WOI AM-FM radio has named Rick Fredricksen, an award-winning reporter and anchor for CBS News, the station’s news director.

Fredrickson was an anchor and reporter for KCCI TV in Des Moines from 1970 to 1982. He is returning to central Iowa after 10 years as bureau chief for CBS News in Bangkok, Thailand. He will begin working at the Iowa State-based WOI today.

WOI’s news manager Rick Lewis said Fredricksen “brings a lot of experience. He is a really solid journalist,” who is creative and mature. “He’ll just make us better and smarter. We’re really glad to have him.”

Fredricksen, who won a Peabody award for coverage of the pro-democracy revolt in China, has contributed to the CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, 60 Minutes and the CBS Radio documentary series Newsmark.

Lewis said the news director position has been vacant for a long time. Fredricksen will be in charge of all news activities, from coverage of the Iowa legislature to commentaries and news analysis.

“He will help decide direction and emphasis. He will bring a very experienced and professional viewpoint to bear on what we do,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the station’s news coverage will not change much. “More than anything, we’ll just be expanding what we already do.”