TEGNA has appointed Rick Rogala and President/General Manager of Sports “97.1 The Fan” WBNS-FM, “ESPN 1460” WBNS, and WBNS-TV Columbus and the Ohio News Network.
Rogala comes to Columbus from the same role at TEGNA’s television properties in Memphis, which he has led since December 2019. He previously served as GM for WCMH-TV Columbus from 2007 to 2009 and has also held GM roles at television stations in Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Little Rock and Tampa as well as holding an SVP role at Nexstar Media Group.
Rogala fills the opening created by Todd Markiewicz’s exit in June to serve as President of the Ohio State University associated NIL collective The 1870 Society. He has since left that organization to join Saga Communications’ Columbus cluster as General Manager.
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) today announced that Rick Rogala has been named president and general manager at WBNS, TEGNA’s CBS affiliate serving Columbus, Ohio, effective February 26. Rogala will be responsible for the station’s operations across all platforms, as well as community outreach efforts and driving results for advertisers. He will also have oversight for Sports Radio The Fan 97.1, ESPN 1460 Columbus and ONN Radio (Ohio News Network).
During his career, Rogala has been on the leading edge of media convergence, leading stations to record ratings and revenue, building three media facilities, launching innovative, new local programming, and creating a groupwide sales training program.
Rogala joins WBNS from WATN and WLMT, TEGNA’s ABC and CW affiliates in Memphis, Tennessee. In partnership with the Memphis leadership team, Rogala built the WATN/ABC24 brand and culture from the ground up, propelling the organization to the position of fastest-growing news source in Memphis. Under Rogala’s leadership, WATN received three Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in three years, the most by a Memphis station in three years and the first for WATN/ABC24 in seven years.
“Rick is an established and experienced broadcast professional whose talent has been instrumental in enhancing multiple stations across various markets over the years,” said Larry Delia, senior vice president of media operations, TEGNA. “Rick’s unique blend of culture-building and strategic thinking has yielded strong results in Memphis. He is an excellent collaborator and community partner, capable of inspiring and motivating those around him. We are thrilled to welcome him to the storied brand of WBNS in Columbus.”
“I am excited and honored to assume the role of president and general manager at WBNS-TV, a station with a rich legacy of serving the Columbus community,” added Rogala. “I’m excited for the station’s future and looking forward to leading our talented team in shaping that future. This includes fostering innovation, embracing the power of storytelling to inform, inspire, and connect with our audience in meaningful ways, and expanding our commitment to serving our community and customers with excellence.”
Prior to WATN/WLMT, Rogala held senior level media leadership roles including senior vice president at Nexstar Media Group, where he was responsible for direct operations oversight of 12 markets and the creation and implementation of companywide sales training and revenue initiatives. Earlier in his career, Rogala was general manager at television stations in six markets, including Tampa, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, and Little Rock.
Rogala is a graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications.
