Russell Named GM As Darnell Leaves 24/51

Blake Russell took over on Jan. 26 as vice president and general manager of NBC 24/51, KPOM/KFAA-TV, the NBC affiliates based in Fayetteville that also serve the Fort Smith market.

Russell replaced David Needham, who is serving temporarily as a consultant to JDG Television, a division of Griffin Holdings Co. of Muskogee, Okla., which is selling 24/51 to Nexstar Broadcasting Group of Irving, Texas. The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of the year.

Russell previously worked for Nexstar’s KTAL-TV, the NBC affiliate in Shreveport, La., where for the past four years he served as director of operations and marketing. Before that, he held a similar position at KBTV-TV, the NBC affiliate in Beaumont, Texas.

Before joining Nexstar in 1997, Russell held various promotion and production management positions at KJAC-TV (NBC) in Beaumont, KLRT/KASN-TV (FOX/UPN) in Little Rock and KAIT-TV (ABC) in Jonesboro.

Gary Darnell, 24/51’s news director, left his job on Jan. 23 in the wake of management changes that were implemented by Nexstar. His replacement had not been hired as of Jan. 21.

Darnell came to 24/51 as news director in 2000, when the station relaunched its newscast after an eight-year hiatus. He was previously news director for KCEN, Channel 6, an NBC affiliate in Waco, Texas.

Based in Irving, Texas, Nexstar owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to 42 television stations in 26 markets.