Mike Carr has been named president and general manager of ABC13/KTRK-TV, the No. 1 station in the Houston market; it was announced today by ABC Owned Television Stations President Chad Matthews. Carr moves to Houston from Fresno, California, where he is president and general manager of ABC30/KFSN-TV with overall management responsibility for the station and its ancillary businesses.
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During his tenure, ABC30 has proven to be a powerhouse mid-market station, regularly beating the competition by as much as an astounding 11,000% in total viewers in key time periods. He has overseen coverage of some of the states most devasting wildfires, frequently contributing to Los Angeles, San Francisco and national news coverage. The station has won nine regional Emmy® Awards, producing such lauded specials at “Mountain Strong: Surviving the Creek Fire,” “Feast or Famine: California’s Water Crisis” and “A Critical State of Mind,” which explores the mental health crisis in California, to name a few.
“Mike is an exceptional leader who regularly outdelivers both in term of ratings and the ability to produce high-quality, high-impact news programming,” said Matthews. “He always steps up to the plate and has been a true asset to the broader stations team. I know his passion and enthusiasm for delivering best-in-class news experiences, as well as his laser-focused, thoughtful and strategic approach to growth and ratings success will be a huge asset at KTRK.”
“The team at KTRK is among the best of the best,” said Carr. “California and Texas share some of the same environmental concerns like extreme heat, drought and wildfires, so I’ve worked closely with them over the years and admire their dedication to innovation, commitment to authentic storytelling, and focus on getting the facts and telling the stories that will matter most in viewers’ lives. Together, I know we will continue ABC13’s dominance on both broadcast and digital platforms while identifying new and exciting opportunities.”
In addition to his responsibilities as GM for the Fresno station, Carr is currently the co-lead of the ABC Owned Television Stations Race and Culture team, including helping to oversee the ABC News Storytellers Summit each year in partnership with ABC News.
Carr has an extensive background in local TV journalism. He previously worked as news director at KFSN, where he oversaw content creation and operations for KFSN’s television, digital and social media platforms. He began his career as an intern at KFSN and has worked as an assignment editor, producer and executive producer prior to news director. In addition to Fresno, he has also worked in newsrooms in San Francisco and Sacramento.
As someone who cares deeply about the communities he serves, Carr sits on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California; The Marjaree Mason Center, a domestic violence shelter and support services program in Fresno County; and Valley Children’s Hospital, one of the largest pediatric healthcare networks in the country.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and journalism from California State University, Fresno, where he also played football for the Bulldogs. In 2017, Carr was named as a fellow to the Fresno State Media, Communication and Journalism Department Hall of Fame. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
(This post was taken from a Disney Entertainment Networks release)
