Gilchrist, Grace

WXYZ: Station Manager

Longest serving V.P& General Manager of WXZ-TV.

Joined WXYZ in 1986 as GSM and was made Station Manager in 1989. Became VP/GM in 1995, leaving a legacy of rating & Community leadership.
Awarded NAB Service to America Award, Peabodys and the “Gracie” as well as numerous Emmy’s.

Named to the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2009. Served as President of TVB for two terms and was President if The Adcraft Club of Detroit.

Scripps Howard Press Release – August 26, 1997

Cincinnati, Ohio – The E.W. Scripps Company today promoted Grace Gilchrist to vice president and general manager of its Detroit television station, WXYZ Channel 7, an ABC affiliate. Gilchrist has been WXYZ’s station manager, the affiliate’s second in command, for two years. She replaces Tom Griesdorn, who announced his resignation today. “Grace Gilchrist combines keen instincts for the business of television with an extraordinary knowledge of the Detroit market and its viewers,” said Frank Gardner, Scripps senior vice president for television. “Our audience will notice the impact of her talent as she leads WXYZ. ”Gilchrist became the Detroit TV market’s first female general sales manager when she joined WXYZ in 1986. She held the same position at WSB in Atlanta before returning to her native Detroit . She was promoted to assistant general manager in 1989 and station manager in 1993. In 1987 she was named Outstanding Woman in Top Television Management by the Detroit Chapter of American Women in Radio and Television .She and her husband, David, have one son, Brody. WXYZ is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company, which operates eight other television stations; 17 daily newspapers; cable systems with 749,000 subscribers; two television production companies, Knoxville’s Cinetel Productions and Los Angeles-based Scripps Howard Productions; Home & garden Television, a 24-hour cable channel; and United Media, a licensor and syndicator of news features and comics. – Scripps.com

• Now That’s A Big Retirement Cake!

  A great ride for Terry Pochert. WXYZ, an absolutely incredible place to work.

  

• The Stars of WXYZ

  

• Two Greats of WXYZ Broadcasting

  

• Journalism leaders at Wayne State say ‘yes’ to sophisticated audiences of the future

  Media leaders put a positive spin on the future of journalism in a discussion of “Journalism’s Future: A View From the Top” during the recent Communication Week at Wayne State University.

  The panelists saw a future replete with drastic changes through technology and audience sophistication. They saw a successful future responding to strong challenges in ethics, responsible journalism and relevance to diverse audiences.  Continued (PDF)….

  Broadcasters mentioned in article: Grace Gilchrist, Joe Martelle, Ven Marshall, Jennifer Akers, Jeanne Findlater

  References:

  • Wayne State University, Public Relations – May 15, 1998 (PDF)