Elizabeth Tumulty has been named executive vice president of Affiliate Relations for the CBS Television Network.

She will report to CBS president of affiliate relations Diana Wilkin and will work with Wilkin on negotiating new affiliation contracts and all affiliate related initiatives.

“I’m thrilled to have someone of Elizabeth’s professional caliber joining our team,” said Wilkin. “Her business acumen and vast knowledge of the inner workings of the affiliate-network relationship make her well-suited to keep CBS and its affiliates at the forefront of an always-evolving industry.” Read more

CBS Television has announced its reached an agreement with Gray Television to launch KNPL as the first local CBS affiliate for the North Platte, NE, market on September 1, 2013.

“This new affiliation agreement is a welcome opportunity to enhance CBS’s service to viewers in central Nebraska with the Network’s first home station in North Platte,” said Diana Wilkin, president of CBS Affiliate Relations. “It also builds on a very successful partnership we’ve long had with Gray Television in Lincoln and Grand Island, among many other markets.”

Gray plans to re-brand KNPL as “10/11 North Platte.” Gray also owns Lincoln, NE, CBS affiliate KOLN which is branded as “10/11.” The station group recently launched an HD newscast on its newly acquired station KSNB, branded “10/11 Central Nebraska.” Read more

CBS and Bahakel Communications have announced an agreement to air CBS programming on a subchannel of WBBJ, the Bahakel-owned ABC-affiliate in Jackson, TN, beginning early next year. The station was previously a CBS affiliate from 1955-68.

“WBBJ signed on in 1955 as a CBS affiliate, so this new agreement is both a ‘return engagement’ and a welcome opportunity to expand our partnership with the seasoned broadcast executives at Bahakel Communications,” Diana Wilkin, president of CBS affiliate relations, said in a statement.

CBS programming — including national newscasts, entertainment and sports — will air on channel 7.3 in the market. Read more

KXTS, which is the MyNetworkTV affiliate in Victoria, TX, has signed an affiliation agreement with CBS that will take effect September 12.

CBS currently has no affiliation in the Victoria market, which is DMA #204. KXTS is owned by Saga Broadcasting, which also owns ABC, NBC, Telemundo and Univision outlets in the market.

“As the first CBS station to serve the viewers of Victoria, it’s a welcome opportunity to make CBS a vital part of the community and to continue growing our successful relationship with Saga Communications,” said CBS affiliate relations president Diana Wilkin.

Saga and CBS have partnerships in two other markets — KOAM in Joplin, MO and WXVT in Greenville, MS. “We’re excited to bring the quality entertainment, news and sports programming of America’s Most Watched Network to our audiences and advertisers in Victoria,” Saga CEO Ed Christian said in a statement.

David Wisnia has been hired as the executive vice president of affiliate relations for CBS. The former News Corp. executive will start on August 15.

“David is that rare executive who brings sales, distribution and marketing experience along with a strong legal background,” Diana Wilkin, CBS’s president of affiliate relations, said. “He is someone who understands the nuances of the network-affiliate model, and the value of CBS programming to our many stations.”

Wisnia was a senior vice president of distribution and marketing at Star TV, News Corp.’s Asian Television Service. Prior to that, he was a vice president for business and legal affairs at Fox Cable Networks.