KNBC gets new manager

NBC Universal on Tuesday named Craig Robinson general manager of KNBC-TV Channel 4 in Los Angeles.

It is a homecoming of sorts for Robinson. He grew up in Echo Park, graduated from John Marshall High School in Los Feliz and went to UCLA, where he earned a degree in political science before entering the broadcasting business with a job in sales at KCBS-TV Channel 2. He joined NBC 12 years ago and went to Washington, D.C., and then to Columbus, Ohio, where he managed the local NBC station.

Last year, he returned to Los Angeles and KNBC.

“Coming back to L.A. and seeing how much more diverse the city is has been an incredible experience. It’s an exciting time to reflect how the city has evolved,� Robinson, who turns 49 on Thursday, said in an interview. “That’s the purpose of a television station -- to reflect the community it serves.�

Robinson’s parents worked in the public sector. His father investigated complaints of discrimination in housing and jobs for the Fair Employment Practices Commission; his mother worked for a federal assistance program for children of low-income families.

Robinson replaces Linda Sullivan, who retired in September. He takes over at a time when local stations are grappling with the faltering economy. Mainstay advertisers such as automakers, car dealerships and retailers are curtailing spending. NBC also has stumbled with plunging ratings in prime time, making it difficult for stations to attract viewers to their local news programs, which generate the bulk of a station’s revenue.

KNBC is the No. 3 station in Los Angeles for the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news among viewers ages 25 to 54. The peacock station trails market leader Univision Communication’s Spanish-language KMEX-TV Channel 34 and the second-ranked KABC-TV Channel 7, owned by Walt Disney Co.

“When we come out of this economic downturn, media will look a little different. People are changing the way they consume their information,� Robinson said, noting that the challenge for local stations is to send news to consumers’ computers and mobile phones as well as their TV sets. “We need to make sure that we are on all of these different platforms.�

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