KUTV-KMYU GM Carlston Tapped for KNBC Top Job

Force behind Salt Lake turnaround returns to SoCal roots

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/22/2011 3:08:20 PM

Carlston will report to Valari Staab, president of the NBC owned group, and starts in October.

Carlston has grown KUTV into a news power in Salt Lake City, a market long dominated by NBC affiliate KSL.

"Between his 30 years of television industry experience, dynamic leadership skills and proven track record of making stations stronger, Steve Carlston is uniquely qualified to take NBC4 to the next level," said Staab. "Steve is from Southern California and truly understands the importance of a television station serving the local community. I look forward to working with him and welcome him to the team."

Carlston and his wife, Loni Coombs, a former prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, live in Agoura Hills, California. They have five children.

"I grew up watching NBC4 and am honored to join the rich tradition of the station and to work alongside such high quality journalists and news professionals," said Carlston. "I'm excited to build upon the recent investments in the station to make it even stronger and help NBC4 become the leading local news organization in the market."

Carlston took over the Salt Lake stations, a CBS and a MyNetworkTV duopoly that are part of the Four Points Media group Sinclair recently agreed to acquire, in 2009. (The MyNet station, in fact, airs NBC drama The Playboy Club, since KSL refused to do so.) From 2004 to 2009, Carlston was president and managing partner of Las Vegas Television Partners, owner of independent KTUD Las Vegas and Sun Media Productions. Carlston was executive vice president of affiliate relations at Viacom's United Paramount Network in Los Angeles from 1999 to 2003.

Prior to that, Carlston was president and COO of SF Broadcasting in Los Angeles, a division of USA Broadcasting, from 1996 to 1998.

He was the vice president and general manager of KSTU Salt Lake City from 1992 to 1996.