Viki Regan Out at WPBF West Palm Beach

Longtime VP/GM Leaves Hearst-Argyle Television-Owned ABC Affiliate

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/29/2008 3:56:00 PM

WPBF West Palm Beach, Fla., vice president and general manager Viki Regan resigned abruptly Monday after meeting with staff at the Hearst-Argyle Television-owned ABC affiliate.

Regan had been running the station for 11 years. She recently told B&C the station was “very fortunate to have significant support” from its corporate parent, and she was bullish on taking on longtime leader WPTV, which is owned by Scripps. “They’re watching our moves -- we set the tone now on many levels,” she said.

WPBF was in fourth place in West Palm Beach in terms of 2006 revenue, according to BIA Financial Network, and it was also in fourth in late news in the February sweeps.

Hearst-Argyle president and CEO David Barrett said in a statement: “The station has made real progress under her leadership and is positioned for further growth and success in the coming years. I’m grateful to Viki for her contributions at WPBF and, before that at WDTN [Dayton, Ohio] and WTAE [Pittsburgh]. I thank Viki for her valuable management contributions and wish her success and happiness as she steps into the next chapter of her career."

Regan’s departure was first reported on Scripps’ TCPalm.com, where news director Joseph Coscia said the staff meeting preceding her departure was tearful. “She’s been a great leader and a great friend not only to us but to the entire community,” Coscia said on TCPalm.com.

Calls to Regan’s cell phone were met with a “disconnected” message, and Coscia did not return a call at press time.