Brian Bracco
Brian Bracco, who has been with KMBC and its parent Hearst Broadcasting for more than 25 years, has joined Scripps-owned KSHB (and affiliate KMCI) as its new Vice President and General Manager, numerous sources have told Bottom Line.
He starts in his new position Monday, Dec. 3.
One industry insider called the move “a huge shock,” while another referred to it as an “earthquake” in the media industry.
In his most recent position as vice president of news for Hearsts’ Station Group Bracco was responsible for 28 news directors. He reportedly traveled tremendously from his home base in Kansas City, which many speculate led to this position to take the KSHB post.
The hard-charging Bracco replaces KSHB’s VP/GM Mike Vrabac, who retired in July after just two years at the station. One of his first major decisions will be hiring a news director at KSHB to replace Peggy Phillip, who was recently let go and has taken a new position at WPLG-TV in Miami.
Bracco had tremendous success as news director for more than a decade from 1987 to 2000 at KMBC under VP/GM Dino Dinovitz. He had been a news director in Columbus, OH, and Birmingham, AL and also worked in Wichita.
Insiders told Bottom Line Bracco has always wanted to be the top guy at a TV station, but that never became a reality during his tenure at Hearst.
A local media expert says the move by Bracco to KSHB proves without a doubt that the Scripps NBC affiliate is dead serious about becoming the ratings leader in the city.
“This move instantly shows that KSHB is committed to winning in this market,” notes the source. “Brian is from here and this is really the perfect position for him at this stage of his career. It really was a quality of life decision for him.”
“In all of our Scripps markets, we are determined to fulfill our mission to serve our communities with quality journalism across multiple platforms,” said Brian Lawlor, senior vice president of television for Scripps in a news release. “Brian Bracco will provide strong leadership at KSHB. He is vastly qualified to motivate and inspire his staff to become the go-to source for news and investigations in the market. He also will lead the charge for creative sales solutions for current and future customers.”
“With his years of experience in cultivating winning news organizations, his knowledge of the Kansas City market and his strong leadership skills, Brian is the ideal candidate for this role,” added Lawlor.
Bracco earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.
APPARENTLY BIG DEAL
Wow…since this is apparently a bigger deal than what I first thought, let’s see where this goes then! I mean, the man was freaking Vice-President of News for Hearst Corporation, one of the most successful TV companies in America today right? He surely knows something or two…plus, since he worked at KMBC and drove them to a ratings wonderland, I wonder if he’ll try to use some of his old tactic on them.
It seems as if this really was a worth while wait! Although it’ll also be interesting to see if anyone else from the station is fired, laid-off or simply “chooses to leave.” Their interim leadership didn’t seem to do much of anything for them during this past sweeps, so I wonder now if he’ll be doing more than hiring a news director for the station…
AN INSIDER’S TAKE ON BRACCO HIRE
He walked into Channel 9 at the perfect time. WDAF had let go of Oprah which precipitated a ratings tumble from the top spot. After a string of anchor mis-steps at KMBC (Scott Feldman, Dave Dusick, Brenda Williams) Brian finally had a solid anchor team and managed to keep his core group of very good reporters. He took advantage of KCTV’s lackluster approach and the revolving door at WDAF (McDonald left, Joyce Reed came in and then left when Mike came back) along with the station’s ownership problems in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Brian had that station locked and loaded by the early 90’s and he just steam rolled the market. Hearst gave him all the tools he needed to win and he executed. KMBC was a very good station under his tenure but it only looked great because the competition simply didn’t have the gravitas, the tools and the corporate support to take away their audience. So it was part luck, part Brian.
Everyone knew he wanted to be a GM. But I think when the time came his kids were old enough that he didn’t want to drag them across the country and leave KC so he stuck it out and eventually got pushed upstairs. Hearst is a journalism company, not just a bunch of bean counters like Meredith or Scripps or 99 percent of the ownership groups in this country. That allowed Bracco to help build and maintain top notch news operations across the U.S.
I think his hire explains the long wait to replace Vrbac. He probably put his hat in the ring early and my guess is Hearst made him wait it out until after November sweeps. They didn’t want him walking across the street right before an important ratings period.
The next interesting move will be his news director hire. Will he promote Brett Akagi who has the journalistic credentials and tools to do the job or will he snatch up one of Hearst’s up and coming young turks?
My guess is whatever exit he made from Hearst may require him to stay away from their people… I could be wrong. I expect a news director hire to be announced by the New Year.
NEWS DIRECTOR THOUGHTS
I personally believe that if their current Assistant News Director was going to be “it,” they would’ve already announced it by now, but I’m not too sure.
Also, we still can’t rule out the possibility that Fox 4′s former ND (what’s his name? I forget, McGruder or something right?) might actually be their hire, and they’re just still waiting for some reason.
CAN’T CONTROL LEAD-INS
Agree with the above…one issue over which he has little control is lead in material to the newscasts. Add to that, I’m sorry, but the on set crew at 10 is LIGHTWEIGHT.The only really interesting and compelling viewing, at least to me, is when Jack Harry gets in gear. Other than that, I think the market long ago tired of dog-based weather and such.Their reportorial staff has some decent folks, but others, not so good.
This said, with Larry Moore having signed off the 10pm news, this may be an opportunity for Brian to make a move. He likely can’t get at any on air talent at 9, but there may be other Hearst reporters he could lure away.
CHILL A BIT ABOUT MOVE
Let’s chill a bit about the move. I really like Brian and enjoyed some social times with him even though we were competitors.
But making a move like this doesn’t mean Channel 9 topples from being #1. This has happened in dozens of other markets without success.
It’s about the culture created and KMBC certainly has one. KSHB has some good things going too. Their investigations in recent years have had big impact on the market.
One thing Brian has going for him at 41 is their ownership, Scripps Howard is a pretty decent group owner. He wouldn’t have made the move if he hadn’t.
The question will be what he will be able to create in programming outside of news.
He may not take them to #1 but he will improve their image. In today’s marketing, that’s a good thing.
BRACCO A CLASS ACT
Instead of local crimes, shootings and pestilence, this really is GOOD NEWS for our community!
Brian Bracco ihas always been a class act!
We will all benefit from his commitment to Kansas City and quality journalism.
Thank you KSHB. Godspeed Brian.
EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR KSHB
Wait, so can somebody please tell me why this is a big deal? Is it really only because he was one of the top executives up at Hearst Corporation who left it for a “measly” general manager job back at home, and also because he was the reason why KMBC became, and still is, so dominant? I just feel as if there’s something more to it than that.
Either way though, it’ll be very interesting to see what he does over there at channel 41. I suspect that we will start to see results, or at least a general direction of where things are heading for the station, in February during the February sweeps.
But from what I’ve read other places it seems as if the man knows his stuff. I bet there will be another big discussion about who he hired for his news director position.
Looks like an early Christmas present for KSHB to me.