When Gracia Martore was interviewing Dave Lougee to become president of Gannett Broadcasting in 2007, she was impressed by the then-Belo executive VP's pure love of journalism.
You could feel it in the interview, says Martore, the former CEO of Gannett Co. and now president and CEO of its broadcasting spinoff Tegna. It was just absolutely clear that he was very passionate about ensuring that local journalism would continue to thrive in local communities.
And when Gannett acquired Belo in 2013 and six London Broadcasting Co. stations in 2014, Martore was supremely confident that Lougee could lead a broadcast division that had doubled in size.
I can tell you, I felt incredibly comfortable acquiring those stations, Martore says, because I knew Dave and his team would be fantastic and successful as both integrators and operators of those stations.
That's because, before he was a producer , before he was an operator, before he was a manager and a VP and then president of Gannett Broadcasting and now Tegna Media, Lougee was a journalist -even before he knew it.
Lougee grew up in the southeastern Connecticut town of East Lyme. His parents, who worked during the day and served on boards and committees for the church and community at night, instilled into young Dave the importance of public service.
A paperboy, Lougee would come home from school and, instead of immediately delivering the afternoon edition of The New London Day, he'd read it cover to cover. This was during Watergate, and he'd devour the Woodward and Bernstein stories picked up from The Washington Post.
Lougee, now 56, says he's just one of many people from his generation inspired by that era of journalism. But they didn't all go on to become president of the country's fourth-largest television broadcaster.
I didn't know it at the time, he says, but I got the bug.
When Lougee started at the University of Colorado , his goal was to become a lawyer. A friend of his was interning at the CBS station in nearby Denver. Lougee applied and, with his experience as chair of the student board of the Colorado public interest research group, was accepted.
John Hinckley Jr.'s assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan came a few days before Lougee started the internship in 1981. Because Hinckley had been living with his parents in Evergreen, Colo., a Denver suburb, the CBS station went live with Dan Rather on one of Lougee's first days. I saw the adrenaline involved in it and I was hooked, he says.
Initially thinking he wanted to be a reporter, Lougee soon changed his mind. He saw the control room full of monitors and people and a chain-smoking guy in charge of the show called the producer with a cereal bowl for his ashtray. The intern office was right below, and Lougee could hear cigarette butts being stamped out on the floor with the producer's foot. At first I thought, I'll die,' Lougee recalls. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought, That's what I want to do, have editorial control of a newscast on live television.'
He moved up the ranks quickly at various Denver stations, from writer to producer to news director. Hoping to oversee editorial coverage on the next Watergate, Lougee moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as news director of WRC but instead led coverage of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
That was a bit disheartening, he says.
From D.C., Lougee went to KING in Seattle, then to Belo Corp., and soon was in charge of Gannett Broadcasting. Since Gannett doubled in size, his job has changed somewhat in the last two years, as he has delegated more of his day-to-day operating responsibilities to focus on innovation for the future. Mergers often fail because of culture clashes, Lougee says, but that wasn't a problem with the Belo acquisition.
He more than achieved what we expected, Martore says. You sometimes alienate the folks you're acquiring, but rather he made them feel totally part of the company and that they had an important role in the company.
We try not to force things on people as much as give them the tools and learning and allow them to passionately learn things themselves , Lougee adds.
Martore calls Lougee an inspirational leader. The two visit all their TV stations, and Lougee wows the staff with his passion for communities and his clear message about the importance of reaching consumers and viewers on all platforms , not just linear TV.
Lougee, who was elected joint board chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters in June, has also impressed in leadership roles for numerous organizations.
He is smarter than most people working in this industry today , says Marci Burdick, Schurz Communications ' senior VP of broadcasting , who serves on the NAB executive committee with him. Every time there's a complex subject, he is able to pull together groups of executives to work on the problem and get it dealt with.
The best advice Lougee has ever received is that his job is not about having the right answer but about being responsible for the process that comes up with it. Not that his work is only about solutions; Lougee considers his job as journalist and broadcaster an honor.
Most people have jobs that demand a lot of them. It means a lot more when your job has a purpose, when you're contributing to something bigger that just yourself, Lougee says. That's the privilege of working in broadcasting , a lot of people have the opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves every day.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
When Gracia Martore was interviewing Dave Lougee to become president of Gannett Broadcasting in 2007, she was impressed by the then-Belo executive VP's pure love of journalism.
