Paramount Global’s local broadcast television division CBS News and Stations will saddle the general manager of its Denver-based TV station with the same job duties in Los Angeles.
Starting next month, KCNC (Channel 4) General Manager Tim Wieland will become a Regional General Manager, overseeing his station in Colorado and that of Los Angeles-based KCBS (Channel 2) and KCAL (Channel 9), according to an internal memo circulated on Wednesday.
The memo, written by a Los Angeles-based executive, called Wieland an “outstanding leader with over 30 years of broadcast journalism experience,” and said she looked forward to working “much closer with him as he takes charge of the market.”
“Tim has been instrumental in leading the community journalism model in Denver, a pioneering approach that has reshaped how we cover local news and serve our viewers,” the executive wrote. “This model has now become a cornerstone for other CBS stations across the country.”
The executive also praised Wieland for overseeing the rollout of the “First Alert Weather” brand within KCNC’s news division, and said he will be “invaluable as we continue to grow the Next Weather brand here in Los Angeles.” CBS News and Stations has tested the First Alert Weather and Next Weather brands for the past two years, with different markets adopting whichever brand they felt resonated with their viewers the most.
In Los Angeles, Wieland will succeed Joel Vilmenay, who is departing the general manager role in the next few weeks. CBS News and Stations decided to consolidate VIlmenay’s job duties into that of a regional general manager as part of a cost reduction strategy, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Wieland will continue to be based in Denver, the 17th largest TV market in the country, while overseeing the business of the two Los Angeles stations in the country’s second-biggest TV market. He will visit KCBS/KCAL at least once per quarter, or as his duties require it, the source said.
