Nexstar Media Group, Inc. announced today that it has named Chris Pruitt as Vice President and General Manager of its broadcast and digital operations in Springfield, Missouri (DMA #73), responsible for the long-range planning and day-to-day operations of KRBK-TV (FOX), KOZL-TV (MyNet), Ozarksfirst.com, and their related digital and social media channels. In his new role, he will also oversee Nexstar’s operational agreements with Mission Broadcasting, Inc., to provide services for KOLR-TV (CBS). Mr. Pruitt will assume his new responsibilities immediately and report to Mike Vaughn, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Nexstar’s broadcasting division.
UPDATE MAY 2024
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Mr. Pruitt brings nearly 30 years of executive broadcast television management, sales, and marketing experience to his new role at Nexstar, where he has served in a variety of executive leadership roles and most recently oversaw the company’s media operations in Houston, Texas (DMA #6), including KIAH-TV (CW) and cw39.com. During his tenure in Houston, KIAH-TV expanded local programming, launching a weekday morning news show, a new weekday lifestyle show “Houston Happens,” and two weekend sports shows highlighting local high school, college, and professional sports.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Pruitt has demonstrated his ability to improve ratings, revenue, and profitability by expanding local news content, identifying new revenue streams, and developing a variety of innovative cross-platform solutions for advertisers and marketers. Prior to Houston, Mr. Pruitt was responsible for Nexstar’s multiple local television stations in Waco, Temple and Bryan, Texas (DMA #83), where Mr. Pruitt and his team also launched new local newscasts and lifestyle programming and generated significant digital growth. Mr. Pruitt was also instrumental in developing numerous community partnerships, and his stations served as the primary sponsor of Waco’s annual Alzheimer’s Walk, breaking fundraising records for the event. Prior to his tenure in Waco, Mr. Pruitt held a series of broadcasting management and sales positions, serving as Vice President and General Manager of KMVT-TV (CBS/CW) and KSVT-TV (FOX) in Twin Falls, ID from 2010 to 2015.
“Chris is the perfect choice to lead our media operations in Springfield,” said Mr. Vaughn “I know he is looking forward to getting back to a market where the local audience more closely matches his interests in nature and outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. In addition, just as he will do in Springfield, Chris has managed major network affiliates across multiple television stations in Waco and Twin Falls, and his recent large-market experience will be a real asset in this new role. Throughout his career, Chris has been successful by connecting to viewers and advertisers with the kind of local content that is both relevant and meaningful, and I am confident he will do the same in Springfield.”
Commenting on his move to Springfield, Mr. Pruitt stated, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my nearly four years in Houston, and I’m proud of everything the team at KIAH CW39 accomplished—they are the best. I am just as happy to be joining our broadcast and digital teams in Springfield, and look forward to forging a deep relationship with the community. I am grateful to Nexstar for giving me this opportunity and I can’t wait to get started.”
Mr. Pruitt has been involved in the media industry throughout his career and has served on the FOX Network Sales Advisory Committee. He has also been committed to each of the individual communities in which he has lived, working with the Houston Food Bank and the Periwinkle Foundation, which assists children with cancer and other debilitating illnesses. He previously served on the marketing committee of the Waco Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and volunteered his time with Caritas of Waco, combating hunger and poverty.
Mr. Pruitt earned his Bachelors’ degree in Finance from Midwestern State University, in Wichita Falls, Texas. Mr. Pruitt will be immediately relocating to the Springfield area.
(Taken from a release)
