Scripps Promotes Jeff Kiernan to VP, Local News

George Winslow
·2 min read
Jeff Kiernan.
Jeff Kiernan.

CINCINNATI—The E.W. Scripps Company has added to its leadership team for news by promoting Jeff Kiernan—a veteran journalist and general manager of Scripps’ Las Vegas stations—to the new role of vice president of local news, effective June 10.

Kiernan will oversee Scripps’ local news content strategy alongside Kate O’Brian, Scripps’ president of news. Kiernan has served as the vice president and general manager for KTNV and KMCC, Scripps’ ABC affiliate and independent station in Las Vegas, since 2022.

Kiernan has spent much of his career leading local newsrooms, including Scripps’ WXYZ and WMYD in Detroit and WTMJ in Milwaukee. In these roles, he strategically incorporated Scripps’ content strategy within local newsrooms. He also held news leadership roles with WBBM-TV in Chicago, WBZ-TV in Boston and WCCO-TV in Minneapolis.

“Scripps’ priority is to create the best possible local and national journalism for American audiences,” said O’Brian. “As we continue to evolve our stations’ delivery of local news to serve today’s audiences, Jeff’s years of experience implementing content and editorial strategy in newsrooms across the country make him an ideal leader to help guide our local newsrooms.”

Kiernan received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee. Marquette named him Communicator of the Year in 2010 and honored him with its James T. Tiedge Award for ethics and responsibility in 1999. He also served as a visiting faculty member for new managers at the Poynter Institute in 2007.

Kiernan’s promotion follows Scripps’ February announcement that the company was moving the responsibilities for local and national news strategy into one organizational structure, led by O’Brian. In this new role, Kiernan will work closely with Dean Littleton, senior vice president of local media to evolve Scripps’ delivery of local news. Kiernan joins Christina Hartman, vice president, head of Scripps News, and Ethan Nelson, vice president, head of Court TV, as part of O’Brian’s news enterprise leadership team under the new structure.

Anita Helt, vice president and regional general manager, will serve as interim general manager for KTNV and KMCC.