She’s a widely respected market-level broadcast media executive who has been twice honored by Radio+Television Business Report as a Top Local TV Leader. Now, this woman described by ABC Owned Television Stations President Chad Matthews as a “true innovator” has been selected to take the role held until March by the now-retired Cheryl Fair.
This sees Wendy Granato take the role of President/General Manager for KABC-7 in Los Angeles.
She arrives in Burbank, Calif., from KTRK-13, an ABC Owned Television Stations property in Houston. There, she helped make KTRK a top station in a highly competitive marketplace against stations owned by TEGNA and Graham Media Group, as well as Fox Television Stations.
Granato’s first task is to lead and build on the momentum of what Matthews calls “an iconic station” in the nation’s second-largest market, “shaping its editorial vision and managing the strategies and teams that drive audience and growth across platforms.”
With chief meteorologist Dallas Raines and longtime anchors including Marc Brown, KABC-7 is, along with WABC-7 in New York, one of the most-viewed television stations in the U.S.
Speaking of Granato, Matthews said, “Wendy is a true innovator, long championing modernization in the newsroom with a laser focus on how best to optimize programming across platforms. She is also keenly aware of what is important to viewers and is resolute in her commitment to impactful, high-quality journalism. I know she will put her trademark tenacity, passion for problem-solving and creative thinking to work to ensure that KABC continues to be the market leader in Los Angeles.”
Granato commented, “I’ve had ample opportunities over the years to collaborate with the KABC team. They are among the most pioneering and innovative storytellers in the business, and I’m very much looking forward to leading this remarkable team. I’m particularly impressed with their forward-thinking approach to breaking news and how best to elevate it across myriad platforms. I look forward to working closely with community leaders across the city to amplify stories and organizations that make a difference in the lives of Los Angeles viewers. And I cannot wait to immerse myself in all things SoCal!”
Granato added that it is “such an honor to step into the shoes of the great Cheryl Fair, who is such an inspiration to so many of us in the industry. I’m incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside her during her tenure and to continue to call her my friend.”
Matthews will oversee management at KTRK until a new general manager is named, with Granato continuing to provide support during this transitional period.
Granato ranked at No. 11 in RBR+TVBR’s Top Local TV Leaders rankings for 2023, rising from No. 14. At KTRK, Granato spearheaded the launch of the station’s 24/7 news stream and led the station through numerous weather emergencies, including Hurricane Beryl, which hit Houston earlier this week.
Granato rose through the ranks at KTRK-13, succeeding Henry Florsheim as President/GM in August 2019 after serving as VP of News for five years. Before joining KTRK, Granato was the news director for KNWS (now KYAZ-51) in Houston. It was an all-news station owned by Johnson Broadcasting and is today an Azteca América O&O owned by HC2 Station Group. Earlier in her career, Granato was a news reporter and morning news anchor for KATC-3 in Lafayette, La.
Granato is also a founding director of “OTV University,” an educational program for all eight ABC Owned Television Stations.
Asked for RBR+TVBR’s Fall 2023 magazine why she believes local TV is an indispensable
resource, Granato replied, “We are first responders. We are truth seekers. We never turn out the lights. And we just don’t quit. TV viewers depend on their local TV stations like never before. We live in the communities we serve. We love the communities we serve. And, if you’re lucky to work for a TV station built on decades of hard-working journalists who put everything on the line, legacy matters. Methods change, platforms change, influencers come and go. What doesn’t change is the desire to pass on that legacy to the next generation.”
Wendy Granato studied at the Manship School of Mass Communication, where she received a degree in broadcast journalism from Louisiana State University.
