Don Richards

Group VP. Raycom Media

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/27/2012 12:02:00 AM

In its deal four years ago for the Lincoln Financial stations, Raycom got three quality TV outlets—and a talented operator in then-WWBT Richmond general manager Don Richards. Richards gave up his day-to-day role at WWBT last year and, in his new post, has taken on oversight of eight stations in Raycom’s southeastern stronghold in Virginia and the Carolinas. From his office in Richmond, Richards oversees a batch of market powerhouses including WWBT, WCSC Charleston, WIS Columbia and WECT Wilmington. The region is targeted by hurricanes and politicians alike: After storm season clears out, the presidential hopefuls will lobby hard for votes in the region, meaning lots of vital local news stories and bundles of political ad cash.

Raycom is pushing hard to ink shared services deals around the nation, meaning Richards may even add more responsibility to his sterling professional portfolio as the year moves on.