Bob Ellis is the Vice President and General Manager of WDIV, the Graham Media Group, Inc. media hub in Detroit. It’s a return to the station where he had previously spent 15 years of his career in various management roles, including News Director. He has held the position since October 2021.
From 2009 to 2021 Ellis served as the Vice President and General Manager of WJXT and WCWJ, the Graham Media Group, Inc. duopoly in Jacksonville, Florida. During Ellis’ tenure at WJXT the station widened the gap as the most-watched television station in Jacksonville. In 2013 Ellis was named General Manager of the Year for markets 25-50 by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. Ellis also helped WJXT leverage their News4JAX news brand to its digital platforms as the market’s leading digital news source. In 2014 news4jax.com earned the national Edward R. Murrow award as the best local television website in the United States.
In 2020 Ellis participated in 20th anniversary class of the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Leadership Training program.
Ellis, known for his creativity and bold ideas, led WJXT in launching several innovative projects to emphasize its popular station brand, The Local Station.
WJXT turned Jacksonville’s annual July 4th fireworks show into a prime-time television event celebrating the active and former military members at the two military bases located in the market. He also started PositivelyJax a station-wide project to inspire viewers by telling stories about people and organizations leading positive efforts to make Jacksonville a better place to live. The station has turned the market’s regional Spelling Bee into and prime-time broadcast event, televised the first-ever local high school musical to a prime-time audience, and created the Bold City Showcase, a one-day high school football event featuring six local teams in three games played on one field, all broadcast live on WJXT.
In 2014 Ellis won the Station Excellence Emmy Award from the Suncoast chapter of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
A Michigan native, Ellis graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. In his previous stint at WDIV he served as News Director and serval other management roles. He began his TV career in sports, his first job was Producer of the football and basketball coach’s shows at MSU. Ellis is an 11-time Emmy winner and has earned several regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and state broadcast association honors throughout his career.
He currently serves on the Board of The Parade Company, the organization responsible for putting on Detroit’s annual Thanksgiving Parade and Fireworks shows.
He also previously served on the board of the Florida Association of Broadcasters. While in Jacksonville Ellis was very active in the community as well. He was a Trustee with the Jacksonville Chamber, served on the board of Goodwill Industries of North Florida, was a member of the advisory board of the Career Academies for the St. John’s County School District, was on the board of High School 9:12 a local organization helping to prepare students for college. He was also a board member for Take it to Heart a non-profit program in focused on educating minority women about heart disease. He was a Trustee of the Jacksonville Chamber and a member of the Chairman’s Club for the Jacksonville Sports Council, the organization dedicated to generating economic impact and growth through sports in Jacksonville, including running the annual Gator Bowl college football game played each January.
He and his wife Melanie have two children.
