Don Perry, who shifted from president and CEO of Clear Channel Television to vice president and general manager of KPSP Palm Springs, Calif., this week, sees “huge opportunity” in his new digs.
Perry said he and his wife decided to move to the area several months ago when the KPSP position, formerly held by Bill Evans, became available. He added that he’ll extend the CBS affiliate’s reach through new media.
“We’ll take the clay that’s in place and take it to the next level,” Perry said. “We’ll look beyond core news and at greater extension through the Web site, PDAs [personal digital assistants], etc.”
He’ll also focus on adding original programming at sister station KYAV, an Azteca America affiliate that runs Spanish-language network fare. “In a market like Palm Springs, that’s a huge opportunity,” he said. “There’s an opportunity to reach out in some ways that Univision and Telemundo are not doing.”
Perry likes the fact that KPSP, owned by local Desert Television, is a small operation, unlike his previous employers, which included Viacom and General Electric. “It’s a local owner with no other media interests,” he added. “We are the poster child of what the FCC [Federal Communications Commission] wants [in terms of media ownership].”
