The Des Moines-based owner of 17 broadcast television stations — in addition to some of the biggest women’s lifestyle brands in the U.S. — has promoted its GSM for its Flint-Saginaw, Mich.-market CBS affiliate to VP/GM.
Earning the promotion at Meredith Corp. is Ken Frierson.
“Ken has been an extraordinary member of WNEM-TV 5 for over a decade and has worked in the local television industry for nearly a quarter-century,” said Meredith Local Media Group President Patrick McCreery. “He has successfully led the WNEM sales team and helped the station consistently grow its market share, a pattern I’m confident will continue in his role as General Manager.”
Frierson started his career as an Account Executive at WSMH-66, the FOX affiliate in Flint. He joined WNEM-5 in 1991 as an AE and then shifted to Flint-based WEYI-TV for the role of Regional Sales Manager, before being promoted to National Sales Manager.
From 2000-2007, Frierson served as Director of Sales and NSM for WEEK-TV in Peoria, Ill.; WTVH-TV in Syracuse; and WMYD-TV in Detroit, under Granite Broadcasting.
He returned to Meredith in 2010 as WNEM’s Local Sales Manager and was promoted to General Sales Manager in 2018.
“It’s exciting to become General Manager of such an incredible television station in the same market where I started my career,” Frierson said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the spectacular team at WNEM and serve the people of Mid-Michigan.”
Frierson currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
