Abernethy Taps Swanson To Run Fox Stations; Former Viacomer Expected To Focus On Local News & Programming

“Veteran TV station executive Dennis Swanson, most recently the No. 2 executive at the Viacom Station Group, is jumping to the Fox Television Group to be president of its 35 Fox and UPN stations,” Broadcasting & Cable recaps. “Swanson, who will start Oct. 10, will report to Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy.” (Abernethy is pictured on the left.)

> “I look forward to working for Jack Abernethy to build the FOX stations to their full potential. Jack has a great track record and knows how to build value in television properties,” Swanson said in a statement.

> The Hollywood Reporter: “Swanson has decades of experience in local and national television, not only as president of ABC Sports between 1986 and 1996 but also as head of ABC Daytime and its childrens programming unit. He was president-general manager of WNBC-TV, NBC’s New York O&O as well as vp-general manager of WLS-TV, ABC’s O&O in Chicago. He ran ABC’s stations group in 1985 and 1986.”

> More from B&C: “Swanson is known for revamping underperforming stations. He joined Viacom in 2002 to help Reynolds remake the company’s CBS and UPN outlets, most of which were market laggards.”

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