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Tribune Cable President, Michael Eigner,
Announces Retirement
Will
stay until May
CHICAGO, March 4, 2002 -- Michael
Eigner, president of Tribune Cable, announced today that he
is retiring effective May 1, bringing to a close a career
that spans more than 35 years in the television industry and
more than 16 years with Tribune Company. Eigner has led the
cable television division of Tribune Broadcasting since March
2001.
Eigner, 57, oversaw WGN Cable, and managed
Tribune's ownership interests in TV Food Network and The Golf
Channel. He also was responsible for the East Coast region
of Tribune Television.
"I've had a great career," said Eigner.
"I am proud of what we've accomplished at Tribune Broadcasting,
and of my long association with Tribune Company. I've been
a part of some remarkable changes in broadcasting, made great
friends, and enjoyed much success. The time is right for me
to spend more time with my family, travel and enjoy my hobbies."
Eigner began his career with Tribune in 1985
when the company acquired KTLA in Los Angeles. In 1989 he
moved east to become executive vice president/general manager
of WPIX, New York. In 1995 he took on added responsibilities
of regional vice president for Tribune's east coast stations
and was named President of Tribune Television in 1999.
"As a general manager, Michael played
a critical role in the success of two television stations-KTLA
in Los Angeles and WPIX in New York," said Dennis FitzSimons,
Tribune Company's president and chief operating officer. "His
talent and commitment helped to make these stations in the
country's top two markets an important part of the communities
they served. Tribune will certainly miss Michael."
Eigner will stay on at Tribune Cable until
May 1, 2002, to help with the transition to a new management
team. He will also continue in a consulting role for Tribune
Broadcasting into the future.
"Michael has provided excellent leadership
for Tribune Cable during the last year," said Pat Mullen,
Tribune Television's president. "He's overseen the expansion
of WGN Cable, helped spur sales growth and efficiency at our
east coast television stations, and put a great team in place
to carry on after his departure."
"There are some wonderfully talented people
at Tribune Television," said Eigner. "I have had
the privilege of working with many of them and wish them all
well as they move the company to new heights in the future."
Eigner started in the industry at Ted Bates
in 1967 moving over to become a sales account executive at
Telerep in 1970 and then joined Petry Television in 1972.
He relocated to Los Angeles as KTLA's national sales manager
in 1974.
A native of Queens, N.Y., born May 13, 1945,
Eigner holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from City College
of New York. He represented Tribune on the board of directors
for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), he is
past chairman of both the Association for Local Television
Stations (ALTV) and the New York State Broadcasters Association
(NYSBA). Eigner also serves on the board of directors of the
International Radio and Television Foundation (IRTS), the
Center for Communication and the Queens College Journalism
Advisory Board. In addition, he was president of the Tribune
New York Foundation.
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Tribune Broadcasting owns and operates
23 major-market television stations, including national superstation
WGN-TV, and reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. television
households. The group's investment interests include The WB
Television Network (22%) and TV Food Network (31%). Los Angeles-based
Tribune Entertainment develops and distributes first-run television
programming for the Tribune station group and for national
syndication. Tribune Broadcasting also owns and operates Chicago's
WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.
TRIBUNE (NYSE:
TRB) is one of the country's premier media companies,
operating businesses in broadcasting, publishing and on the
Internet. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households,
and is the only media company with television stations, newspapers
and Web sites in the nation's top three markets. Tribune media
span 23 major-market television stations, including national
superstation WGN-TV; 12 market-leading daily newspapers, including
the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsday; and news
and information Web sites in 18 of the nation's top 30 markets.
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