Betty Ellen Berlamino has been named vice president and station manager at WLNY New York, the independent station that CBS Television Stations agreed to acquire in December. The $55 million deal closed late last week, with WLNY flipping the switch on high-def for the first time.
Berlamino departed WPIX New York in June 2010, and a year later was named senior VP and director of sales at CBS Television Stations, with sales oversight of the non-CBS-affiliated stations in the group. She gives up that role to take over WLNY.
"We are thrilled to be able to place day-to-day responsibility for managing WLNY in the hands of Betty Ellen, who is one of the most experienced and respected local television executives in the tri-state area," said Peter Dunn, president of CBS Television Stations. "We are committed to elevating WLNY's stature in the tri-state area by investing in additional people and resources for the station and look forward to having Betty Ellen play a leading role in making sure that we meet and exceed our goals."
WLNY plans to air three hours of local news a day, with a 7-9 a.m. newscast and a 9 p.m. program -- the latter anchored by Chris Wragge and Dana Tyler. It historically has aired an 11 p.m. newscast, anchored by Richard Rose. Entertainment Tonight will fill the 11 p.m. slot, and the newscasts -- with Rose reporting from Long Island -- will debut in June or July.
CBS has set up a Long Island bureau at WLNY, which includes Rose, WCBS reporter Jennifer McLogan and some radio personnel.
Rose says the WLNY holdovers are enthused to be paired up with WCBS, and the CBS network. "Clearly they've hired a significant number of people, and will be hiring more," he said. "Everyone here sees the opportunity and wants to be a part of it."
