February 27, 2022
Greetings:
There were TWO big stories this week, the sale of Tegna and a new president coming for CNN after Discovery takes over the cabler. We’ll cover those below.
A modest week of ND changes, as TWO new ND’s were named, with just TWO new openings.
Our list of open ND jobs is still high at 45.
THREE of those open jobs are among our FOUR Paid Help Wanted ads. The fourth ad is for an Assistant ND job in Texas.
Also this week, we’ll fix an omission from last week’s report on changes at a Massachusettes station. That omission involves a well known broadcaster.
The GM merry go round continues in Buffalo, which has seen FOUR GMs leave stations in the last eight months. That’s among the changes in our GM news section.
NAHJ has a new executive director, ONE local station wins a Polk Award, and there are a lot of news management changes at local stations. We’ll cover those in our Names in the News section, along with the details on the Tegna and CNN changes.
There’s a lot to read in this week’s newsletter. Pour your favorite beverage and enjoy.
Newly Named News Directors:
Burch
KVII-TV, Amarillo, TX…JAMIE BURCH returns to the news director chair as he takes over at this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate. Jamie’s spent the last year or so as the Assistant ND at Scripps’ KXXV-TV in Waco. He’s a former news director at Sinclair’s KTXS-TV (ABC) in Abilene, as well as in Panama City. He’s also worked in Dallas, Atlanta and Mobile. At KVII, he replaces ROGER GRAY who (if my records are correct) left way back in JULY after two years as ND.
Oder
KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN…MICHAEL ODER gets his first ND job at this Gray owned NBC affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND at Gray’s KBTX-TV in Bryan TX for the last five years, in his second stint there. He also reported in Birmingham. Here’s the note from KTTC GM STEPHANIE HEDRICK. Michael replaces MICHELE GORS who was promoted to GM for Gray’s KEYC-TV in Mankato, MN, late last year.
KBTX is looking for Michael’s replacement. You can learn more in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.
New News Director Openings:
Hogensen
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL…NICOLE HOGENSEN is leaving this Scripps owned NBC affiliate after eleven years there, the last six as news director. Here’s the staff email from GM LARRY OLEVITCH. Nicole told me she’ll announce her next job soon, promised to share that news with me, and when she does…I’ll share it with you. No charge. She’s also worked in Cleveland, Columbus, OH, Richmond, VA, and Erie, PA.
Ruiz
KTAB/KRBC-TV, Abilene, TX…TRAVIS RUIZ is joining the Nexstar recruiting team and thus leaving this sister Nexstar operation (Nexstar owns KTAB/CBS and operates KRBC-NBC). He’s been ND here for five years, worked for KVII-TV in Amarillo twice, and also worked in Colorado Springs for KXRM-TV.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:
KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.
You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.
This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.
KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.
You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.
To learn more or apply now, click here.
News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:
NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.
The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.
Specific Job Duties:
Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.
Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.
Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).
To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
News Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY:
WBNG is looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.
WBNG-TV, the CBS affiliate in Binghamton, NY, seeks a News Director to help guide our news department to new heights of journalistic and ratings success. This is an exciting opportunity to join a great team in one of New York’s most beautiful places to live.
The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and maintaining market leading standards for newsroom operations and content. Other duties include hiring, coaching, supervising and evaluating news personnel, as well as preparation and administration of newsroom budgets and capital requests. The News Director is expected to work closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.
A minimum of 4 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.
If you have a passion for excellence, and a burning desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Binghamton, NY, we want to hear from you.
WBNG offers a competitive salary and traditional benefits package.
If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in a great community, apply online by clicking here.
WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
News Director, WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS:
WLBT is Mississippi’s flagship station and the dominant #1 local TV and digital media in Central Mississippi. We are a Gray Television NBC affiliate that consistently produces award-winning local news coverage. Jackson, MS is market #97 serving a 24 county region. WLBT produces 55 hours of news each week, including newscasts for WDBD Fox 40. The Jackson metro is the economic hub of Mississippi and a great place to work, live, and raise a family.
General Responsibilities:
– Five years of previous experience in newsroom leadership is required, as well as strong communication and organizational skills
– A degree in Journalism or Mass Communications is preferred
– Ability to work closely with other station department heads and managers within the company
– Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks
Qualifications:
• Utilize required software and systems (ENPS, Edius, Microsoft Teams, Excel). Strong computer knowledge preferred.
• A self-starter with a proven record of success in leadership, production, and distribution of local news, and development of talent.
• Strong leadership skills and excellent news judgment.
• A successful track record utilizing multi-media digital assets maximizing how news is covered and distributed.
• A passion for production and storytelling, combined with an unwavering commitment to journalistic ethics and standards.
• A community-minded spirit and vision to expand the station’s outreach and impact.
• Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks.
Interested applicants can click here to learn more and apply.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, relisted 1/16/22)
KCNC-TV, Denver, CO (listed 1/23/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 2/27/22)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 1/30/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 2/27/22)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (listed 2/20/22)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 2/6/22)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 2/27/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 1/9/22)
KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX (listed 2/27/22, see ad above!)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC (listed 2/13/22)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (listed 2/20/22)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WDCW-TV, Washington, DC (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 2/13/22)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 1/9/22)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/30/22)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 1/30/22)
KMOV-TV. St. Louis, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 2/27/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/9/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Streaming EP, relisted 2/27/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/13/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (listed 2/20/22)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans (EP Special Projects, revised 2/27/22)
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA (relisted 1/9/22)
KMTV, Omaha, NE (listed 2/13/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 2/27/22)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (relisted 1/9/22)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 1/2/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, listed 1/16/22)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/23/22)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 1/30/22)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, relisted 2/13/22)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 2/27/22)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (listed 1/9/22)
SUPERVISING PRODUCER:
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 2/13/22:
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)
Relisted 2/13/22:
E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 2/6/22:
WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)
Listed 1/30/22:
Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)
Relisted 1/30/22:
Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)
Relisted 1/23/22:
New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)
Listed 1/9/22:
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)
Listed 12/26/21:
WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager
Listed 12/19/21:
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Director of Innovation News Center
Names in the News:
Certainly the two biggest stories of the week were the sale of Tegna and the pending appointment of a new head of CNN. We brought you early word of both those developments in emailed UPDATES and included links to provide more details.
I did see some new articles of interest.
Poynter’s AL TOMPKINS looks at what the deal means for the stations involved.
TV Newscheck’s HARRY JESSELL wonders if journalism may suffer because of the huge debt load.
And Broadcasting and Cable interviewed Standard General’s SOO KIM on why he found the Tegna group attractive.
Licht
Saturday’s update on CHRIS LICHT‘s apparent promotion (though not officially announced yet) to President of CNN is getting lots of coverage in mainstream media of course. Yesterday’s UPDATE brought you links from CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
If you missed those stories, here they are again:
Licht has a news background as a former EP for CBS This Morning and was the founding EP for ‘Morning Joe’ on MSNBC. He also worked for NBC owned stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco. His CBS bio has more.
He also survived a cerebral hemorrhage in 2010 and wrote a book about the experience, “What I Learned when I Almost Died.”
Pena
NAHJ has named DAVID PENA, Jr. as its next executive director. He’s a veteran non-profit executive who has run many different organizations, as you’ll learn in the news release.
Congratulation to KNXV-TV (Scripps/ABC) in Phoenix which, I believe was the only local TV station to win a George Polk Award. The full list is here.
Payne
A move within Nexstar sends CHRIS PAYNE to WNCN-TV (CBS) in Raleigh as Assistant News Director. It’s a return to Raleigh for Chris, who’s currently the Assistant ND for Nexstar’s WRIC-TV in Richmond and has also worked in Charlottesville and Memphis. Of note: he worked at WMC-TV in Memphis where his boss was TAMMY PHILLIPS, now Nexstar’s Director of Talent Acquisition.
Nguyen
THUY LAN NGUYEN moves from reporting to management as she has joined Tegna’s WBIR-TV (NBC) in Knoxville as its next assistant news director. She moves from Tegna’s WTSP-TV (CBS) in Tampa-St. Petersburg where she has been a multi skilled journalist (aka one man band) for the last 2+ years.. Thuy’s complete work history is here.
Amato
WKBN/WYTV/WYFX-TV in Youngstown, OH, has promoted KATELYN AMATO to nightside executive producer. Here’s the news release. She’s been a producer for this Nexstar operation and has also worked in Columbus, OH, and as an associate producer for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.
General Manager News and Notes:
Kennedy
BRIEN KENNEDY becomes the fourth Buffalo GM to leave a station in the last eight months as he’s announced his retirement from WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS). More here. He’s been here two years, and previously was the GM for three CBS owned stations, KYW-TV (Philadelphia), WCCO-TV (Minneapolis) and WFOR-TV (Miami).
After leaving KYW, Kennedy filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission claiming he was fired for cooperating into a probe of misconduct against former o-and-o division president PETER DUNN and his top lieutenant, o-and-o news head DAVID FRIEND.
KAPP/KVEW-TV in Yakima/Kennewick, WA, has named JAMES LOFTUS as its next general manager. He joins this Morgan Murphy Media operation from KOLD-TV in Tucson where he was sales director.
Our report last week on management changes at WGGB-WHSM-TV in Springfield, MA, omitted a key fact. We told you ND PATIENCE HETTRICK was assuming additional duties as Station Manager, reporting to DANA NEVES, GM for sister Gray (formerly Meredith) station WFSB-TV in Hartford.
Doerr
What we didn’t know was the fate of former WGGB/WHSM GM STEVE DOERR. We’ve learned he quietly left as part of Gray’s reorganization of its stations in the northeast. Many of you know Steve, a former GM, ND, and network executive.
Quick items:
Sinclair has named ROB WEISBORD COO and President of Broadcasting.
And Sinclair promoted TODD BERNSTEIN to station manager of its Washington station, WJLA-TV (ABC). He was Director of Sales there.
And speaking of Washington, Gray Television has promoted LISA ALLEN to be General Manager of its Washington operations.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 27, 2022.
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
KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WSYX-TV 1261 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY 14202
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WDTN-TV 4595 S. Dixie Dr. Dayton OH 45439
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr. Carterville, IL 62918
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur, IL 62521
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201 (see ad above!)
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WITN-TV 275 East Arlington Blvd. Greenville, NC 27858
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KCBD-TV 5600 Avenue A Lubbock, TX 79404
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
KTAB/KRBC-TV 4510 South 14th St. Abilene TX 79605
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station
The DuPont Columbia Awards were announced this week, and, if my count is correct FOUR local commercial stations were winners. Congrats to KNTV (NBC owned-San Francisco/San Jose), KNXV-TV (ABC/Scripps/Phoenix), KARE-TV (NBC-Tegna-Minneapolis) and KXTV (ABC-Tegna-Sacramento). And THREE stations were finalists: WBBM-TV (CBS owned-Chicago), KUSA-TV (NBC-Tegna-Denver) and WVUE-TV (Fox-Gray-New Orleans). 
