Frank Biancuzzo, the President of Hearst Media Production Group, will retire from the company in mid-2026, concluding a television career that spans more than four decades.
Biancuzzo has led Hearst Media Production Group since 2021, when the company established the unit following its acquisition of Litton Entertainment. The business operates as an independent producer and distributor of original programming. Hearst Television said a successor to Biancuzzo will be announced at a later date.
“There is no executive who was more prepared than Frank,” said Hearst Television President Michael J. Hayes in a statement on Thursday. “He was a mentor, leader, and partner to me and to many. His strategic and critical thinking will leave an indelible mark on our company. That will be Frank’s legacy.”
Biancuzzo has spent more than 30 years with Hearst Television, holding a number of roles that spanned research, marketing, station management and production oversight. As president of Hearst Media Production Group, he expanded the company’s programming and distribution capabilities while building on the foundation established by Litton Entertainment, which had become a major supplier of educational and informational programming for broadcast television.
Under his leadership, the unit broadened its original content slate and positioned itself to expand further into unscripted entertainment programming. Today, Hearst Media Production Group reaches more than 17 million viewers each week and maintains a library of 85 original series distributed across broadcast and cable networks, local television stations, connected TV platforms and streaming services. Its content is also available in more than 100 countries.
Before taking on the HMPG role, Biancuzzo served as Executive Vice President and group head at Hearst Television, sharing oversight of the company’s television and radio stations. Earlier in his career, he was President and General Manager of WISN-TV (Channel 12), the company’s ABC affiliate in Milwaukee.
During his tenure leading the station, WISN-TV became the market’s consistent news ratings leader and ranked as the top-performing ABC affiliate nationwide in primetime audience delivery. The station also received a George Foster Peabody Award for investigative journalism.
Earlier in his career, Biancuzzo worked in a corporate role at Hearst Television overseeing marketing and promotion across the station group. Prior to that, he served as a research and marketing consulting executive at Frank N. Magid Associates, where he advised television stations and networks across six countries.
Beyond his executive duties, Biancuzzo has been active in industry governance and professional organizations. He previously served as vice chair of the CBS Affiliate Board and led its news committee, and also advised the promotion committee of the ABC Affiliate Board.
Over the course of his career, he has received several industry honors, including Gold Medallion awards from the former Promax/BDA, Emmy Awards and nominations, and a World Medal from the New York Festivals International TV & Film Awards for original programming.
“Reinvention is essential in this industry, and I’ve been fortunate to build four distinct career chapters during my 31 years with Hearst Television,” Biancuzzo said. “Serving alongside Hearst’s extraordinary leadership team has been the defining honor of my professional life.”
