Thaxton Named vice President and General Manager at WCSH-TV, Portland, Maine
ARLINGTON, Va. — Steve Thaxton has been named vice president and general manager of WCSH-TV, the Gannett-owned NBC affiliate in Portland, Maine. He had been vice president/creative services at KARE-TV, the Gannett-owned NBC affiliate in Minneapolis/St. Paul, since 1994. He replaces Alan Cartwright who resigned.
The announcement was made by Cecil L. Walker, president and chief executive officer of Gannett Broadcasting.
“Steve brings great recent experience from KARE-TV, and KUSA-TV (NBC) Denver, which are two of the top-rated news stations across the USA. His experience combined with his attraction to Maine will complement the staff of WCSH-TV where news is our passion and our pride,” said Walker.
After two years with independent television stations in Minneapolis, Thaxton began his career with Gannett Broadcasting at KARE-TV in 1983 as vice president/advertising and promotion. In 1988 he joined Frank N. Magid Associates, a broadcast research and consulting firm, as a creative services consultant. He rejoined Gannett in 1989, first as vice president/creative services at KPNX-TV (NBC), Phoenix, and then as vice president/marketing at KUSA-TV. He returned to KARE-TV in 1994.
Thaxton holds a bachelors degree in media management from the University of Minnesota. He also studied at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. He has been the recipient of several distinguished industry honors including the International Film & TV Festival of New York, the BPME Gold Medallion Award, four Emmy Awards, and the BPAA Gold Award. He and his wife, Jody, a graphic designer, have two children.
WCSH-TV is part of Gannett Broadcasting’s 21 television station group covering 16.6 percent of U.S. television homes. The other stations include: WUSA (CBS-Washington, D.C.); WXIA (NBC-Atlanta); WKYC (NBC-Cleveland); KARE (NBC-Minneapolis/St.Paul); WTSP (CBS-Tampa/St. Petersburg); KPNX (NBC-Phoenix); KNAZ (NBC-Flagstaff); KMOH (WB-Kingman); KUSA (NBC- Denver); KSDK (NBC-St. Louis); WZZM (ABC-Grand Rapids); WGRZ (NBC-Buffalo); WFMY (CBS-Greensboro); WTLV (NBC-Jacksonville); KTHV (CBS-Little Rock); KVUE (ABC-Austin); WBIR (NBC-Knoxville); WLTX (CBS-Columbia); WMAZ (CBS-Macon); and WLBZ (NBC-Bangor). Gannett Broadcasting also includes cable operations in five states.
Gannett is a nationwide news and information company that publishes 84 daily newspapers, including USA TODAY, and USA WEEKEND, a newspaper magazine.