With the appointment of Shawn Oswald as President/GM of Hearst-owned WISN-12 in Milwaukee after 4 1/2 years in Omaha, Hearst Television needed to find his successor. Now, it has revealed to the next President/GM of ABC affiliate KETV-7 is. And, it brings a woman back to a role held by Ariel Roblin prior to Oswald’s arrival in late June 2020.
Introducing Allison Smith, who since 2018 has served as the News Director at KCCI-8 in the Des Moines-Ames DMA.
“Allison is an accomplished news leader who has demonstrated success in every opportunity she has earned,” said Michael J. Hayes, Hearst Television’s President. “She brings an understanding of the region which will accentuate the strength of the leadership team at one of our most successful properties.”
Smith, who graduated from Waverly High School near Lincoln, Nebr., and then earned a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast News from Drake University in Des Moines, began her career at KCCI as a News Producer. She would later serve as a producer and executive producer at television stations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Smith returned to Hearst Television as Asst. News Director at WLWT-5 in Cincinnati in 2014. Her return to KCCI as ND in December 2018 marked only the fourth news director and first female news director in that station’s history, Hearst notes.
Smith in 2024 she was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Iowa Broadcasters Association. She has been awarded three regional Emmys, two for Outstanding Newscast and one for Interview/Discussion Program.
