Belo today announced the appointments of two new general managers at its stations in St. Louis and New Orleans.

Mark Pimentel has been named president and general manager of KMOV, Belo’s St. Louis CBS-affiliate, and Tod Smith has been tapped as president and GM of WWL in New Orleans, as well as MyNetworkTV sister station WUPL.

“Both Mark Pimentel and Tod Smith are outstanding leaders and have delivered noteworthy results throughout their careers,” said Peter Diaz, Belo’s president of media operations, announcing the hires. Read more

Raycom Media has tapped Tracey Rogers as vice president and general manager of KAIT in Jonesboro, AR.  Rogers is currently the news director at WMC, Raycom’s Memphis station.

Rogers, who has been WMC’s ND since 2007, replaces Tim Ingram at KAIT.  Raycom recently named Ingram vice president and general manager of KFVS in Cape Girardeau, MO.

“Both of these internal promotions further confirm Raycom’s commitment to growing and promoting talent and management within the company,” Raycom stated in a press release announcing Rogers’ promotion. Read more

Susan Edwards, an accomplished reporter with New Orleans’ WWL, passed away early Wednesday morning after a year-long battle with cancer.  She was 34.

Edwards was initially diagnosed with liver cancer in 2009 but the cancer quickly spread to her lungs, making treatment increasingly difficult.

“Susie faced this battle with a strength and courage that was unimaginable,” WWL anchor and interim news director Mike Hoss said. “She was so young and had so many reasons to be angry, but she never was. She was always the one picking up our spirits.   She never said ‘Why me?’ only ‘What’s the next hurdle to overcome?’”

Edwards joined CBS-affiliate WWL in 2007 after five years with WAFF in Huntsville, AL.  According to WWL, Edwards confronted the cancer with the tenacity of a reporter.  She took detailed notes when meeting with doctors and pressed them with careful questioning.