He’s served as News Director of KCRA-3 and KQCA-58 in the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto market of Northern California since 2018 and has spent his entire professional career at Hearst Television. Now, he has been promoted to a Regional Director of News post at the company.
Earning the bigger role at Hearst is Derek Schnell, who continues in his current role while adding oversight of the news operations of KSBW-8 in Monterey-Salinas and KOAT-7 in Albuquerque. Schnell will also be more actively involved in the company’s groupwide news initiatives.
“Derek has proven in every role he’s assumed for us that he’s a natural leader with a creative and innovative mind,” said Hearst Television SVP/Chief Content Officer for News Barbara Maushard. “Through newscast expansion, special multiplatform programming, engagement with technological advances and his commitment to journalistic excellence, Derek has further defined the Hearst Sacramento duopoly as the market leader. He will continue to inspire colleagues as he takes on added responsibilities. It’s a natural evolution for Derek and our team.”
In Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, Hearst competes against News-Press & Gazette’s KION-46 for local viewers. In New Mexico’s largest market, the competition includes Hubbard-owned KOB-4 and Nexstar’s KRQE-13.
Schnell began his career with an investigative internship at Hearst’s KETV-7 in Omaha, a station once led by current KCRA-3 and KQCA-58 President/GM Ariel Roblin. Before arriving in Sacramento, however, Schnell worked at KOCO-5 in Oklahoma as a producer, rising to Executive Producer. He later moved to KMBC-TV & KCWE-TV, Hearst Television’s ABC and CW affiliates in Kansas City, where he served as an executive producer.
Schnell started his journalism career at KOMU-TV, the university-owned NBC affiliate in Columbia as a student at the University of Missouri.
