Fox Chicago duopoly announces Sheila Oliver as new VP/GM
Succeeds the retiring Dennis Walsh in role
Fox’s Chicago duopoly quickly found a new leader by announcing Tuesday the hire of Sheila Oliver to run Fox 32 (WFLD) and My50 (WPWR). Oliver moves over from the Fox-owned Seattle duopoly of KCPQ and KJZO.
“Sheila is a Fox Television Stations veteran of both news and sales who leads with her Midwestern charm so she is the perfect choice to elevate Fox Chicago to the next level.”, said Jack Abernetby, who is the CEO of the Fox Television Stations group.
Oliver spent two years at the Seattle stations after spending six years as VP and GM of Fox Minneapolis duopoly of KMSP and WFTC, where KMSP often finished a strong third in the local news ratings, behind CBS-owned WCCO-TV and NBC affiliate KARE and ahead of ABC affiliate KSTP. Prior to landing at the Twin Cities duopoly, Oliver spent ten years as VP of sales for the station group for over a decade. Oliver has been with Fox since 2002.
Before she was employed at Fox, Oliver was GM at WTVR in Richmond, Va. and Sinclair’s Milwaukee duopoly of WVTV-WCGV. She actually began her career in radio, working in sales at Hip-Hop/R&B WJLB-FM in Detroit.
“I am beyond thrilled to be given the opportunity to head up the team at WFLD and WPWR and to return to my Midwest roots,” Oliver said in a statement. “Chicago is a great media market and a tremendous sports town — a city that is vibrant with culture and diversity. I will always look back with fondness on my time with the Fox team in Seattle and I look forward to cheering them on as they continue to build upon the momentum and success of our time together.”
This move comes as a wave of retirements have hit Fox Television Stations in recent weeks, including the departure of Dennis Walsh, who retired from the station on June 30. Other retirements include Kathy Saunders from Fox’s Dallas’ duopoly of KDFW-KDFI, and Jim Burke, who was head of Fox Television Stations’ ad sales unit.
Recently, WFLD signed a new deal to continue carrying Chicago Bears programming, include preseason games and pre and post game shows. The station is getting a shake-up on-air – in addition to the recent retirement of Mike Flannery from the political beat and the end of Flannery Fired Up, Broadcasting and Cable is reporting Corey McPherrin is retiring at the end of August, an item found in their Local News Close-Up series about the Chicago market.