Gray Television promotes Jim Ogle to general manager of Topeka, Kansas station From WKYT-TV, Lexington, KY, March 27, 2006 Kentucky's longest-tenured News Director to take on new role WKYT (27 NEWSFIRST) Senior Vice President for News, Jim Ogle, will become General Manager of Gray Television's CBS affiliate in Topeka, Kansas next month. "I am thankful the company wants me to run such an important affiliate with such a significant role in its community," Ogle said. WIBW is the dominant station in both viewers and revenue in the Topeka market. It's newscasts win every time period. Gray Television Regional Vice President and General Manager of WKYT, Wayne Martin, says that Ogle is an excellent choice for the Topeka station. "Jim has provided exceptional leadership to our news department as well as playing a major role in community events in both Lexington and the entire state of Kentucky," Martin said. "I know he will provide outstanding leadership to this important station in our group. Ogle first joined WKYT in 1994 following five years as Managing Editor of WTVJ in Miami. He has previously served as news director for stations in the Greensboro, North Carolina and Reno, Nevada areas. He's also served as Executive Producer in Asheville, North Carolina and Columbia, Missouri. He is graduated from the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism. During Ogle's tenure, 27 NEWSFIRST won three "Best Newscast" awards from the Associated Press along with more Emmy, AP, Edward R Murrow, and other awards than any other Lexington television station. The station was one of the first in the country to produced a newscast for another station (FOX 56). It inaugurated the first LIVE helicopter coverage of news. It also launched the most visited broadcast website in Kentucky, www.wkyt.com. "I'm particularly proud how the staff has embraced change to produce a user- driven website for information in the Commonwealth." Judges picked www.wkyt.com for the Edward R. Murrow award for best website in the region this past year. Ogle has provided leadership in journalism. He has served as president of the Kentucky Associated Press Broadcasters Association for the past three years and has represented Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina on the Radio-Television News Director (RTNDA) Board of Directors the past eight years. He is past president of both the Bluegrass and Miami chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Ogle has played a major community leadership role in Lexington, Fayette county, the Bluegrass, and the state. Just Tuesday, he completed chairing a successful "Campaign for Kids" fundraising effort for the Metropolitan YMCA with more than $316,000 pledged. Ogle serves on the Metro Y's Board of Directors and is that agency's marketing committee chair. He also serves on the Executive Boards of the United Way of the Bluegrass and Commerce Lexington. He is a member of the board of directors of the Urban League, Lexington Philharmonic Organization, the Downtown Lexington Corporation, Fayette Educational Foundation, Faith Pharmacy, Bluegrass Youth Hockey Association and St. Joseph Hospital Foundation. He is a member of the Session of Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church in Lexington. He is director-elect of the Lexington Rotary Club. Over the last dozen years, Ogle has served on the boards of the American Cancer Society, Lexington Children's Museum (now the Explorium), the Dream Factory, God's Pantry, Health Kentucky, American Heart Association, Kids Voting Kentucky, Lexington Forum, New Century Lexington, Partners for Youth, Success by Six and Bluegrass Crimestoppers "I have been blessed by the incredible commitment to community that Garvice Kincaid and Ralph Gabbard established at WKYT and Wayne Martin has built upon," said Ogle. "That commitment shows through the depth of the station's efforts at community service, the amount of time so many individuals at the station contribute as volunteers, and the quality of the news programs WKYT produces." Martin announced that longtime anchor, producer, and news manager, Bill Bryant, will be interim news director for the station as he conducts a search for Ogle's successor. "Bill's credibility, history, and knowledge of this region perfectly position him to lead during this period of transition," said Martin.