Sinclair Broadcast Group – the same company that owns Fox affiliate KABB – now officially owns NBC affiliate WOAI.
Sinclair’s deal to purchase six Newport TV properties around the country – including the S.A. station – was finalized Dec. 1 and already has resulted in a local management change. WOAI’s general manager of four years, Jackie Rutledge, has departed. Her last day at the station was Friday.
Her WOAI successor is one of Sinclair’s own. John Seabers, the man who, for more than 12 years, ran KABB/KMYS and made key decisions about KABB’s signature 9 p.m. newscast, is now the NBC station’s general manager.
Early this year, Seabers was promoted to group manager for Sinclair. Dean Radla took his place as KABB general manager.
Seabers, who’s worked in TV for nearly 28 years, comes to his new WOAI post with a long history with the NBC affiliate. Prior to being named as GM at KABB/KMYS in 1999, he worked as general sales manager, national sales manager and local sales manager for WOAI.
The big question now: How will the change in management and the fact that WOAI now shares an owner with a competing local news station, KABB, impact local news personnel at both stations?
One TV news personality, who preferred to remain unnamed, said the mood around WOAI in the wake of the changes seems positive. “We had a meeting with Mr. Seabers and people from Sinclair and it was very congenial. It’s actually a relief that our new GM has lived and worked so many years in San Antonio and is so familiar with the market and WOAI.”