GENERAL MANAGER NAMED FOR KCBS-TV

Frank Gardner, news director at the CBS-owned television station in New York City, Monday was named vice president and general manager of KCBS-TV Channel 2.

Gardner, 42, succeeds James Bennett, who resigned last Tuesday, saying he wanted to explore other job opportunities.

A native of Memphis, Gardner until now has spent his career in journalism. After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Memphis State University, he worked as a reporter for six years at WREC-TV in his home town.

Other producing and reporting stints followed at stations in Atlanta, Pittsburgh and New York City. He became news director of WMC-TV in Memphis in 1976, moved to a similar position at WBBM-TV in Chicago in 1981 and then became news director at WCBS-TV in New York in February, 1983.

In making the announcement, Neil E. Derrough, president of CBS’ TV stations division, said Gardner is “one of the most experienced news executives in our business” and expressed confidence that “this experience will play an important part in the continuing growth at KCBS-TV.”