FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 11 , 1998
For additional information contact:
James F. Goodmon (919) 821-8504
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
E-mail:jgoodmon@cbc-raleigh.com
LOCAL TV ON SATELLITE HIRES VETERAN BROADCASTER
AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Satellites Will Transmit All Local Stations in All Markets, Creating Competition with Cablee
RALEIGH, NC – Local TV on Satellite, LLC (LTVS) announced today that John H. Hutchinson, a veteran broadcasting executive, will join the company as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, a new position.
Mr. Hutchinson, 50, will implement LTVS’s plan to deliver all local television stations in the U.S. via satellite, giving consumers alternatives to their cable providers. He joins LTVS after 28 years with Jefferson-Pilot Communications Company, the last seven as President of the Television Group and General Manager of WBTV in Charlotte, N.C. During his career, he has held a variety of broadcast management positions. Mr. Hutchinson is a member of the Television Board of Directors of the National Association of Broadcasters and a District Representative on the CBS Affiliates Advisory Board. He holds a B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina.
Jim Goodmon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., said, “John Hutchinson’s extensive broadcasting experience will be a huge asset as LTVS develops its business plan to provide meaningful competition in the multichannel video programming market.”
When asked about his new position and about LTVS, Mr. Hutchinson responded, “I believe LTVS has the technological ‘local-to-local’ solution that broadcasters and Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) providers need to give consumers greater choice, better service and lower prices. I look forward to making local television via satellite the industry standard.”
Local TV on Satellite, LLC was founded in 1997 by Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. and its subsidiary, Microspace Communications Corporation, to develop and implement a plan to deliver all local television stations in the U.S. via satellite. Using “spotbeam” satellite technology, LTVS would make DBS providers fully competitive with cable, providing quality transmission of all local television stations in all local markets. Current laws prohibit DBS providers from carrying local stations. Congress is considering legislation this session that would guarantee all consumers access to local programming from all providers.
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAL-Digital, WRAL-FM, Microspace, the North Carolina News Network, DTV Plus, Wolfpack Sports Marketing, and Capitol Sports Management in Raleigh, NC; WJZY-TV and WFVT-TV in Charlotte, NC; WILM-TV in Wilmington, NC; WRAZ-TV and the Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, NC; and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Club in Myrtle Beach, SC; Capitol Broadcasting Company also founded Local TV on Satellite in Raleigh, NC.
