He’s the President of the broadcast division of a media company headquartered to the north of Kansas City, running stations that compete against The E.W. Scripps Co. on California’s Central Coast and against Hearst Television in Monterey-Salinas, Calif., among other markets.
At the end of 2025, Mike Meara will be giving up the role as he has announced his retirement. But, NPG employees won’t entirely be seeing him disappear from the company.
In a leadership announcement shared with staff late Tuesday (3/18), News-Press & Gazette Co. announced that Meara will stay aligned with NPG’s broadcast division as an advisor, starting in 2026.
It’s a new chapter for Meara, who has been associated with NPG since autumn 2009, when he departed the General Sales Manager role at KSDK-TV in St. Louis; he remains based in the market, where he’s also been General Sales Manager for KPLR-TV.
“Mike has done an amazing job leading our stations through some of the most transformative times in our business,” the company said. “We expanded the number of stations and digital services in all our markets under Mike’s leadership.”
NPG’s broadcast stations, aside from those on California’s Central Coast, include properties in Palm Springs and El Centro, Calif. (including Yuma, Ariz.); Bend, Ore.; Colorado Springs-Pueblo; El Paso; Pocatello-Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Columbia-Jefferson City and St. Joseph, Mo., the latter of which is NPG’s home market.
NPG Chairman/CEO David Bradley commented, “Mike has been a tremendous leader for our station group. His vision and strong leadership have helped grow and positioned us for success in the future. The family appreciates everything Mike has done and looks forward to working with him as a board advisor.”
NPG also noted that Meara’s extended farewell will allow the company to benefit from his experience during a leadership transition that sees NPG Broadcast Executive Vice President Rall Bradley assume Meara’s role as President on January 1, 2026.
A fourth-generation member of the Bradley family, which controls News-Press & Gazette, Rall Bradley spent five years with Katz Television Group in New York, Dallas and Washington, D.C. before joining NPG. He currently serves on the FOX Affiliate board as well as the NPG Board of Directors.
Concurrently, Ian Guthrie, presently NPG’s CFO for Broadcast, will rise to Chief Operating Officer and add oversight of “some television markets” to his current role. Guthrie will continue to handle distribution negotiations and financial needs for NPG. Before joining NPG, Guthrie served as COO of Smith Media and Television Station Group, respectively, and worked in finance for Sinclair Inc. and at KPMG.
Mike Meara has been one of Broadcast Television’s Best Leaders. Will he make the list in 2025, making it his final appearance? Find out on April 7, when the Spring 2025 edition of the Radio + Television Business Report quarterly magazine arrives in your inbox with its all-new 48-page digital edition. NAB Show attendees may receive a complimentary print edition from our kiosk near the South Hall Entrance, easily accessible to North Hall second-floor meeting rooms, the Vegas Loop and the Las Vegas Monorail.
All RBR+TVBR Members get a copy of our Spring 2025 magazine’s digital edition. Check your e-mail on April 7 for the download link.
