Peter Keith was promoted to president and general manager at Hearst Television’s WAPT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi, Hearst said.
Keith has been general sales manager since 2017. He succeeds Michael Neelly, who moved up to run WDSU-TV, Hearst’s station in New Orleans.
Keith is being replaced as WAPT’s general sales manager by Ayanna Carver. Carver has been local sales manager at the station since 2018.
“Throughout his entire time at Hearst Television, Peter has demonstrated exceptional leadership, creativity, team building skills, and a strong aptitude for developing sales talent,” said Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst Television president. “Having worked closely with some of our most talented general managers has prepared him well to lead WAPT into the future.”
Keith originally joined WAPT in 2013 as national sales manager. He moved in 2015 to Hearst’s WVTM-TV in Birmingham as local sales manager for two years, before coming back to WAPT. He began his career as an account executive at WKRG-TV in the Mobile/Pensacola market.
Carver started working for Hearst at the company’s Charlotte, North Carolina office where she managed commercial traffic logs and inventory for WAPT and another station. She left the company to work for stations in Charlotte and Raleigh before returning to Hearst at WAPT.
“Ayanna has done an outstanding job as WAPT’s local sales manager, building and inspiring a growing team of sellers. I know that, as general sales manager, she will help fuel further growth for this great station,” said Keith. ■
