CBS Hires New GM For KCBS, KCAL In L-A

Continuing a sweeping overhaul of its TV station leadership, CBS on Monday named veteran executive Joel Vilmenay as general manager of the company’s two broadcast outlets in Los Angeles: KCBS-TV Channel 2 and KCAL-TV Channel 9.

The L-A Times reports the Washington, D.C., native plans to join CBS in Los Angeles on Oct. 18. Vilmenay has spent two decades with Hearst Television, including as president and general manager of its NBC affiliate in New Orleans, WDSU-TV Channel 6, since 2007.

Vilmenay also will be responsible for the digital news operation, CBSN Los Angeles, and the L.A. stations’ local news website.

He replaces Jay Howell, who was ousted in July after a six-month internal review into alleged misconduct in the stations group. CBS opened its inquiry after a Los Angeles Times investigation in January revealed allegations of racism, misogyny and misconduct by longtime CBS managers. The series found that the highest-ranking station managers cultivated an environment that included bullying female executives and blocking efforts to hire and retain Black journalists.

Joel Vilmenay

After The Times’ report, leaders of the National Assn. of Black Journalists met with CBS’ chief executive to decry the lack of diversity and demand substantial reforms.

ViacomCBS has since severed ties with managers of its stations in New York, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles. The top Miami station executive departed in late 2020. Longtime general managers at CBS’ stations in Dallas and Denver separately retired this year.

In the wake of The Times’ report, CBS Chief Executive George Cheeks consolidated management of CBS News and the CBS TV stations group and installed a new cadre of leaders. Eight of the nine new ranking executives in stations management are women and people of color.

The hiring of Vilmenay, who is of Haitian descent, was announced by two of the new group leaders, Wendy McMahon, president and co-head of CBS News and Stations, and Jennifer Mitchell, who joined this summer as president of the CBS TV stations.

“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to join the ViacomCBS team and to move to Southern California,” Vilmenay said in a statement. “My wife, daughter, son and I are excited to relocate and reconnect with our family and dear friends who live there, and I’m looking forward to working with Wendy, Jennifer and the entire CBS Los Angeles team.”

A longtime sales executive, Vilmenay got his start at WMUC Radio at his alma mater, the University of Maryland, where he earned an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film. . After college, Vilmenay became an account executive at WWWZ-FM in Charleston, S.C. He worked in sales at WUSA-TV, the CBS affiliate in Washington, and at WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids, Mich.