Jay O'Connor, Cox Media Group (CMG) vice president, was named general manager of KIRO Seattle. O'Connor will continue overseeing CMG's radio and TV operations in El Paso, Hawaii, Oakland and Reno.
He succeeds Eric Lerner, who took the WCAU Philadelphia top job in March.
"We met with several qualified candidates, both from within CMG and external to the company, who were attracted to this opportunity to build a career with this great organization, to live in a world-class city like Seattle, and to lead the amazing media professionals at KIRO," said CMG executive VP Bill Hoffman. "It became apparent that there was one individual who stood out from the rest. Their passion for KIRO and CMG and their knowledge of the Seattle market made for the emphatic choice to be Jay O'Connor."
O'Connor's experience includes general manager and regional vice president roles in local radio.
"I'm excited and honored to be leading the KIRO team as they continue to inform, entertain, inspire and help improve our community," he said. "KIRO is filled with great people, has a great brand and serves one of America's greatest cities. Having lived in western Washington over the last three years, I look forward to the opportunity to become more entrenched in this great community."
