As Perry Sook awaits the FCC’s approval of Nexstar Broadcasting Group‘s merger with Media General, the Nexstar Chairman and President/CEO will now have a whole array of broadcast TV interests to place his attention on.
That’s because Sook has been elected to serve as TVB Chairman.
A member of the not-for-profit trade association’s board of directors since 2000, Sook assumes the role at the chief lobbying organization for America’s local broadcast television industry previously held by Dispatch Broadcast Group Chairman/CEO Michael J. Fiorile.
Fiorile’s two-year term expired at the end of 2016.
“I’m honored to follow Michael Fiorile’s tremendous leadership by assuming the role of TVB Chairman as we continue to extend our work on important initiatives that will benefit the local broadcast television industry and our over 800 member stations,” Sook said in prepared comments. “As the most trusted medium among viewers with the greatest influence on consumer purchasing and voting decisions, local broadcast television continues to be the leading marketing platform for brand managers, advertisers and political campaigns to reach target audiences. A critical part of our mission at TVB is enhancing our members’ local sales efforts with tools, data and services that best leverage the unrivaled reach, influence and engagement our professionally-produced local news and content delivers across all screens and devices.”
As Chairman, Sook will work alongside TVB CEO Steve Lanzano in expanding the association’s initiatives to drive local sales in key verticals for member stations. He also seeks collaboration with industry partners “to set accurate measurement and currency standards,” in addition to reinforcing broadcast TV’s platform in reaching voters and influencing election outcomes.
Sook founded Nexstar just 21 years ago, with a single TV station in the Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Penna., market. Following Nexstar’s purchase of Media General, it will be the No. 2 local broadcast television operator by total number of stations in the U.S. — with 171 stations reaching 100 markets, or approximately 39% of all television households.
Sook is also a board member of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the NBC Affiliate Board, and Chairman of The Ohio University Foundation Board.
Lanzano said of Sook, “Perry is a local broadcast television industry pioneer and innovator. Throughout his time as a TVB Board member and his years of executive leadership, Perry has been a strong advocate on key industry issues including the establishment of the retransmission revenue stream which benefits affiliates and networks, the ongoing pursuit of fair compensation from pay TV operators, the establishment of a successful framework to support diversity in local broadcast station ownership and the advancement of digital innovation and cross-platform marketing solutions.
“From the beginning, Perry and Nexstar have cultivated an organization-wide commitment to localism and serving the needs of local viewers, businesses, advertisers and community organizations,” Lanzano continued. “His leadership and expertise have helped grow our medium into the powerful platform for advertisers it is today.”
