Michael Hayes Named President-GM of WTAE

Hearst has named a successor to Rick Henry at Pittsburgh’s WTAE. The company announced today that Michael Hayes, who has been the president and general manager of Hearst-owned WYFF in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC, has been appointed president and GM of WTAE.

“Mike Hayes is an accomplished television executive,” said David Barrett, president and CEO of Hearst Television. “We are delighted that he is stepping into the leadership role at WTAE, one of Hearst Television’s legacy stations.  WYFF has distinguished itself in local news leadership, and sales and profit performance during Mike’s seven-year stewardship. We are confident that he’ll bring that same energy, urgency, and effective leadership to the team at WTAE.”

Henry is set to retire this month after nearly four decades with Hearst, including nine with WTAE.

Hayes began his career as a sports anchor and producer for WISH in Indianapolis. He became president and GM of WYFF in 2003 after serving as general sales manager of Cincinnati’s WLWT.

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