ATLANTA—CBS Stations has announced the senior leadership team for WUPA, soon to rebrand as owned-and-operated station CBS Atlanta. The network affiliation change is set for Aug. 16.
The station will continue to be led by president and general manager Tom Canedo. Shawn Hoder will serve as vice president and news director, and Barbara Roeder will be vice president of sales at CBS Atlanta.
Canedo, a veteran broadcast executive with more than 25 years of experience in the Atlanta market, has been leading WUPA as an independent station. He now steps into the joint leadership role of president and general manager for CBS Atlanta and will continue to oversee CBS’ independent stations in Tampa and Seattle. He reports to Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS Stations and CBS News and Stations Digital.
“Launching CBS Atlanta represents a significant investment in local journalism and community connection,” Mitchell said. “Tom, Shawn and Barbara each bring deep experience and strong ties to the Atlanta market. Their leadership will be essential as we build a station that reflects the voices of the community and delivers trusted, impactful news and content.”
CBS announced earlier this summer that owned-and-operated WUPA (Channel 69) would become the new home of CBS’ network entertainment, news and sports programming. CBS Atlanta’s local news operation will debut in September.
Gray Media-owned WANF had been the CBS affiliate for 31 years. It has been renamed Atlanta News First and is transitioning to a local news-focused intependent station.
Hoder will relocate to Atlanta from Pittsburgh, where he currently serves as vice president and news director for the CBS Pittsburgh duopoly, KDKA-TV and KDKA+ (the on-air brand of WKPD). His first day in Atlanta will be Aug. 18, and he will report to Canedo.
Hoder previously spent seven years at WXIA Atlanta and has held newsroom leadership roles in Orlando, Fla.; Seattle; Washington, D.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Tampa, Fla.; and Pittsburgh. His work has earned multiple Peabody Awards, Edward R. Murrow Awards and more than 50 regional Emmy Awards.
Roeder rejoins CBS after serving as director of sales for FanDuel Sports Network, where she led multiplatform sponsorship sales for the network’s Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks coverage. She previously spent 15 years at WUPA. She brings nearly 30 years of experience in the Atlanta media market. Her first day at CBS Atlanta will be Aug. 18, and she will report to Canedo.
“Shawn’s editorial leadership and Barbara’s strategic sales expertise are exactly what we need to jumpstart this process as we build a station that’s responsive to our viewers and rooted in the community,” added Canedo.
