WBZ president and GM announces his departure from the station

The shakeups are continuing at CBS Boston’s WBZ-TV. President and General Manager Justin Draper announced Wednesday that he would be stepping down and leaving the local news station at the end of September, according to internal communications obtained by The Boston Globe.

“I didn’t intend for my return to WBZ to end so soon,” Draper wrote to his coworkers, per the Globe. “This decision has me reflecting on my journey of nearly 30 years with CBS, literally from coast to coast and back.”

Draper was named to his current position in 2021. He has worked at CBS stations for more than 25 years, including a stint as financial controller at CBS Boston from 2006 to 2010. He also worked for CBS stations in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

“As I transition to the next chapter, I want to express my sincere thanks for the experiences, learning, and friendships I have gained during my tenure. I am confident that you will continue to thrive, and I look forward to seeing it happen,” Draper wrote in his email, according to the Globe. 

There have been multiple notable staff departures from WBZ this year. In March, reporter Liam Martin left for a public relations firm. In a follow-up essay, he cited “crippling anxiety and major depression” as factors for his move. Morning anchor Kate Merrill abruptly left the company in June, and Paula Ebben and Chris Tanaka took over as the hosts of a revamped morning newscast that month. Veteran reporter Christina Hager signed off in August to move into another industry.