UTICA -- Stephen P. Merren, perhaps the only person ever to be the General Manager of every TV station in Utica (not at the same time, of course), passed away on Christmas Eve. Word comes through multiple news media outlets, attributing the news to an announcement from his family.
Longtime residents of the Mohawk Valley may remember Merren first arrived in Utica after being hired to run WKTV, not long after Smith Media bought the NBC affiliate from the former Harron Cable in the 1990s. Under Merren's direction, the station launched the "NewsChannel 2" branding which remains in place to this day, along with a the first of what would be multiple new news sets and logos over the years.
Current WKTV Vice President and General Manager Steve McMurray said on the station's website:
“WKTV sadly lost a longtime family member today. Under Steve’s leadership, WKTV was able to reach new heights while maintaining and expanding its community presence. Steve’s influence extended well beyond the media business, especially in the arts community of his adopted hometown. His work for the Utica Symphony Orchestra and the Rome Capitol Theater, among other local cultural institutions, is a model for the commitment to our passions we should all strive for. Our thoughts go out to his wonderful wife, Judy, and his loving family as they navigate through this difficult time."
While Merren made lots of changes to bring WKTV into the 1990s and beyond, there was one tradition he didn't change: the station's annual "Christmas Card" montages which aired during commercial breaks during the month of December. Every year, WKTV would produce several versions to make sure every staff member appeared in at least one. The final shot of each version featured Merren and his family, pets included.
After wrapping up his run at WKTV, Merren didn't stay away from the top of Smith Hill for long -- he spent some time "across the street" (literally) in the top role at WUTR (ABC 20), WFXV (Fox 33) and WPNY (MyTV 11). Following his exit from the Nexstar/Mission cluster, he went to work in radio sales for a few years, at the Townsquare Media cluster.
Throughout his entire career, Merren also had a love of theater, often appearing on stage in various community-staged plays. Up until his death, he was president of the board of the non-profit Capitol Theater Arts Complex in Rome.
According to the Rome Sentinel, services will be held at 9am on Sunday, December 28 at Temple Emanu-El in Utica. Our condolences go out to the Merren Family as well as the many friends and colleagues Steve made through his decades in Utica-Rome broadcasting.
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