Media General Names Allan D. (Dan) Cates Vice President and General Manager of WJHL-TV

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn., Aug. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Media General, Inc. has named Allan D. (Dan) Cates vice president and general manager of WJHL-TV, Media General's CBS affiliate in Johnson City, Tenn., effective Sept. 3.

"I am pleased to name such a talented broadcast professional to our Johnson City station," said Jim Conschafter, vice president, broadcast markets for Media General. "Dan is a proven leader and involved community advocate with exceptional journalistic instincts. I am confident that his news, marketing and digital experience will help WJHL deliver desirable content to our audience and advertisers and drive revenue growth across multiple platforms."

"I've worked with some terrific people in Mobile and Spartanburg and am excited to join the team in Johnson City," said Mr. Cates. "WJHL is a strong television station with a long history of success in the Tri-Cities market. To have only three general managers since signing on 59 years ago is a testament to the station's reputation and position in the market.  I'm honored to be part of the team as we move forward to grow share, ratings and revenue on WJHL's multiple platforms."

Since 2009, Mr. Cates has been director of digital content at WSPA-TV, Media General's CBS affiliate in Spartanburg, S.C., where he led news, marketing, production and digital operations for WSPA and Media General's CW affiliate, WYCW-TV. From 1999-2009,  he was news director at WKRG-TV, Media General's CBS affiliate in Mobile, Ala., where he managed news and was later given additional responsibilities overseeing marketing and production.  Under Mr. Cates' leadership, WKRG earned a National Edward R. Murrow award for excellence in journalism.

Prior to joining Media General, Mr. Cates was assistant news director at WBMA-TV in Birmingham, Ala. Before that, he served in news and marketing management positions in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Montgomery. Mr. Cates graduated from Troy State University with a degree in broadcast journalism. He is a 2007 graduate of Media General's Leadership Development Program and in 2010 was a Knight-McCormick Leadership Institute fellow at the Knight Digital Media Center at USC Annenburg School for Communication and Journalism. 

About Media General

Media General is a leading provider of news, information and entertainment across broadcast television, digital media and mobile platforms, serving consumers and advertisers in strong local markets, primarily in the Southeastern United States. The company's broadcast operations include 18 network-affiliated television stations and their associated digital and mobile media services. Media General's network affiliations include eight NBC stations, eight CBS, one ABC and one CW.  Six of its stations operate in the Top 40 markets in the United States. Media General's stations reach more than one-third of TV households in the Southeast and more than 8 percent of U.S. TV households. Media General got its start in the television business in 1955 when it launched WFLA-TV in Tampa, Florida, as an NBC affiliate. Today, WFLA is the company's largest TV station, operating in the 14th largest DMA in the United States. Media General continues to own The Tampa Tribune and its associated print properties and expects to enter into a transaction with one of several prospective buyers for the group.

SOURCE Media General, Inc.