CBS Taps Kucharz For Local Digital Media President

Eye moves ahead on local initiatives

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/26/2010 12:56:04 PM

Ezra Kucharz has been named president of CBS Local Digital Media. He's responsible for "conceiving and executing the company's local online media strategy utilizing the combined assets and digital operations of CBS's 29 television stations and CBS Radio's 36 news, sports and talk stations," CBS said in a statement.

Kucharz starts Feb. 16. He comes from FiLife.com, an IAC and Dow Jones personal finance joint venture, where he was president and general manager of the financial question and answer platform.

"CBS has a tremendous opportunity to create a next generation local marketplace," said CBS Local Media COO Anton Guitano. "We have an unparalleled collection of major-market television and radio broadcast outlets, and a host of other resources across the corporation, to ensure that this initiative is a success. Working alongside Peter Dunn, Dan Mason and myself, we are confident that Ezra will give our new, combined Local Media business an online platform that will be top-of-mind for our audience and a valuable, targeted vehicle for our clients."

CBS has been ramping up its local operations the last few months, with local TV, radio and Web working closer in a given market. In November, Peter Dunn was named president of CBS Television Stations and Guitano was elevated to his post. Dan Mason is the CBS Radio president/CEO.

Kucharz's previous jobs included stints at iVillage, the United States Tennis Association and NASA, where he worked in the space shuttle and space station medical operations departments after graduating college.