New head of WLNS-TV brings decades of experience but left NBC after 'alleged misconduct'

The new vice president and general manager of WLNS-TV brings decades of broadcasting experience to his new role.

But that history comes along with questions about the reasons behind his exit from an executive position at a major network. 

Scot Chastain started as the CBS affiliate's new head on Nov. 7. 

Chastain said Wednesday he looks forward to working "with so many talented teams we have in the building" to serve the community with excellent coverage and to helping the station continue as a dynamic resource for people in the community. 

"I think the future of WLNS and broadcasting in general is very bright," he said. 

He added he will help WLNS focus on developing engagement with consumers through their desired platform and ensuring strong partnerships with community organizations and advertisers.

"We are part of this community," Chastain said. "We want to continue to be a market leader and an organization that people trust, however they consume us."   

In the role, Chastain also will oversee Nexstar Media Group's relationship with Shield Media-owned ABC affiliate WLAJ-TV and CW affiliate ELAJ-TV under a joint operating agreement. 

In a statement, Nexstar Broadcasting Inc. Senior Vice President Theresa Underwood called Chastain a "well-respected leader" with a "proven record of building successful teams." 

"With a results-oriented and entrepreneurial approach, we are confident that his valuable marketing expertise on the local broadcast and network side of the industry, combined with his strong business relationships, will enhance the leadership position of our local Lansing operations and build upon the achievements of WLNS-TV and WLNS.com," Underwood said. 

Chastain brings decades of experience with the NBC Television Network to WLNS.

He said he specifically brings the strength of being able to "have multiple departments and divisions within an organization work toward common goals." 

But his exit from that network was under less than ideal circumstances. 

NBC fired Chastain in March after an internal investigation into alleged misconduct. 

"A thorough internal review was conducted," a spokesperson with the network's corporate parent, NBCUniversal, said in a statement in March. "Scot Chastain is no longer with the company."

More:Former WLNS editor files lawsuit against ex-anchor, supervisor alleging sexual harassment

NBCUniversal would not comment on the nature of the review at the time, according to stories in the New York Daily News and the San Francisco Chronicle, so the character of the misconduct is unclear, as is the scope of the investigation. 

Chastain declined to discuss his exit from NBC, saying he is "not interested in talking about my former employer."

As the network's executive vice president of Affiliate Marketing and Development, Chastain had overseen affiliate marketing for nearly two decades, leading all network marketing, sales and advertising materials for the network's 240 affiliated and owned television stations.

He previously held a senior vice president role and had held various positions of increasing responsibility in the Affiliate Advertising & Promotion Services department. Before that, he served in various staff and management-level roles in marketing, promotions and production at local broadcast stations. 

For the past seven months, he's headed up 630 Marketing, providing strategic marketing direction and event production consulting services for a variety of clients in media and other industries. 

His hiring comes as WLNS faces a lawsuit from a former editor who alleged earlier this year that the station did not take appropriate action on sexual harassment complaints.

Cheryl Fritze, who had worked at WLNS Channel 6 since 2013 as a news assignment editor, reported multiple instances of sexual harassment to her supervisors as early as 2014, according to a lawsuit she filed in August in Ingham County Circuit Court. 

When Nexstar sent a representative up to check the climate at WLNS, they spoke to three people and determined there was no problem, even though Fritze provided 12 employees who had experienced similar mistreatment, according to the lawsuit. 

Contact reporter Megan Banta (517) 377-1261 or at mbanta@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1.