Fox Taps Chao as Head of TV Station Unit

Stephen Chao has been named president of Fox Television Stations, succeeding Greg A. Nathanson, who has resigned to pursue other business interests.

The moves mark the first high-level shake-up since Rupert Murdoch became chairman of Fox Inc. earlier this year after studio chief Barry Diller announced that he was leaving to start or buy his own company.

Chao, 36, will assume management of Fox’s seven company-owned TV stations, including KTTV-TV Channel 11 in Los Angeles. Last March, Chao, who helped create such Fox TV shows as “A Current Affair” and “Studs,” was named to the newly created position of president of Fox News. One of his responsibilities was to help create a national TV news service for the Fox and network.

Fox also promoted Mitchell Stern to executive vice president and chief operating officer of the TV stations division, with responsibility for day-to-day operations of the stations. Stern, 37, had been station manager of KTTV-TV and senior vice president of the station group.