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WQAD hires Rosmilso as GM

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By David Burke | Wednesday, August 22, 2007 12:18 AM CDT | () comments

Larry Rosmilso’s retirement was short-lived.

Rosmilso, who retired in early May as general manager of the six stations in Clear Channel’s Quad-City Radio Group, was announced Tuesday as the new GM of WQAD-TV8, Moline.

At WQAD, he replaces Dale Woods, who was moved to sister station WHO-TV in Des Moines. WQAD and WHO are among nine stations owned by Local TV LLC, whose CEO is Randy Michaels, former chairman and CEO of Clear Channel.

Rosmilso has known Michaels since 2000, when WLLR-FM 103.7 was sold to Clear Channel. Rosmilso said Michaels had offered him the GM position earlier, but the 60-year-old Rosmilso said he was ready to retire after 25 years in broadcasting in the Quad-Cities.

A few weeks ago, Michaels repeated the offer to Rosmilso.

“He said, ‘Don’t say no to me again,’ and I said, ‘Make me an offer,’” Rosmilso said. “And here I am.”

Rosmilso is to meet the WQAD staff today, and begin work next week.

He admits that he knows nothing about the technical side of television, but was told by his bosses that he could learn it the same way they have.

“What they want and what I can offer is sales, promotion and market knowledge,” Rosmilso said.

Local TV LLC purchased WQAD and the other former New York Times Co. stations in January.

Rosmilso said he wanted to change the perception of WQAD as an “Illinois station,” just as Davenport-based competitor KWQC-TV6 is seen as an “Iowa station.”

“I want to make ’QAD like ’LLR — just a station that’s going to provide news and information for everybody in the Quad-Cities, regardless of what side of the river you’re on,” Rosmilso said.

David Burke can be contacted at (563) 383-2400 or dburke@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.