It's been weeks since news director Darren Richards left St. Petersburg CBS affiliate WTSP-Ch. 10 for a new career in public relations.

But station officials today announced his replacement, Peter Roghaar, who comes to WTSP after nine years as news director at the NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach, WPTV.

Roghaar actually gets the title director of news and information, perhaps to emphasize the online component now prized at WTSP, which was rebranded as 10 Connects under Richards.

Richards oversaw a number of controversial moves during his tenure -- from the departure of longtime anchors Marty Matthews and Jennifer Howe to letting go forecasters Anna Allen and Randy Rauch go from the weather department and developing the online-focused 10 connects approach.

Roghaar inherits a newsroom still fighting to succeed in mornings and other time periods (they have done well at 11 p.m.,however), while also struggling with the same economic challenges every mainstream newsrooms faces.

Click below to see WTSP's release:

Peter Roghaar Named Director of News and Information for WTSP 10 Connects. 

November 23, 2009; St. Petersburg, FL:  Ken Tonning, President and General Manager of 10 Connects announced today the appointment of Peter Roghaar to the position of Director of News and Information at 10 Connects. 

Roghaar comes to 10 Connects from WPTV, the NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach where he has been News Director for nine years.  During his time there, he led the station’s coverage of three major hurricanes, transitioned to High Definition and to Multi-Media Journalism.

Roghaar graduated with a double major in telecommunications and English from the University of Miami, Coral Gables.  He started his career at WSVN in Miami then went on to be a news producer at two stations in Austin, TX.  He later became the senior executive producer at WHDH in Boston and was the assistant news director at WXIA in Atlanta just prior to joining WPTV. 

“Peter is obviously very familiar with Florida, from our severe weather, to our politics,” said Tonning in making the announcement.  “These are exciting times in journalism and local news.  And we know his experience and leadership skills make him the right person to lead the 10 Connects Information Center to a position of dominance in news and information in Tampa Bay.”

Roghaar will be moving to the Tampa Bay region with his wife, Dr. Lisa Roghaar, and their three children.