SACRAMENTO, Calif. - March 18, 2026 - CBS Television Stations announced veteran journalist Scott Rates has been named vice president of news for CBS Sacramento, which includes duopoly stations KOVR-TV (CBS13) and KMAX-TV (CW31). Rates will assume the role on Monday, March 23, and report directly to Scott Warren, regional president and general manager of CBS Sacramento and CBS Bay Area.

      In his new role, Rates will oversee editorial strategy for CBS Sacramento, including staff leadership and content development across broadcast and digital platforms.

      “Scott brings deep leadership experience and a strong understanding of the stories that matter most to communities across Northern California,” Warren said. “Having led multiple newsrooms in the region and reported in San Francisco, he combines editorial leadership with the instincts of a seasoned journalist.”

      Rates most recently served as a bureau reporter for CBS-owned sister station CBS Bay Area in San Francisco. Over the past 16 years, he has held nearly every newsroom role, beginning as a multimedia journalist, photographer and editor, and advancing to investigative unit member, helicopter photojournalist, anchor and reporter. He has covered major national stories, including the crash of Asiana Flight 214, the Casey Anthony case and the Trayvon Martin case.

      He later transitioned into newsroom leadership, serving as assistant news director and news director at multiple stations across California.

      “Having spent my career working in newsrooms across California, it’s a privilege to step into this role serving communities throughout Northern California,” Rates said. “CBS Sacramento and CBS Bay Area have a strong legacy of innovation in local news, and I look forward to working with the outstanding teams at CBS Sacramento as we continue delivering trusted journalism that informs and connects viewers across the region.”

      Rates was a 2023 fellow of the Carole Kneeland Project School for Responsible Journalism, which provides intensive training and mentorship to television newsroom leaders focused on news ethics, management and journalistic excellence.

      CBS Sacramento and CBS Bay Area are part of a unified CBS local news operation serving one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic broadcast regions, reaching audiences from the Pacific coastline through the Bay Area, Sacramento and Central Valley and into communities along the Sierra Nevada.

      This integrated regional model reflects CBS Stations’ broader strategy to scale local journalism, deepen community connection and accelerate innovation across its markets.