LOS ANGELES — In a major move involving one of the nation’s most-watched broadcast TV stations, the man who has served as VP/News for ABC Owned Television Stations’ KABC-7 in Los Angeles since May 2015 will be celebrating his five-year anniversary in the role by packing up his home and heading to North Carolina.
He’s just been appointed President/GM of the company’s property serving the Triangle region. And, it marks a return for this longtime news executive.
Rob Elmore is heading back to WTVD-11 in Raleigh-Durham, taking on overall management responsibility of a station he knows very well — Elmore was News Director of “ABC11” from 1998 until his move to Los Angeles.
Elmore will report directly ABC Owned Television Stations President Wendy McMahon.
“Rob has been an extraordinary and transformational leader for the ABC owned television stations, building next-generation newsrooms at ABC11 in Raleigh-Durham and ABC7 in Los Angeles,” said McMahon. “Rob leads with a sharp vision for modernization and an uncompromised commitment to our communities and audiences. As ABC11 continues to press forward in innovation and growth to serve our viewers across even more platforms, we’re thrilled for Rob’s leadership as he returns to his Raleigh-Durham roots.”
Elmore added, “After a great five years in Los Angeles, returning to central North Carolina and the team at ABC11 in many ways feels like a homecoming. I spent one of the most formative periods of my life and career in Raleigh-Durham, during which time I came to know and love the resiliency and the vibrancy of the community. Especially with the health and economic impact of the pandemic felt so broadly, there is never a more important time for local news to support our community and business partners by keeping our audiences informed and connected. ABC11 has been there for our viewers for every step of the journey, and I’m thrilled to be coming back to this amazing team as we see our community back onto its feet.”
Elmore’s tenure at KABC is noteworthy, as his efforts to increase multiplatform viewership and engagement led the station to secure the No. 1 position for a broadcast TV station with respect to digital social footprints.
Furthermore, under his leadership KABC was honored in 2020 with four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for Overall Excellence, Breaking News Coverage, Excellence in Video, and Best Newscast in large-market television in Region 2 of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).
Elmore’s extensive resume includes roles at Hubbard Broadcasting in Rochester, N.Y., where he served as News Director for NBC affiliate WHEC-10, rising from Asst. News Director. Early career stops include WSMV-4 in Nashville, WHAM-13 in Rochester and at WWNY-7 in Watertown, N.Y., where he began his career in June 1982 as a reporter while on breaks from the State University of New York at Geneseo.
— With reports from Jenna Liss in Los Angeles and Adam R Jacobson in Boca Raton, Fla.
