Almost as soon as Ariel Roblin became president and general manager of Omaha ratings leader KETV in 2011 she faced the momentous decision of finding a new site for the ABC network affiliate.
This next generation media executive succeeded Sarah Smith at the Hearst Television Inc. station and barely into Roblin’s watchshe was tasked with leading a search made necessary because KETV had outgrown its 27th and Douglas digs. That near downtown facility has been home to the station since it went on the air in 1957. Roblin looked at potential properties all around the metro before fixing on a location that took many by surprise. When she announced last June KETV would move to the historic Burlington Station south of the Old Market it meant the iconic rail depot would be saved after decades of neglect and repurposed for a new use few could
have predicted.
It also marked the first time viewers had likely ever heard of the engaging TV boss, par for the course for a behind-the-scenes administrator who sets the course for the station’s on-air talent and content but who is seen on-camera only weekly for special segments. She used the moment to cast the Burlington decision as a win-win.
“It’s a really special place that means a lot to Omaha, and so it was the right thing to do,” she says. “It was built for the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition to show off Omaha. As a passenger train station it’s where stories and memories were created. It’s this big open space that has so much to say and so much history behind it.
“I feel KETV is the perfect business to go in there because we’re going to capture those stories.”
Designed by noted Omaha architect Thomas Rogers Kimball, the Burlington was long a fitting neighbor showplace to the adjacent Union Station. Unlike that station, which was turned into a museum many years ago, the Burlington sat unused and uncared for after closing in 1974. What became an albatross and eyesore will need a complete makeover. The $22 million renovation designed by Leo A. Daly architects is well under way. When completed in the summer of 2015 the building will not only house KETV’s operations and 100-plus employees but a dedicated public space charting the history of KETV and the Burlington. This new life for a grand old space is expected to bolster redevelopment in the area and add another anchor along the South 10th Street corridor from North Downtown to the Henry Doorly Zoo.
“In broadcasting we talk a lot about making a difference in the community,” Roblin says, “and this is an opportunity for us to do that in a tangible way.”
She views local TV as a positive agent for change and she enjoys overseeing what KETV does to impact things.
“I’ve worked in different facets of the business, and I have a great amount of respect for what goes on in every position. There’s intensity and passion in every aspect. I love that I’m able to affect a positive outcome in all aspects. I feel fortunate I’m able to do it.”
The Omaha transplant has followed a managerial track since starting in the industry in the mid-1990s. The Ohio native graduated high school early (age 16) and studied theater and communications at the University of Miami. It was there she met her husband, Ablan Roblin, a theater professional who works on stage and backstage at various Omaha theaters. The couple have two boys, Aiden and Kian. Kian played Tiny Tim to his father’s Bob Cratchit two successive years in the Omaha Community Playhouse production of A Christmas Carol.
Ariel’s own love for theater extends to serving as a board member of the Blue Barn Theatre, whose new building will be near the Burlington.
Her first media job was as a program director at USA Networks’ WAMI-TV in Miami. Her next career stops were in Dayton, Ohio, Honolulu and Redding, Calif. She joined KETV in 2010 as general sales manager. Though Roblin always desired to be a GM she was surprised when it happened at age 35. When she asked Hearst management why they selected her she was told it was because she cared.
She acknowledges, “I put myself into my work. I’m all in.”
Why does she care so much? “This is an opportunity to get to make a difference in people’s lives. You can’t get that wrong. The news consumption here is very strong compared to other markets—it really does matter to people what you do and how you do it in your news.”
Omaha has become home.
“I’ve never lived in a city and loved it as much as Omaha and I’ve lived in a lot of places. I love this town, my family loves this town. It’s got a great balance for life. We find we can do it all here. We appreciate the sports and the arts. The schools are great.
“I feel Omaha is an incredibly inclusive community. Even though I’m not from here I’ve always felt if I was willing to chip in and do some good work for Omaha I was more than welcome. That’s a really special characteristic Omaha has.
“If I ever did leave I would really miss that.”
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