December | 2018 | Rick Gevers & Associates

December 30, 2018

January 4, 2019 UPDATE:

As we suggested yesterday, the open news director job at Scripps’ WFTS-TV in Tampa wasn’t open for long.

Moore

The station announced today that SARAH MOORE will be its new news director. She’s been the Assistant ND here for the past 3 1/2 years.

January 3, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A handful of station acquisitions by Scripps (related to the Gray-Raycom deal) finds a Florida news director becoming a Florida general manager.

Brown

MATT BROWN, who’s been the ND for Scripps’ WFTS-TV (ABC) in Tampa since October, 2014, becomes GM of Scripps’ news acquired WTXL-TV (also ABC) in Tallahassee. You’ll find details of his move buried in this news release which also covers the three stations Scripps added to its portfolio.

Scripps also named ADAM CHASE GM of the other stations, KXXV/KRHD-TV in Waco-Temple-Bryan, TX. He’s been the GM for the company’s KERO-TV in Bakersfield.

Back to Matt: he’s also been a news director in Tulsa and ~~Corpus Christi~~ Sherman, TX (corrected 1-3-19), and has worked in Kansas City, Austin, TX, and Wichita.

And put your resumes down…it’s likely his replacement in Tampa will be named soon, perhaps as quickly as tomorrow.

We’re only two business days into the new year, and this is our second UPDATE. We’ll see if that streak continues.

And we’ll see you Sunday with our full report.

regards,

Rick Gevers

January 2, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

The New Year brings a new job for a veteran news director.

Ginther

MARK GINTHER is joining Sinclair Broadcasting as Director of News and Operations.

Mark tells me he will oversee the day to day content and also help the company’s investigative teams. He’ll be based at Sinclair headquarters in Baltimore.

Mark most recently was VP/News for NBC’s KXAS-TV in Dallas/Ft.Worth, a job he left in August after three years. He spent seven years as ND for KING-TV in Seattle, and three years running the newsroom at WHO-TV in Des Moines. Mark was the Assistant ND for WFAA-TV in Dallas and spent the early part of his career in Minneapolis, beginning in radio before moving to television.

I hope you had a great holiday and we’ll see you this weekend with more details on this story and all the week’s news.

regards,

Rick Gevers

**** ***** ****

Greetings:

No surprise that the holiday week meant few changes in the world of news management changes.

Just ONE new opening and ONE newly named news director. That means our list of open ND jobs edges up to 30.

We have a paid ad for an EP job in New York State, and details about how YOU can sign up for a highly regarded management training program.

Our only obituary is for a one-time Wisconsin news director and anchor who spent 30+ years in the state senate and continued his public service into his 90’s.

We’ll also fill you in on a Montana anchor (and one-time news director) who stepping away from the daily grind.

And…if you had questions after our report on GARY WORDLAW’s move to the Black Television News Channel…we’ve found an article that should help answer many of them.

Read on…but not before accepting our best wishes for a great 2019. We’ll be back then!

Kneeland Logo

“Kneeland will exceed your expectations. Guaranteed.”

Start the New Year right.

Applications are due Friday, January 11 for The Kneeland Project’s next session, which will be held February 27 – March 2, 2019 in Austin, Texas.

Thanks to Kneeland’s generous funders, this opportunity is nearly free for selected participants.The Kneeland Project pays for all tuition costs as well as hotel and several meals.

In a recent survey of Kneeland Fellows, 100% reported they still regularly use lessons learned at Kneeland, believe that time spent at Kneeland improved their career and said they have recommended Kneeland to a friend or colleague.

You’ll join this session’s faculty and other outstanding news managers to explore the exciting challenges that face our industry, and you’ll leave the program with a solid plan to guide your leadership decisions starting day one. This isn’t theoretical information that you will put on a shelf and neglect. Every participant will walk away with concrete action items to implement immediately that will make a difference in their newsroom…and their life.
It’s an intensive program unlike any other. It’s practical. It’s highly interactive. It produces long-lasting results. Journalists return to their stations refreshed and ready to tackle the sometimes overwhelming challenges newsrooms now face.

Click here for more information and to apply.

Newly Named News Directors:

Simon

KIAH-TV, Houston, TX…Houston news blogger MIKE McGUFF reports that STEVE SIMON is returning to this Tribune owned CW affiliate as its news director. Steve once worked at the station (then KHWB-TV) as an anchor/reporter. He’s also worked in Dallas, Miami, Columbus, OH, Huntsville, AL, and Albany, GA.

New News Director Opening:

Korff

WEVV-TV, Evansville, IN…WARREN KORFF has apparently left this CBS affiliate after almost three years as news director. Warren, a long-time Evansville newsman, was hired to restart news at the Bayou City Broadcasting owned operation. Previous owners had cancelled news there many years ago.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

Executive Producer, WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY:

WIVB News 4, the CBS affiliate in Buffalo, New York is looking for an executive producer with the skills, instinct and talent to lead the market’s number one news team. The perfect candidate must be innovative, a motivator and a multi-platform thinker (television and digital). They must also be passionate about winning breaking news and weather every day of the week. Oversee daily story selection and be a strong conversational writer and copy editor. The ideal candidate must also be able to think outside the box, plan and build big story coverage. Excellent people and organizational skills are also a must. Most of all, the successful candidate must have the instincts and drive to win.

Daily Responsibilities:

Manage newsroom and field crews
Own breaking news and weather coverage
Understand and execute our brand
Copy edit newscasts. Make them conversational
Develop and build strong producers
Set coverage expectations for the team
Build a multi-platform strategy for the team. Television and digital
Work well with internal and external partners to build content sharing opportunities
Build planning calendar for big story and promotable coverage
Be a newsroom leader
Critique and review producers
Fill-in produce when needed

If interested, please apply online by clicking here.

“EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability”

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (listed 11/18/18)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (new opening this week)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 12/23/18)
WBND-TV, South Bend, IN (relisted this week)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 12/23/18)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (AM EP, relisted 12/16/18)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (Dayside EP, relisted 11/25/18)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, listed 11/4/18)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (Dayside EP, listed 11/11/18)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, relisted 11/18/18)
WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN (AM EP, listed 12/23/18)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 12/23/18)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (PM EP, relisted 12/9/18)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, relisted 12/2/18)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (new opening this week, see ad above!)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (TWO EP openings, relisted 11/25/18)
WATE-TV, Knoxville, TN (TWO openings, new listing this week)
WIS-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 12/9/18)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (AM EP, listed 10/28/18)
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL (relisted this week)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 10/21/18)
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth (listed 11/18/18)

OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:

Listed 12/9/18:

WTOC-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Manager)

Re-listed 11/11/18:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Senior Manager of Editorial Content)

Obituary:

Chilsen

WALTER JOHN CHILSEN, the first news director for WSAW-TV in Wausau, WI, died Christmas Day at the age of 95. This detailed obituary tells of his 34 years as a Wisconsin state senator. He later served on the board of the town of Weston, WI, until stepping down. At age 94!

Names in the News (and other items):

Our report last week on GARY WORDLAW’s new job as VP/Programming and News Director for the Black Television News Channel raised a few questions, like…exactly what IS the BTNC. This article answers many of them.

Kohn

One time KXLF-TV (Butte, MT) news director JAY KOHN is cutting back as the main anchor at KTVQ-TV in Billings, MT. Jay worked at KXLF before becoming the anchor at sister station KTVQ in 1998. But he’s not retiring completely…this article says he’ll continue at the station as ‘anchor emeritus’.

General Manager News and Notes:

Not surprisingly, to the best of my knowledge there were no GM changes during this holiday period. If you know of something I missed, please email me: rick@rickgevers.com

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, December 30, 2018:

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

Verizon Fios 1 News 800 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573
WJLA-TV 1100 Wilson Blvd. , 6th Fl. Arlington, VA 22209
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KIRO-TV 2807 Third Ave., Seattle WA 98121
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave W Saint Paul, MN 55114
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
WTHR-TV 1000 N. Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204
WPBF-TV 3970 RCA Boulevard, # 7007, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
WTLV/WJXX-TV 1070 E Adams St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
WHBQ-TV 485 S. Highland. Memphis, TN 38111
WLEX-TV P.O. Box 1457 Lexington, KY 40588-1457
WGBA-TV 1391 North Rd, Green Bay, WI 54313
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Dr, Omaha, NE 68127
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
WHEC-TV 191 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604
WCSH/WLBZ-TV One Congress Square Portland, ME 04101
KKTV 520 E. Colorado Colorado Springs, CO 80903
WAPT-TV 7616 Channel 16 Way Jackson, MS 39209
WEVV-TV 477 Carpenter Street Evansville, IN 47708
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701
KDLT-TV 3600 S. Westport Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57106
WFFT-TV 3707 Hillegas RD Ft. Wayne IN 46807
WCTI-TV 225 Glenburnie Dr. New Bern, NC 28560
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno, NV 89502
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78411
WTVA-TV P.O. Box 320 Tupelo, MS 38802
KRCG-TV, 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KAAL-TV 1320 Salem Rd SW, Rochester, MN 55902
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901

**: Spanish language station

December 23, 2018

Greetings:

Consider this early delivery of this week’s edition my holiday gift to you.

Is there any limit to my largess? (Don’t answer that.)

And it’s a very full early newsletter, with lots of new news directors and FOUR new openings. My count of open ND jobs stands at 29.

Lots of items in Names in the News as well. There’s a handful of news managers on the move, RTDNA wants YOUR help with a brief survey, and we’ll share interesting articles on lessons that might be learned from a radical change to our business which is 50 years old and an interview with the head of Nexstar who’s preaching local as the key to success.

We have ONE obituary of a North Dakota general manager and details about SUSANA SCHULER’s move to a GM job in Birmingham,

I plan on publishing next week as well, though I’m guessing it will be fairly slow.

Until then, no matter which holiday you celebrate, I hope it’s terrific and send you best wishes for a safe, health and prosperous 2019.

Newly Named News Directors:

News 12 Networks, New York, NY…this memo from Altice Executive Vice President MIKE SCHREIBER will fill you in on lots of changes at this cable news network, with promotions for news directors RANDAL STANLEY and MANOJ SHAMDASANI while JIM WHITEMAN gets promoted to news director for News 12 Long Island.

Gin

KITV, Honolulu, HI…we told you in an UPDATE earlier this week that JANICE GIN is going as far west as you can for her first news director job at this ABC affiliate operated by Lilly Broadcasting. More from the station’s website. Janice is a 20 year veteran of the San Francisco market, most recently as Assistant ND for KRON-TV. She’s worked in Phoenix, Sacramento, and Greensboro. Janice is active in RTDNA and AAJA. She replaces MIKE DARRAH who left this week to become the Assistant ND for KTNV in Las Vegas after 2+ years as ND here.

Hamblen

KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO…a promotion here for LISSA HAMBLEN who becomes ND for this Mission Broadcasting owned but operated by Nexstar CBS affiliate. GM LEO HENNING told the staff. She first joined the station in 1987 as a creative services producer, left for a while, but returned as a news producer, rising to executive producer and assistant ND in 2000. Lissa replaces CHUCK MAULDEN who departed last month to become Director of Content for KOTV in Tulsa after 5+ years as ND.

Takahashi

WJTV/WHLT-TV, Jackson/Hattiesburg, MS…TAI TAKAHASHI returns to the news director chair. He’ll run the newsroom at this Nexstar owned CBS operation. More from his new GM, JEFF GUY. Tai had been the Assistant News Director for KGW-TV in Portland until September, and has been and ND in Decatur, IL, and Lexington, KY. He’s also worked in Seattle, Atlanta, Jacksonville, FL, Wichita and Topeka. He replaces CHRIS TURNER who left last month after less than a year as ND.

Spadea

WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA…JOE SPADEA heads south to become the next ND for this White Knight Broadcasting owned but Nexstar operated NBC/FOX duopoly. We have the staff email from GM ERIC THOMAS. It was a short time on the beach for Joe, who left KMTV (Scripps/CBS) in Omaha last month after six years as news director. Joe’s been an ND in Oklahoma City and has worked in Los Angeles, Boston, Providence, and Lancaster, PA.

Wordlaw

He’ll replace GARY WORDLAW as ND there. We reported Gary’s departure earlier this month and promised details on his next stop soon. Soon is now. He will be the first VP/Programming and News Director for the Black Television News Channel. Gary sent me this email with more details. Many of you know Gary who’s been an ND in Washington and Baltimore, and a general manager in Seattle, New Orleans, Syracuse, and Tallahassee and has worked in Chattanooga.

Good

KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA…JOSH GOOD will be the next news director for this Bayou City Broadcasting owned NBC/FOX operation. My records show he’ll replace DWAYNE FATHERREE who was promoted to ND just about a year ago, when he replaced someone who’d been in the job a year. Josh has been working in Knoxville and earlier spent time in Lexington, KY, and Fort Wayne, IN.

New News Director Openings:

Patti M.

WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN…our Thursday UPDATE also shared the sad news that PATTI McGETTIGAN is taking a medical retirement from the Cox owned (for now) FOX affiliate. The company’s VP/News, MIKE DREADEN, spread the word with this email. Patti’s also been a news director for WISH-TV in Indianapolis and WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, where she worked twice (before and after my time as ND there). She also worked in Pittsburgh. Send Patti a kind email by clicking here: patti.mcgettigan@gmail.com

Moravchik

WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI…JULIE MORAVCHIK is leaving this Scripps owned NBC affiliate to become the Assistant News Director for Spectrum’s new 24 hour state wide cable channel based in Milwaukee. Julie’s been ND here for 2 1/2 years, earlier was a news director in Jefferson City/Columbia, MO, Grand Forks, ND, and in Duluth, and has also worked in Minneapolis.

Brovold

KDLT-TV, Sioux Falls, SD…JESSICA BROVOLD left this Red River Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate in July according to her Linkedin page and is now working as a marketing manager for a health care company. She spent just over a year as news director here.

KAAL-TV, Austin, MN…this Hubbard Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate has an opening for a new news director on its website. My records (granted, not ALWAYS accurate) show that DAVID SPRINGER had been news director here since July, 2012.