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Published on Saturday, 18 February 2012 11:27
As is expected when a new boss takes over a low-rated local television station, change is inevitable. More changes took place at WFLD-TV this week, with one key addition on Thursday and one key subtraction on Friday.
On Thursday, FOX Chicago announced the hiring of Rita Marcocci. Effective next Wednesday, February 22nd, she will be taking over as Vice President and General Sales Manager of both FOX Chicago stations WFLD-TV and WPWR-TV.
Marcocci comes to the Chicago stations from the FOX-owned sister-stations in New York, where she also served as Vice President and General Sales Manager. Before that, Marcocci was the Local Sales Manager, and before that, National Sales Manager at FOX's WNYW-TV. She first joined FOX NY as an Account Executive in 2003. She was also an Account Executive for WPIX-TV in New York, NY and WTVT-TV in Tampa, FL.
Rita Marcocci graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication/Journalism from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
At the start of last month,
Walter Augustin was promoted to Vice President/Regional Sales Manager for FOX Stations Sales in Chicago, overseeing all national sales for WFLD-TV & WPWR-TV. Previously, Augustin WFLD-TV's National Sales Manager. Like Marcocci, he also came to Chicago's FOX stations a few years ago, after working sales at FOX NY.
With the additions come the subtractions... On Friday morning, WFLD-TV Planning Manager Jay Foot was released, a job he held since March 21st of last year. Foot was responsible for coordinating upcoming events, story ideas, and guest pitches for the morning, Noon and night news shows. He had ben hired directly by former VP/News Director Carol Fowler, who worked with Jay Foot previously at WBBM-TV. There he worked as WBBM-TV's Executive Producer & Director of Program and Commercial Development. Prior to that, he spent over 13 years at WLS-TV where he was an Executive Producer. He was the original producer and co-developer of WLS-TV's popular magazine-style show "190 North." Before those successful years, he also worked at WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, PA. He has 12 Emmy Awards for his television work over the years. Just prior to being hired by Carol Fowler to come to WFLD-TV, Foot had been working as Executive Director of Media Relations for Saint Xavier University.
Jay Foot is an Elmhurst, IL native who graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Broadcasting.
The move is seen by many as new VP/News Director Phyllis Schwartz's way of clearing out the previous Carol Fowler hires and loyalists to build her own team, with the hopes that her people can do the job of correcting the mistakes of the past and increase FOX Chicago's standings with viewers and advertisers.
Since
Phyllis Schwartz's hire at the start of last month, WFLD-TV has
hired a new Assistant News Director in Chris Myers, and
released Mike Leiderman, the Executive Producer of FOX Chicago News at 9:00pm (another Carol Fowler hire from earlier last year). Sources continue to say that Rehan "Ray" Aslam will soon be replaced as the Executive Producer of the low-rated "Good Day Chicago" program, a position Carol Fowler placed him in, which has not worked out well at all. Many more changes are expected in the coming weeks.
