NORFOLK, Va. — WTKR has announced Ed Reams, an experienced newsroom leader and Norfolk native, will join the station as its news director, effective July 29.
Reams is currently vice president and general manager for WREX-TV in Rockford, Illinois, a position he has held for the past three years.
Before stepping into his current role, Reams served in several news director positions across the country: he was news director at WKOW-TV in Madison, Wisconsin; assistant news director at WISN-TV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and news director for WHSV–TV in The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Prior to his management career, Reams was a reporter and anchor in markets all over the Southeast including stations in Roanoke, Va., Raleigh, N.C., Atlanta and New Orleans, where he covered and was impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
During his time in Rockford, Reams has been very involved in the community. He is currently a board member of the Rockford River District, a not-for-profit organization focused on redevelopment and growth in the city’s downtown area. He also completed the Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Rockford” program in 2023 and was selected by his group to be a moderator for the program for the 2023-2024 leadership group. Reams has volunteered as a mentor for “Rockford Promise,” a scholarship program for students at Rockford Public Schools.
“Ed’s dedication to serving, combined with his extensive understanding of our community, will solidify our commitment to bringing depth and context to the viewers we serve,” said Adam Chase, vice president and general manager for WTKR/WGNT in Norfolk, Virginia. “I am proud to have Ed lead our newsroom and further our mission of delivering impactful local journalism throughout our diverse DMA.”
Reams is a 1991 graduate of Radford University and currently serves as an advisory board member for the College of Humanities and Behavioral Studies at his alma mater.
He was born at Sentara Norfolk General and grew up in the Riverpoint area of Norfolk. He graduated from Ryan Academy in Norfolk.
