TEGNA Inc. announced today that Kate Morris has been named president and general manager at KPNX, the NBC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona, effective September 28.
“We are proud to see these leaders take on new responsibilities,” said Lynn Beall, executive vice president and COO for media operations, TEGNA.
“Kate’s exceptional leadership, passion for storytelling, focus on community engagement and previous experience in Phoenix make her the perfect choice for KPNX. With her focus on nurturing talent and creating a ‘one team’ culture of collaboration, she and the team will continue to bring the very best news and information to the Greater Phoenix community. A graduate of Arizona State University and life-long Cardinals fan, Kate and her family are looking forward to returning to the Phoenix area.”
Kate Morris is joining KPNX from KTVB, the NBC affiliate in Boise, Idaho, where she served as president and general manager responsible for leading Idaho’s #1 news organization. Morris was named president and general manager in 2018 after previously serving seven years as executive news director. She joined the station in 2006 and, during her tenure at the station, participated in the TEGNA Executive Leadership Program.
During her tenure at KTVB, Morris led the team in transforming all of the station’s newscasts and growing audience across digital platforms. In 2020, KTVB launched The 208 at 5 p.m., creating an immersive audience experience focused on quality journalism, inspiring storytelling and community conversation around diverse issues. Under Morris’ leadership, KTVB also launched Boise’s first five-day a week lifestyle show, Idaho Today, during the COVID-19 pandemic. KTVB has increased its already dominant news share across all dayparts in 2020 (Source: Nielsen, Adults 25-54 Broadcast Share January-June 2020).
KTVB is also Idaho’s most-visited local news website and top-ranked local news mobile app. Year-to-date, total visitors have increased 148 percent and video plays have increased by more than 300 percent (Source: Google Analytics and YouTube, YTD through August 2020).
Under Morris’ leadership, the station has received seven National Edward R. Murrow awards, most recently for Excellence in Innovation. The station’s 2019 community service initiatives helped raise more than $4.2 million for Idaho non-profits, with 2020 already positioned to far exceed that number.
Prior to joining KTVB, Morris was a news producer for KSAZ in Phoenix. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Arizona State University.
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. With 63 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA is the largest owner of top 4 network affiliates in the top 25 markets among independent station groups, reaching approximately 39 percent of all television households nationwide. TEGNA also owns leading multicast networks True Crime Network and Quest.
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