Michael Biard Exits Fox After More Than 20 Years to Become President and COO of Nexstar

variety.com:

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Longtime Fox exec Michael Biard has be named the new president and chief operating officer of TV station group giant Nexstar, the owner of NewsNation and the CW Network.

Current Nexstar president and COO Thomas Carter is stepping down from his post and shifting to senior advisor. Carter will support the leadership transition, which begins Aug.

21, through the end of the year. Biard, whose Nexstar contract extends through August 2027, will report directly to Nexstar chairman and CEO Perry Sook. “Michael is a talented, innovative and deeply experienced media executive who will be a great leader for Nexstar and the senior management team as we chart the future of the Company,” Sook said in a statement Tuesday. “The Board of Directors and I are confident that his vision and judgement will be invaluable as we continue maximizing Nexstar’s shareholder return by furthering the growth of our national brands and audiences, enhancing the value of our spectrum through the additional deployment of ATSC 3.0 and strategically targeting accretive mergers and acquisitions.” Biard added: “Perry, Tom and the Nexstar Nation have created a company with extraordinary scale and unparalleled financial performance.

Nexstar has built a true media powerhouse, with respected national brands like The CW Network, NewsNation, The Hill and local television stations reaching 68% of the country with high-quality local news and programming.