Bier Named VP, General Manager Of WISC-TV

Veteran journalist and television executive Tom Bier was formally named vice president and general manager of WISC-TV on Tuesday.

Bier, who was previously vice president and station manager at the Morgan Murphy Media-owned CBS affiliate in Madison, has been at WISC-TV for 37 years, including 23 years as the station’s news director.

In his new role, Bier will oversee WISC-TV, Madison’s My Network affiliate TVW, and all local online and digital efforts.

Morgan Murphy Media President/CEO Elizabeth Murphy Burns said that Bier’s track record and accomplishments in Madison position him to lead the station’s future efforts.

“Tom is uniquely qualified to lead our efforts in Madison,” said Murphy Burns. “He knows the market, he knows the station and he has a passion to succeed.”

MMM Vice President/ COO Brian Burns said that Bier’s mindset will also prove crucial in the future.

“Tom’s forward-thinking approach has served us well over nearly four decades at WISC-TV,” said Burns. “That strategy will be critically important in the coming years as we search for new ways to serve our community and advertisers on television, online and on mobile devices.”

A native of Janesville, Wis., Bier said that this new role brings him full circle and he’s eager to continue to push the station forward.

“Having watched Channel 3 while growing up, it’s an honor to be asked to take on this challenge,” said Bier. “The station has always been a leader and I look forward in this new capacity to working with the staff which has kept us in this position over the years.”

Bier is well-known and respected in TV journalism circles, having served on the boards of several local and state journalism organizations. He is a past member of the board of the Radio-Television News Director Association (RTNDA), including a stint as RTNDA board chair in 1989-90.