LIN TV announced René has been named President and General Manager of WIVB-TV and WNLO-TV in Buffalo, the 52nd largest television market in the U.S. LaSpina is an accomplished broadcast executive with 20 years of television station management experience. She joins LIN Media after having spent the last three years as the Vice President and General Manager of WPTY-TV, WLMT-TV and WJKT-TV in Memphis. Prior to that position, she managed television stations in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York, Minneapolis-Saint Paul and Wilkes-Barre-Scranton.
In her new role that is effective immediately, Ms. LaSpina will provide strategic direction, leadership and operational management for WIVB-TV and WNLO-TV. She will report to Jay Howell, LIN Media’s Regional Vice President Television.
In announcing the appointment, Howell said, “René is a highly strategic and driven broadcast executive that brings an impressive range of sales and local news experience to this position. She also has a genuine, heartfelt commitment to meeting the needs of our viewers and advertisers. We are pleased that she is stepping into the leadership role at WIVB-TV and WNLO-TV.”
“I am excited about joining one of the most respected and forward-thinking multimedia companies in the country that has a long history of investing in its products, people and communities,” said LaSpina. “I am very fond of Buffalo, having lived in New York state for five years, and I am eager to work with the talented staff and management at WIVB-TV and WNLO-TV and achieve new levels of success.”
