Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWRTV-TV Channel 6 has filled its news director vacancy by promoting from within, making it the second Indianapolis television station to do so in the past month.
The local ABC affiliate announced Wednesday that Terri Cope-Walton has filled the slot left open by the departure of Kevin Finch in November. She had served as interim news director and previously was assistant news director.
“After a nationwide search, I found the most qualified, natural leader for RTV6 News right here inside our station,” WRTV General Manager Larry Blackerby said in a written statement. “Terri’s news judgment, passion and commitment to local coverage is outstanding."
Blackerby cited Cope-Walton’s leadership in covering large stories such as the Richmond Hill explosion on the south side of the city and the blizzard that struck the day after Christmas.
Cope-Walton arrived at WRTV in 1998 and has led the station’s community affairs efforts in addition to serving as lead producer for WRTV’s morning news.
She previously worked as a producer and reporter for CBS affiliate WHIO-TV Channel 7 in Dayton, Ohio.
The promotion of Cope-Walton follows WISH-TV Channel 8’s announcement in early December that it had tapped Steve Bray as its news director. Bray started at the CBS affiliate in 1995 as a weatherman and was named news operations manager in April 2009.
He had served as interim news director since the ouster of former news director Patti McGettigan in August.
WTHR-TV Channel 13’s news director position also needs filling after Keith Connors announced his departure in November.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.