Steve Charlier

The management overhaul of Tribune Broadcasting continued Friday with the departure of Steve Charlier as senior vice president of local media.

Charlier told colleagues he was leaving to launch a multi-platform media company. "That means I can finally experiment with some of my 'less than traditional ideas' as an entrepreneur," he said in an email. "I’m a little scared, very excited and more than anything, thankful for the opportunity to have worked with you all for the past five and a half years."

Larry Wert, who took over last February as president/broadcast media for Tribune Co., has been adjusting his management team as the company prepares to boost its operations from 23 local televisions to 42, spread across 16 markets.

Earlier in the week, Wert appointed Steve Farber senior vice president/operations, overseeing the company’s digital networks, Antenna TV and THIS-TV, and “The Bill Cunningham Show.” Farber most recently had been acting general manager of WGN-Channel 9.

Charlier spearheaded the company's efforts to create one-size-fits-all news and entertainment hybrids for its stations, such as the morning show "Eye Opener" and the anchorless newscast "NewsFix." He also oversaw the company's digital strategy, including the redesign of its broadcast stations websites.

Before he joined Tribune Broadcasting as senior vice president/news and operations in 2008, Charlier was vice president and news director of KOVR-TV and KMAX-TV in Sacramento, Calif. He was named senior vice president of local media in 2012.