate WEYI and The CW Network-affiliated WBSF-TV, pursuant to service agreements.
Prior to that, he served as GSM, rising from LSM and, before that, NSM. Conklin began his career at WSMH in 2000, as an account executive.
Conklin succeeds Janene Drafs, who in late January was appointed VP/GM of KTLA-5, a crown jewel in what was once Tribune Media and now perhaps Nexstar’s biggest broadcast property outside of WGN-9 in Chicago, and WPIX-11 in New York.
Drafs had been VP/GM of KOMO-TV and KUNS-TV since 2013, later gaining oversight of the radio stations following the Fisher deal.
