Steve Schwaid New ND at WTXF

[Jess 1110]

WTXF has just named the replacement for departed-to-LA news director Kingsley Smith, and it's a bold choice: Steve Schwaid.

 

Schwaid, if you recall, was the man at the top during WCAU's golden run with Larry Mendte, Renee Chenault, John Bolaris, and Vai Sikahema. He refined many of the over the top techniques that his predecessor, Steve Doerr, introduced, and made 10's newscast interesting, controversial, and entertaining. I'm assuming he's been hired to bring that same spark to 29.

 

Here's the presser:

PHILADELPHIA - Steve Schwaid has been named Vice President and News Director for WTXF FOX 29, announced Patrick Paolini, the station’s Vice President and General Manager. Starting in early August, Schwaid will be responsible for overseeing all editorial, business and administrative functions for FOX 29 news, reporting directly to Paolini. He replaces Kingsley Smith, who in June became Vice President and News Director for KTTV FOX 11, the FOX-owned station in Los Angeles.

 

In making the announcement, Paolini stated “Steve’s depth of local news experience and proven record of success in Philadelphia made him the ideal leader for our newsroom. He is the right person to expand upon our station’s success as a news leader in this market.”

 

Schwaid comes to WTXF from Meredith Local Media in Atlanta, where he served as the Vice President of Digital Content. Earlier in his career, Schwaid spent nearly three years as Director of News and Digital Content for Meredith. Prior to that, he spent nine years with NBC, where he began as a News Director for WCAU-TV NBC 10 in Philadelphia and later became Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth and Content Initiatives for NBC Universal. During his 9-year tenure at NBC, Schwaid held various roles, including Senior Vice President of News and Programming for NBC Universal, and Vice President of News Programming for NBC TV Stations Division. Earlier in his career, he was Vice President of News for Paramount Stations Group, News Director for WTOG-TV in St. Petersburg, FL, and News Director for WVIT-TV in West Hartford, CT.

 

Added Schwaid, “I'm extremely excited about working for Fox 29 and coming back home to Philadelphia. I look forward to taking WTXF’s news operation to the next level by delivering strong, relevant and compelling news.”

 

A graduate of the University of the Ohio Wesleyan University, Schwaid holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Politics and Government.

 

FOX 29 is part of the Fox Television Stations group, one of the nation's largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprising 27 stations in 18 markets and covering nearly 37.34% of U.S. television homes. This includes six duopolies in the top 10 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and Houston; as well as duopolies in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.

[shorewx 1]

Well, there goes Bolaris. How awkward must that be with John knowing Steve hates him and how he will fire John the first chance he can get!