John Morris will take the helm at Philadelphia's ABC-owned television station, Chad Matthews, the president of ABC Owned Television Stations, announced on Thursday.
"John brings more than three decades of experience, deep institutional knowledge, and a proven track record of multiplatform leadership to the role," said Matthews. "He understands what makes WPVI so trusted and successful, and he's exactly the right leader to strengthen that foundation and expand the station's impact across platforms."
"I'm proud and humbled to lead an outstanding team that makes such a powerful and positive impact on Philadelphia every day, while consistently leading the market in ratings and growing new audiences across our digital platforms," said Morris. "I'm energized by the opportunity to build on this legacy of impactful local journalism and to keep finding new ways to serve our audiences on every platform."
The former president and general manager, Bernie Prazenica, retired earlier this year, following 17 years in the role and more than four decades with ABC Owned Television Stations.
Morris most recently served as vice president of Multiplatform Programming at 6abc/WPVI TV, where he oversaw the station's digital platforms and some of its most popular programming. His appointment to that position in 2017 coincided with the merger of WPVI's digital operations and programming departments, a pivotal step in the station's evolution into a fully integrated multiplatform organization.
In his programming leadership role, Morris guided a wide range of signature content, including the weekly lifestyle program "FYI Philly," the long-running community affairs program "Visions" and numerous local specials produced throughout the year, including "The 6abc Thanksgiving Day Parade" - the nation's oldest Thanksgiving Day parade at more than 100 years old and one of the city's most visible and beloved annual events.
Morris began his career at WPVI-TV in 1993 as a news writer for Action News. Over 23 years in the news department, he served as a newscast producer and executive producer for Philadelphia's top-rated newscasts, while also overseeing news productions for out-of-market events across the country and on five continents.
A Philadelphia native with lifelong ties to the community, Morris developed an early passion for local news and journalism. He is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, where he earned degrees in Journalism and Politics and Government before beginning his professional career at WSYX-TV, the ABC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio.