23 Jun LARRY WERT NAMED BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR BY ILLINOIS BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION
CHICAGO, June 13, 2017—Tribune Broadcasting, a division of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO), is pleased to announce Larry Wert, Tribune Broadcasting President, has been named “Broadcaster of the Year” by the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Additionally, WGN Radio was named Chicago Market Station of the Year, the station’s tenth consecutive year of honor by the IBA. Wert became the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s 32nd Vincent T. Wasilewski “Broadcaster of the Year” as part of the IBA’s Silver Dome Awards Gala. The award honors Illinois broadcasters for excellence with their Illinois station(s) and within the broadcast industry as a whole, for the respect they receive from their peers both on a local market and a national level. “The IBA is an advocate for broadcasters and provides information and educational opportunities for the industry, I am honored to be recognized by the IBA for my work in broadcasting," said Wert.
As Tribune Broadcasting President, Wert is responsible for overseeing the strategy and day-to-day activities of Tribune Media Company’s 42 owned or operated television stations, their related websites, and the company’s Chicago radio station WGN-AM. Under his leadership, Tribune Broadcasting has grown aggregate market share, invested in personnel and programming, and expanded newscasts resulting in continued ratings success, on air and digital growth, a commitment to localism and a legacy of community service. Wert, who has spent nearly 40 years in broadcasting, serves on the NAB TV Board of Directors and the CBS Board of Governors. Wert is also very involved in the Chicago community is the Chairman of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, and serves on the Board of Directors for several charities the Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation, Catholic Charities, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and the 100 Club. He is a member of the Governing Board of Gilda’s Club of Chicago, an advisor the Chicago Chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation and honorary board member of RAINBOWS, an organization that helps children cope with loss. Wert also sits on Board of Trustees for Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill. About Tribune Media Company: Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO) is home to a diverse portfolio of television and digital properties driven by quality news, entertainment and sports programming. Tribune is comprised of Tribune Broadcasting’s 42 owned or operated local television stations reaching approximately 50 million households, national entertainment cable network WGN America, whose reach is approximately 80 million households, Tribune Studios, and a variety of digital applications and websites commanding 60 million monthly unique visitors online. Tribune also includes Chicago’s WGN-AM and the national multicast networks Antenna TV and THIS TV. Additionally, Tribune owns and manages a significant number of real estate properties across the U.S. and holds a variety of investments, including a 32% interest in CareerBuilder, LLC and a 31% interest in Television Food Network, G.P., which operates Food Network and Cooking Channel.