April 20, 2025
Greetings:
For a holiday week, lots of action. It’s the second week in a row for FIVE new news directors. However, there are FOUR new openings.
Last week we told you that an ND opening in San Antonio had been filled, but this week there’s a new opening there. Also, this week ONE Memphis ND opening was filled but another Memphis ND job opened up.
Those changes mean our list of stations with ND openings drops to 35.
Several GM moves, including a current ND becoming a GM and a former ND turned GM takes a corporate job, Both were with Gray Media.
Both IRE and Peabody announced awards this week, though the Peabody announced nominations with the winners coming in about ten days. IRE named winners and we have links to both.
News from RTDNA: the winner of the Paul White awards is raising a few eyebrows from readers while the organization’s president and CEO is retiring.
And…for the first time in the almost 30 years of publishing this newsletter, we are using the word ‘boob’. But it’s in an important article everyone should read.
All that…and more…below.
Newly Named News Directors:
WABC-TV, New York, NY…JOHN ANTONIO returns tot his ABC o-and-o as Vice President of News. John was managing editor here for eight years until 2012 when he left for CNN, where he most recently served as Senior VP of Programming. More details in this news release. At WABC, John replaces SCOTT MATTHEWS, who left in March to become Senior VP of News Gathering for MSNBC.
WATN/WLMT-TV, Memphis, TN…CHRISTINA AILSWORTH has been promoted to news director for this Tegna operated ABC/CW/MyNetwork TV operation. She’s been the Content Manager here since 2022. Before that she was a producer at cross-town rival WMC-TV. Read all about it in this news release. She replaces MIKE DARRAH who left in March after just four months as news director.
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA…ANDY PARAS moves west as the next news director for this Nexstar owned NBC/CBS duopoly. Andy had been the news director for Allen Media’s WFFT-TV (FOX) in Ft. Wayne, IN, before losing that job when Allen consolidated his ND job with two other stations. Here he replaces STEVEN SHAW who moved within Nexstar to become ND for WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV.
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO…congratulations to DANIEL SANCHEZ who’s been promoted to news director at this Scripps owned NBC affiliate. Daniel’s been the Assistant News Director here for the past year in his second tour of duty at KOAA. He spent 18 months here before 1 1/2 years as an EP for Scripps’ KGTV in San Diego. He replaces RYAN HAZELWOOD who’s had to step away to fight colon cancer.
KHSL-TV, Chico, CA…thanks to a tip from a reader we can report that HAYLEY WATTS is now the news director for this Allen Media owned CBS station. She’s also the evening anchor there and added the news director job to her responsibilities about a year ago. Here’s her station bio. She replaces AARON VOGEL who left in March 2024 to become ND for WHEC-TV in Rochester, NY. Apologies for the late update.
New News Director Openings:
WBZ-TV, Boston, MA…GERARDO LOPEZ has left this CBS o-and-o after just over 2 1/2 years as news director. He’s a former news director in Norfolk and Tulsa and has worked in many other markets as his linkedin page will demonstrate.
KSAT-TV, San Antonio, TX…after almost 30 years at this now owned by Graham Media Group (formerly Post-Newsweek) ABC affiliate, MARIO ORELLANA is leaving the newsroom for a corporate recruiting role with Graham. Mario joined the station as a sports intern in 1995 and worked his way up the ladder to Assistant News Director, the job he held before his promotion to news director in early 2023. More details here.
WMC-TV, Memphis, TN…good news to report here as the news director vacancy was created when MARK LITTLE was promoted to General Manager of sister Gray station KWQC-TV in the Quad Cities. He’s been the ND here for three years and earlier was an ND for stations in Jackson, MS, Columbia, SC, and Cape Girardeau, MO. He also spent eight years as an assignment editor for KPLR-TV in St. Louis.
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA…SCOTT FLANNIGAN is leaving this Graham Media Group owned NBC station after two years as news director. He sent me this note explaining his next destination. Scott’s been a news director in a number of markets, ranging in size from Kansas City to Lake Charles, LA. More details on all his stops on his Linkedin page.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
No ads this week. If you need help filling a news management opening, there is no more targeted audience than ours. Email me for details.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 4/6/25)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 3/16/25)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 4/20/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (relisted 4/20/25)
KRDO-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 4/13/25)
KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT (listed 3/23/25)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 4/6/25)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (EP Evening Magazine, listing revised 4/6/25)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 3/2/25)
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, listed 3/16/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 3/23/25)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (Nightside EP, relisted 4/20/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 4/6/25)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (AM EP, listed 3/2/25)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 3/2/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 3/9/25)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 4/6/25)
WYFF-TV, Greenville, SC (relisted 4/20/25)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Weekend EP, relisted 4/20/25)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, listed 4/6/25)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (listed 2/23/25)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (listed 4/6/25)
WLKY-TV, Louisville, KY (Nightside EP, relisted 4/20/25)
WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 4/6/25)
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (listed 4/20/25)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (AM EP, listed 3/23/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/6/25)
WPTZ-TV, Burlington, VT (relisted 4/20/25)
WAPT-TV, Jackson, MS (relisted 4/20/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (relisted 4/20/25)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (Digital EP, listed 2/23/25)
WVNS-TV, Ghent, WV (listed 2/23/25)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WYXZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 3/16/25)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted 4/20/25:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Executive Reporter)
Listed 4/6/25:
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (Digital Director)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (Digital Director)
Relisted 3/23/25:
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (News and Content Manager)
Listed 3/16/25:
Scripps, anywhere Scripps has a station (Senior Dir. of Digital News)
Listed 3/9/25:
WDIO-TV, Duluth, MN (VP/GM)
Tegna, Temple TX: (Texas Digital Director, overseeing five stations)
Listing Revised 3/7/25:
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (Multiplatform Managing Editor)
Names in the News (and other stuff):
It’s award season.
IRE announced its winners this week. This website names the winners AND includes the stories for which they were honored. Pull yourself away from YouTube and be inspired by the great work. Winners will be honored at this year’s convention in New Orleans, where I hope to see many of you.
And the Peabody Awards announced its nominees for the news and documentary awards. Winners will be announced May 1.
RTDNA named DEAN BAQUET as this year’s winner of the PAUL WHITE Award honoring someone for a lifetime achievement in journalism. He’s the former executive editor of The New York Times and currently leads an investigative fellowship programs for the Times. I heard from several of you questioning this honor, to my knowledge the first time it’s been given to a non broadcaster. However, the name of the organization is the Radio-Television DIGITAL News Association.
Speaking of RTNDA, DAN SHELLEY has announced his retirement at the end of the year from RTDNA. He’s joined the organization in 2017 as executive director and later became President and CEO. He’ll be replaced by RTDNA Executive Director TARA PUCKEY.
Finally we rarely report news from non managers, but a friend alerted me to this lengthy but very cautionary tale from network correspondent JUDY MULLER and her husband, former NBC correspondent GEORGE LEWIS. At the risk of being accused of clickbait, I will tell you the word ‘boob’ is featured.
General Manager News and Notes:
One time news director turned general manager DANA NEVES slides up the Gray corporate ladder to become Senior Managing VP. For the last seven years, she’s been the GM for Gray’s WFSB-TV (CBS): she’d earlier the ND there for 12 years. The company is looking for her replacement at WFSB. Dana fills the void left by the departure of MATT JACQUINT.
If you were paying attention above, you learned that MARK LITTLE has been promoted to GM for Gray’s KWQC-TV in the Quad Cities. He’s been the ND for the company’s WMC-TV in Memphis.
Finally, STEVE EATON is the new GM for Nexstar’s stations in Elmira, NY, and Burlington, VT, KSVI-TV and KHMT-TV.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, April 20, 2025:
It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WSB-TV 1601 W. Peachtree St., N.E. Atlanta, GA 30309
WBZ-TV 1170 Soldiers Field Road Boston, MA 02134
WKYC-TV 1333 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44114
KSAT-TV 1408 N St. Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78215
WCPO-TV 1720 Gilbert Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45202
WPEC-TV 1100 Fairfeild Drive W. Palm Beach FL 33407
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WMC-TV 1960 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, FL 33991
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301
WLUK-TV 787 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, WI 54304
WSLS-TV 821 5th St SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
WAAY-TV 1000 Monte Sano Blvd SE Huntsville AL 35801
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WCTV 1801 Halstead Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32309
WRBL-TV 1350 13th Ave. Columbus, GA 31901
WMDT-TV 202 Downtown Plaza, Salisbury, MD 21801
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KSWO-TV 1401 SE 60th St. Lawton, OK 73501
WDHN-TV 5274 AL-52, Webb, AL 36376
KAAL-TV 1320 Salem Road SW, Rochester, MM 55902
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KOTA-TV 2001 Skyline Drive Rapid City, SD 57701
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902 (Content Manager
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station