OREANDA-NEWS.Tribune Broadcasting, a division of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO), today announced the appointment of Greg Easterly as Senior Vice President/Group Operations.  Easterly will begin his duties by immediately assuming responsibility for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of WPIX-TV in New York as interim-general manager.  Easterly succeeds Rich Graziano who has decided to leave Tribune Media after a 17-year career with the company. 

"Rich Graziano has had a great run with Tribune Broadcasting and has decided to move on—we thank him for his many contributions to the company," said Larry Wert, Tribune Broadcasting's President of Broadcast Media.  "Greg Easterly has achieved tremendous success everywhere he's worked," said Wert.  "He is an experienced leader who understands local audiences and what they will respond to, and he knows news, sports and local broadcasting backwards and forwards.  He is the perfect choice to lead the team at PIX as his first assignment in his new role."

Since April 2014, Easterly has served as President and General Manager of WGN-TV in Chicago and CLTV, Tribune Broadcasting's Chicago-based regional cable news channel.  During his tenure, WGN expanded news by almost 10 hours per week, including launching weekday news broadcasts at 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. to immediate success.  WGN-TV is also home to the Chicago Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks, and carries more live locally-produced sports than any other broadcast station in the country.  Easterly has also overseen explosive digital growth at the station, which averages almost 5.7 million unique visitors monthly to WGN-TV's website.       

From 2007 until his appointment at WGN-TV, Easterly served as President and General Manager of Tribune Broadcasting's WJW-TV in Cleveland, one of the strongest FOX affiliates in the country.  For ten years prior to that, Easterly served as the station's Vice President and News Director, guiding the station to #1 in all local news day-parts.  Easterly has also held news executive positions at KNXV-TV in Phoenix, KJRH-TV in Tulsa, and KBMT-TV in Beaumont, TX.  

"Tribune Broadcasting is on the cutting-edge of local news expansion and production, and there is a lot of additional opportunity for growth," said Easterly.  "As a first step, I'm excited to join PIX and begin working with the talented team at this legendary local station."

Easterly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Abilene Christian University in Texas, and in 2002 was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Professional Achievement.