Michael Valentine

VP of Content, Belo

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/27/2012 12:01:00 AM

Valentine has been on the fast track since his first news director job in Evansville (Ind.) at age 27. Belo Corp. saw major upside in Valentine and shifted him from its Norfolk (Va.) station’s newsroom to VP of news at its flagship in Dallas, where WFAA racked up mega-bling for its rock-solid investigative work, including Peabody Awards, national Murrows and a batch of duPont-Columbia silver batons.

Belo thought enough of Valentine to create a corporate role for him. Last month, he jumped across the street to HQ, where he will work with the news directors in the company’s 15 markets, spotting and sharing best practices, upholding Belo’s high standards of journalism and inspiring local news staffs with his enthusiasm. Perhaps more important, Valentine will work out the model for future local news gathering and distribution, including digital and social media. It’s a big job for a big thinker.