Station Group of the Year: Hearst Television
Plenty of viewers flock to the news outlet that best aligns with their point of view, but the Hearst Television group is focused on breaking down the walls that divide us and pushing communities to focus more on their shared values than their differences. Motivated by Hearst TV local coverage of a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October 2018 and at a nightclub in Orlando in 2016, the company launched Project CommUNITY this year, an initiative that dives deep into the issues that divide communities, and celebrates the residents who are hustling to unite people.
There have been town halls and specials, and Project CommUNITY has resulted in close to 100 hours of content across the group. Stations have focused on race relations, gun violence, bullying and other timely issues.
We asked each station to create a plan, Hearst Television senior VP of news Barbara Maushard said. They produce stories to highlight the differences, and bring people from different sides together.
More Local Heroes: GM of the Year, Markets 1-25 | GM of the Year, Markets 26-50 | GM of the Year, Markets 51 | News Director of the Year | Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year
KOAT Albuquerque did an immigration special. WTAE Pittsburgh brought survivors of shootings in Pittsburgh and Parkland, Florida, together to talk about recovery. WISN Milwaukee invited conservatives and liberals for dinner and an open discussion of the issues on which they clash. That allowed the participants to understand each others' perspectives a little better, Maushard said.
Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst TV president
Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst TV president, said the Project CommUNITY specials often win their time periods. There's an appetite for unique local content, he said.
The Hearst TV stations' weekly CommUNITY Champion features highlight just that the people who are working hard to bridge the gaps within their markets.
Total Commitment
Hearst Television owns 33 stations, including WBAL Baltimore, WCVB Boston, KCRA Sacramento, WESH Orlando and KMBC Kansas City. The stations reach 19% of the U.S. population.
The presidential election less than a year away will surely divide the country, but the Hearst group, long a leader in top-notch political coverage, is focused on clear, fact-based, impartial reporting on local politics with its Commitment 2020 venture. In the first 10 months of 2019, Hearst Television stations produced more than 100 hours of political coverage, including multiple debates. WLKY Louisville, for example, produced the gubernatorial debate in Kentucky, and WDSU New Orleans had tireless coverage of the Nov. 16 Louisiana gubernatorial runoff.
Partnering with FactCheck.org to distribute the most, and best, content possible, the stations play a vital role in covering the presidential footrace. KCCI Des Moines will detail all of the caucus action in Iowa, and WMUR Manchester has New Hampshire news blanketed.
We're digging deeper into understanding the different perspectives and different issues, Maushard said. We're helping our audience better understand the issues of importance.
WPBF West Palm Beach anchor Todd McDermott reports from Abaco Island after it was hammered by Hurricane Dorian.
Pitching in with the stations' coverage is Hearst Television's Washington, D.C., bureau, which has 15 staffers and connects elected officials in the Beltway with the viewers they represent.
Hearst stations breathe localism, investigative journalism and service to communities every day, National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO Gordon Smith said. With Jordan Wertlieb serving as chairman of the NAB board, I've seen the Hearst commitment to viewers up close and personal. Bar none, there's no better TV station group in America.
Working out of the Washington bureau is the group's National Investigative Unit, which launched in 2018. Mark Albert, formerly a correspondent at CBS News, heads the unit, which focuses on providing national context to local stories.
Also playing a key role in tackling the vital issues is weekly program Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien, produced by the Hearst group. The weekend show prides itself on offering conversations as diverse as America.
Sen. Bernie Sanders talks with WMUR Manchester, N.H., political director Adam Sexton.
O'Brien, former anchor on CNN and correspondent on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, is the host and the producer. Emerson Coleman, Hearst Television senior VP of programming, said the show began modestly late in 2015 but has grown and developed into a national show, reaching 93% of the country, and airing in 150 markets.
The Sunday-morning shows tend to be Washington insiders, Wertlieb said. Stories on Matter of Fact reflect the diversity of our country.
Hearst TV has also been connecting with viewers, and users, on digital platforms. The channels Stitch and Dispatches from the Middle launched late in 2018 and found their footing this year. Stitch offers uplifting stories from around the country, a welcome respite from the house fires, car accidents and crime that can dominate local news. Facebook Watch program Dispatch expands on compelling stories produced by the Hearst TV stations. Coleman has crafted Stitch stories into on-air specials; the next premieres in February.
Both Stitch and Dispatches From the Middle succeed in bringing Hearst TV stories to younger viewers who may not tune in to their local station at 6 p.m. or 11 p.m. They highlight great storytelling, Wertlieb said. They give stories more time to breathe than they might get in a newscast.
KCRA Sacramento reporter Brian Hickey on scene during October's Kincade fire in Sonoma County.
Market Mavens
Hearst TV stations are local powerhouses. Wertlieb proudly noted t
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
33 leading exhibitors are taking part in the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions and linked locations across IBC2026 (Amsterdam RAI, 11 14 September)...
16/07/2026
Hitomi Broadcast will introduce Spectra, a new HDR colour verification solution measured in picture, not using VPID, at IBC2026 (Hall 10, Stand A40). Expanding ...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
16/07/2026
Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
Station Group of the Year: Hearst Television
