McFarland Named WFTS Tampa News Director

WFTS Tampa Bay has named Bill McFarland as its news
director. McFarland comes from WABC New York, where he is assistant news
director. He succeeds Doug Culver, who departed in June.

"Bill brings over 20 years of successful news
management experience in large market television newsrooms," said general manager
Rich Pegram. "I am confident that his commitment to quality journalism and
his leadership abilities will help ABC Action News continue our remarkable
ratings momentum of the past year."

McFarland has held key leadership positions in newsrooms
around the country, including those in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, and
has also lectured at the university level on the news.

An ABC affiliate, WFTS is owned by Scripps.

"I am looking forward to joining the news team at one
of the best stations in America and a company committed to quality, local
journalism," said McFarland.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.