As reported this morning, longtime KGW assistant news director Rick Jacobs has been promoted to executive news director at the station.   The Portland NBC-affiliate made the official announcement today.

“For over a decade, Rick has been a key part of our success in a fast changing and competitive industry. Every breaking news story and every award we’ve received carries Rick’s leadership and journalistic sensibility,” said KGW president and general manager DJ Wilson, announcing the promotion.  “It was clear that the best person to lead our newsroom through the multiplatform and on demand environment of contemporary news was already on our team. I’m thrilled to make this well-deserved promotion official.”

Jacobs has been the assistant news director at KGW for eleven years.

>Update: “I’m honored to lead this terrific team of journalists at KGW,” Jacobs told TVSpy today via email.  “After helping drive the day-to-day product for 12 years, I look forward to this tremendous challenge of taking the helm in the newsroom. We have the greatest team here at KGW. While the Portland market is more competitive than ever, I’m confident  we are positioned to continue as the news leader.”