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Fox 13 Hires New General Manager

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

Updated: 06/13/2008 04:02 pm

TAMPA -- WTVT, Fox 13, has hired a new general manager replacing Robert Linger, who was arrested last month during a police sting at an adult business.

Fox officials said Linger, 49, will remain with the network as the vice president of infrastructure, handling internal systems for Fox television stations nationally, a spokeswoman for the company said.

He will remain in Tampa but will not work out of the WTVT building, the spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman declined to say if the change was the result of his arrest.

Linger, 49, was arrested May 16 on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior and exposure of a sexual organ, both misdemeanors. An arrest affidavit states Linger and several other men at Fantasy Land on Lois Avenue formed a circle around undercover officers and began masturbating.

Thursday, his lawyer entered a written not guilty plea to the charges. Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said Linger has since entered an intervention program for first-time offenders. If he completes the program, which includes community service, the charges will be dropped.

Entering the diversion program is not an admission of guilt, said Linger's attorney, Steve Romine.

"We disagree with the allegations that were made," Romine said. "Our goal was to get the case dismissed. Diversion accomplishes that goal without dragging this out."

Linger has been on leave from the station since his arrest. He has worked at the Tampa station for 18 years

Today, Fox announced that Bill Schneider will replace Linger as vice president and general manager of WTVT. Schneider previously worked as the general manager of the Fox affiliate in Denver.

"We're very excited to have him in Tampa," said Mike McClain, vice president of news for WTVT.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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