By: (AP) Dennis FitzSimons, Tribune Co.'s chief executive since Jan. 1, has been elected to the additional post of chairman by the company's board of directors.
FitzSimons succeeds John Madigan, who is retiring, and will assume the combined titles of chairman, president and CEO at the beginning of 2004.
"It is an honor to follow John Madigan as Tribune chairman, and I look forward to the challenges ahead," FitzSimons said in a statement Wednesday. "In today's rapidly changing media environment, we have many strengths -- our people, our journalism and the strong businesses we operate in the nation's top markets."
FitzSimons, 53, joined Tribune in 1982 as sales director for WGN-TV in Chicago and two years later was appointed vice president/general manager of WGNO-TV in New Orleans. He became Tribune Broadcasting vice president/operations in 1985, WGN's vice president/general manager in 1987 and president of Tribune Broadcasting in 1994.
FitzSimons was named Tribune executive vice president in 2000, the same year he was elected to the Tribune board of directors. He became Tribune president and chief operating officer in July 2001.
Under FitzSimons' leadership, Tribune Broadcasting has grown from six television stations in 1992 to 26 stations.
In morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Tribune shares were down 8 cents at $48.48.
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