Gray Media Announces Two General Manager Moves
Rhea-AI Summary
Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) has announced key leadership changes in its Nebraska markets. Shannon Booth has been appointed as General Manager of WOWT (NBC) in Omaha, succeeding Jim McKernan, who is retiring after 44 years in broadcasting. Jacque Harms will take over Booth's previous role, managing KOLN (CBS), KSNB (NBC) in Lincoln, and KNOP (NBC) and KNPL (CBS) in North Platte.
Booth brings extensive experience from her eight-year tenure managing multiple market-leading television, digital, and streaming products in Nebraska, along with 18 years at KCRG in Cedar Rapids. Harms, returning to Nebraska with over 35 years of media experience, previously led WTOK to win Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Small Market Station of the Year in 2024.
Gray Media operates the nation's largest network of top-rated local television stations, reaching approximately 37% of US television households across 113 markets.
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News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, GTN declined 1.94%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
ATLANTA, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Media announced today the moves of two current General Managers to new markets. Gray has named Shannon Booth as the next General Manager of WOWT (NBC) in Omaha, Nebraska. She will succeed Jim McKernan, who is retiring on June 2 after a 44-year career in broadcasting. Jacque Harms will succeed Shannon as General Manager of Gray’s KOLN (CBS) and KSNB (NBC) in Lincoln, Nebraska, and KNOP (NBC) and KNPL (CBS) in North Platte, Nebraska.
For the past eight years, Shannon has overseen several market-leading television, digital and streaming products serving Lincoln, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, North Platte and many communities in between. Previously, Shannon spent 18 years at KCRG in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she held several management positions in news, digital, marketing and creative. Shannon also spent time at WOI in Ames, Iowa; KTIV in Sioux City, Iowa; WHO in Des Moines, Iowa; and KWWL in Waterloo, Iowa. Shannon currently serves as president of the board for the Heartland Cancer Foundation and is past board chair of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association.
Shannon’s successor, Jacque Harms, returns home to Nebraska, where she began and spent most of her more than 35-year career in the media business. She first joined the KNOP staff in North Platte on a part-time basis in 1994. Over the next several years, she served as an anchor, reporter, photographer, producer and news director. Five years ago, she became the General Manager of WTOK (ABC) in Meridian, Mississippi, and, in 2025, she relocated to Colorado Springs to become the General Manager of KKTV (CBS). Under her leadership, WTOK was the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Small Market Station of the Year in 2024 and a National Association of Broadcasters Service to America Finalist in 2021.
Jacque has served on the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors as well as on the planning committees that launched Mississippi’s inaugural MAB Student Conference and Women in Broadcasting awards program and luncheon. She is an award-winning journalist with honors from the Associated Press, Nebraska Broadcasters Association, and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association.
About Gray Media:
Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 37 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 78 markets with the top-rated television station and 99 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station during 2024, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 44 markets. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray’s additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. For more information, please visit www.graymedia.com.
Gray Contact:
Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 404-266-8333
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