Fates & Fortunes

John W. Zucker, VP, news legal affairs, ABC Inc., New York, promoted to VP, law and regulation.

Vinnie Malcolm, director, sales, KTLA(TV) Los Angeles, promoted to station manager.

Will Meyl, manager, sales, WBPX(TV) Boston, joins WUVP-TV Philadelphia, as general sales manager.

Tom Calato, regional sales manager, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Miami, named general sales manager, WKMG-TV Orlando, Fla.

Dick Tuthill, director, operations, Charter Communications, Worcester, Mass., joins Adelphia, Burlington, Vt., as GM, Northern Vermont systems.

Mae Douglas, VP/chief people officer, Cox Communications, Atlanta, promoted to senior VP.

Maura Dunbar, VP, miniseries and special projects, ABC, Los Angeles, joins Hallmark Channel U.S., Los Angeles, as senior VP, original programming and development.

Jay McNamara, director, finance, Universal Studios Television Distribution, Universal City, Calif., promoted to VP, business development.

Appointments at Turner Broadcasting System Inc.: Alyssa A. Hochheiser, director, direct response advertising, New York, promoted to VP; Jason T. Baron, director, direct response advertising, CNN News Group, New York, promoted to VP.

Christina Miller, head, brand and licensing development, Gullane Entertainment, New York, promoted VP, licensing, for the Americas.

Alison Lazar, communications consultant, New York, joins ESPN Inc., New York, as manager, advertising sales and corporate communications.

Steve MacDonald, VP, basic cable sales, Twentieth Television, Los Angeles, promoted to senior VP/general sales manager, basic cable sales.

Erron Sorensen, national marketing director, Dr. Maartens, Portland, Ore., named marketing director, Entercom Seattle cluster.

Andy Santoro, VP/GM, WCTC(AM)/WMGQ(FM) New Brunswick, N.J., named VP, Millennium/New Jersey cluster operations/sales manager, Millennium Radio Group, Northfield, N.J.

Jon Thompson, account executive, WFLA(AM) Tampa, Fla., promoted to regional sales director, Clear Channel Radio, Tampa.

Appointments at News 8 Austin, Texas: Cyndie Espinoza, news assignment editor, KABB(TV) San Antonio, joins as assignments manager; Tiffany Magana, news director, KAVU-TV Victoria, Texas, joins as executive producer; Melody Denning, evening producer, WWL-TV, New Orleans, joins as executive producer; Mike Lozano, chief meteorologist, KCCI(TV) Des Moines, Iowa, joins as meteorologist; Jeffrey Rhineer, sports anchor/ reporter, KRCR-TV Redding, Calif., joins as sports anchor; John Hygh, sports reporter, promoted to sports anchor; Kelly Gier, associate producer, promoted to producer; Jacinto Ybarra, associate producer, promoted to producer.

Deborah Maiocco, VP, advertising sales, CNX Media, Los Angeles, named national sales manager, Comcast MarketLink, Philadelphia.

George James Arkedis, retired vice president and general manager of CBS Radio Network, New York, died of natural causes on Dec. 20 in New Canaan, Conn. He was 88.

A native New Yorker, Arkedis entered advertising upon graduating from Fordham University and worked for two small ad firms before enlisting in the Navy in 1941. At the suggestion of an agency friend, he applied for a local sales position with WCBS(AM) New York following the end of WWII.

Arkedis switched to the CBS television network, initially as an account executive and eventually as Midwest sales manager. He was named general sales manager for CBS-owned WBBM-TV Chicago in 1953. In '64, he was tapped for the post of vice president of sales and affiliate relations for CBS Radio and moved back to New York. In '66, he was promoted to vice president and general manager and is credited with creating the documentary-style program Special Weekend. He retired from CBS in 1978.

He is survived by his wife, Sarajane; a son, George J. Jr.; a daughter, Sarah Jane Peck; and six grandchildren.