New president named at WLS-TV

Television executive John H. Idler was promoted Monday to president and general manager of WLS-TV and its top-rated ABC 7 News.

He’ll replace longtime president Emily Barr, who resigned last month to take a job as president and CEO of Post-Newsweek Stations.

Idler’s responsibilities will include managing WLS-TV as well as Chicago’s Live Well Network affiliate, abc7chicago.com, and the network’s other mobile and new media businesses.

For the past 4½ years, Idler has been president and general manager of WTVD-TV in Raleigh-Durham. He also previously worked at WLS-TV as a sales executive and manager.

A former Glen Ellyn resident, Idler, 46, will move back to the Chicago area with his wife and two children.