WJZ President/General Manager Announces Retirement Plans

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Veteran local television executive Jay Newman today announced his intention to retire as President and General Manager of WJZ-TV, the CBS-owned station in Baltimore, as of September 30 when he will have completed his 34th year with CBS and 44th year in the television industry. Newman, who has overseen WJZ-TV since December 1998, is currently the longest-tenured general manager at a CBS-owned station.

"WJZ is one of the crown jewels of our station group, thanks in large part to Jay's leadership during the past 19 years," said Peter Dunn, President, CBS Television Stations. "He has done an outstanding job of running a station that has consistently delivered strong ratings and revenue, and upheld a legacy of community service that is certain to continue long after he passes the baton next month. We also appreciate the contributions Jay made earlier in his career, during his time at our group headquarters in New York and at our stations in Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Miami and Pittsburgh. While we wish he was staying with us, we respect Jay's decision to go out on top after 34 great years with CBS and wish him all the best as he and his wife Jill begin the next great chapter of their lives."

"I will be forever grateful for the opportunities I have been given and all of the lifelong friendships I have been blessed with during my years with CBS," Newman said. "I want to thank Peter and everyone else at CBS who has been so supportive throughout my career."

"While I look forward to the change of pace that comes with stepping away from a full-time job, I will not be retiring from life. Jill and I plan to stay in Baltimore and seek out opportunities to continue making meaningful contributions to our community. I also look forward to staying in touch with all of our great friends at WJZ who have been and will continue to be at the core of the station's success."

Newman began his CBS career in September 1983 as the News Director at WCAU-TV, which at the time was the CBS-owned station in Philadelphia. He was later named Vice President and Station Manager at WCAU. Newman also served as the News Director at WBBM-TV in Chicago. As Vice President of Operations for CBS Owned Stations, he was part of the team that oversaw the company's acquisition of WFOR-TV in Miami in 1988 and WWJ-TV in Detroit in 1994. Newman served as Vice President and Station Manager of WFOR and Vice President and General Manager of WWJ when the stations first became CBS properties. His ties to CBS also include serving as News Director at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh when the station was owned by Westinghouse.

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