Tribune Promotes Key Broadcasting Executives

Tribune Promotes Key Broadcasting Executives

Schonbak to Oversee Fox Affiliates, Berlamino Appointed President of WPIX-TV, Graziano Named Senior Vice President

CHICAGO, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribune Broadcasting today announced the promotion of several key executives in its broadcasting division and the reorganization of three East Coast television stations.

Ray Schonbak has been promoted to executive vice president and will begin overseeing the company's FOX television affiliates in San Diego, Seattle, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids and Harrisburg, Pa., as well as the company's CW affiliate in Portland. Betty Ellen Berlamino, vice president/general manager of WPIX-TV in New York City, has been named president of the station. Richard Graziano, vice president/general manager of Tribune's two-station cluster in Hartford, Conn., becomes senior vice president and will take on oversight responsibilities for the company's stations in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. The promotions are effective immediately.

"Ray, Betty Ellen and Rich are proven leaders with long track records of success," said Ed Wilson, Tribune Broadcasting president. "These moves allow us to improve the speed of decision-making and overall cooperation and communication across our television group -- these people know their local markets better than anyone."

Schonbak joined Tribune in March as vice president/general manager of KSWB-TV in San Diego. Under his leadership and direction, the station will launch a weekday four-hour morning news show and a weeknight hourly newscast beginning Friday, August 1.

"By bringing our Fox affiliates together as a group, we can capitalize on the strength and resources of the country's No. 1 television network," said Schonbak. "Fox stations are known for strong local news and sports coverage

-- this arrangement allows us to better coordinate the sharing of news and sports content, graphics, and innovative programming in order to ensure future growth and success."

Promoting Berlamino and expanding Graziano's responsibilities is designed to maximize the collaboration between Tribune's East Coast affiliates; the stations are located within a few hundred miles of each other. Berlamino has been vice president/general manager of WPIX since 2000. Graziano has served as vice president/general manager of WTIC-TV and WTXX-TV in Hartford, since 2005.

Berlamino, Schonbak, and Graziano will report directly to Wilson, as will the general managers at the company's television stations in Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami. Tribune's stations in Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Denver and St. Louis will continue reporting to John Vitanovec, executive vice president/Tribune Broadcasting.

TRIBUNE is America's largest employee-owned media company, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Sun (Baltimore), South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, Morning Call and Daily Press. The company's broadcasting group operates 23 television stations, WGN America on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience. At Tribune we take what we do seriously and with a great deal of pride. We also value the creative spirit and are nurturing a corporate culture that doesn't take itself too seriously.

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Source: Tribune Company

CONTACT: Gary Weitman, SVP|Corporate Relations of Tribune Company,
+1-312-222-3394, gweitman@tribune.com

Web site: http://www.tribune.com/

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