Lee Rosenthal, currently news director at Cox Media Group’s KTVU-TV in San Francisco, CA has confirmed that he is being transferred by Cox to WFXT-TV FOX 25 in Boston.
We first speculated this would be happening when Lee put his house on the market when the sale was announced in June. As you know, Cox is acquiring that station (and WHBQ-TV in Memphis, TN) from Fox Television Stations, in exchange for KTVU/KICU.
Lee has been the news director at KTVU since April 2013, and was in charge when Asiana Flight 214 crashed in San Francisco, and KTVU was pranked into airing fake names on air. Video of the on air gaffe went viral, and at least 3 producers were fired from the station shortly after, which Lee never commented on.
He has also been the news director for WXIN-TV in Indianapolis for four years. He’s also worked in Columbus, OH, Tampa, Knoxville, and Binghamton, NY.
A New York native, the move brings him closer to family.
The fate of current FOX 25 news director Paul McGonagle is not yet known.
Sources have told Rick Gevers & Associates that Paul is headed to the FTS's WTTG-TV FOX 5 in Washington, D.C. replacing Dana Hahn, who would then go to KTVU, but this is unconfirmed.
The sale between Cox & Fox is expected to be approved by the FCC soon, and has already been granted early termination by the DOJ & FTC for having no antitrust issues.
Lee will not take over at FOX 25 until the sale is closed.
Stay tuned.
