February 2, 2025
Greetings:
Another busy week!
TWO new news director and TWO new openings, leaving our count of open ND jobs at 44.
One of those jobs is featured in a Paid Help Wanted ad below. It appears to be an attractive opportunity.
Speaking of ads, check out the alert that the deadline for Edward R. Murrow Awards entries is coming soon. And Sciline is offering free interviews about well water and its quality. Click on its ad below, along with the ad from our friends and supporters at Barry Nash and Company.
We try and clear up confusion about the ND role at Morris Multimedia stations. That’s below.
We have an obituary on the death of a former GM and group VP who died last April. (Thanks to a reader who tipped us to that…which reminds me to remind YOU that we welcome tips). And a more careful reading of the obituary for BILL PAYER revealed a most unusual destination that Bill wanted for his ashes.
CNN reports that journalists, including many at CBS, are worried about a possible settlement between Paramount Global and President Trump. That’s in Names in the News, along with the pending retirement of a three time ND turned corporate news boss, and we have updates on TWO former news directors.
All that and more below!
The deadline to enter the 2025 Edward R. Murrow Awards is fast approaching.
All entries are due by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 13.
Entries can be submitted here.
Among the most prestigious awards in journalism, the Murrow Awards recognize outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital news at the national, local and student levels. With about 5,000 entries annually, the Murrows are among the most competitive, too.
The Murrow Awards honor news stories that uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, showcase technical excellence, and highlight the critical role of journalism in serving the community. Murrow Award-winning work embodies the standard of excellence established by Edward R. Murrow in the broadcast news profession.
To be eligible, work must have been published between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024. Entrants are strongly encouraged to review the complete rules and category descriptions here before submitting.
Regional winners will be announced in May. All regional winners automatically advance to the national competition, with winners announced in August. National winners will be celebrated at the 2025 Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala in October in New York City.
For questions about eligibility, please email awards@rtdna.org
Newly Named News Directors:
Sandrik
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA…this ABC o-and-o promoted SARA SANDRIK to VP/News Director. GM MARTIN ORTIZ (who held that job before his elevation to GM) sent this note to the staff. Sara’s been the Manager of News and Content since 2020, in her second stint at the station. She began in 2007 as a reporter/anchor, left for three years for a PIO job with a school district and returned in 2019. She’s also worked in Yuma.
Hackling
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA…a move within Nexstar sends CONNOR HACKLING to this NBC affiliate. This post announcing his move is on the website. He’s been the ND at sister-Nexstar station WRBL-TV in Columbus, GA, for the past 3 1/2 years, and started there as a producer in 2014. At WSAV, Connor replaces KATHY WIDEMAN who left in December for a job outside of TV.
New News Director Openings:
Morris Multimedia is undergoing a restructuring, naming RUSS GELLER News Operations Manager for the company, overseeing news at its six stations, with a local news content manager at each station (though the ND title has gone away.)
Here’s a unedited statement from COO BOBBY BERRY to me, along with some followup questions and his answers as I attempted to clarify.
Here is his statement and answers to my questions.
It appears that Lexington ND MIRANDA COMBS (who also anchored) at Morris’ WTVQ-TV has left the station.
WRBL-TV, Columbus, GA…we told you above that CONNOR HACKLING is off to sister Nexstar station WSAV-TV in Savannah, GA, as ND. Connor was ND here for the past 3 1/2 years and worked at WRBL for 10 years.
Snuffer
KFDX/KJTL-TV, Wichita Falls, ND…veteran news director MIKE SNUFFER is leaving this Nexstar operated duopoly after not quite two years as ND. Mike has a new job and we expect to tell you where in our next report. He’s been an ND in Harrisburg, IL, and Lincoln, NE. Nexstar owns KFDX and provides services to Mission Broadcasting owned KJTL.
And while it’s not a new opening, please check out (and click on!) the ad just below for the open ND job at WRCB-TV in Chattanooga.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 1/26/25)
WTAE-TV, Pittburgh, PA (listed 1/26/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 1/19/25)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 1/12/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 1/5/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 1/12/25)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 1/19/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 1/5/25)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, relisted 1/12/25)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 1/26/25)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, released 12/22/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/5/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 1/12/25)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/5/25)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 12/22/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/22/24)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listing modified 1/12/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 1/5/25)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Nightside EP, listed 1/5/25)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville FL (listed 1/5/25)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 1/5/25)
KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 1/26/25
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 1/26/25)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (relisted 1/5/25)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 1/19/25:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real-Time Depth)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (News and Content Manager)
WJET-TV, Erie, PA: (Digital Content Manager)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Executive Producer)
Listed 1/12/25
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Senior Digital Content Producer)
Relisted 1/5/25:
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (Digital Director)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 12/15/24:
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Streaming/Weekend Executive Producer)
Obituaries:
Llewellyn
Somehow the passing of many-time General Manager JOHN LLEWELLYN escaped our notice (and yours, too, apparently) until we received a tip this week from a loyal reader. John died last April at the age of 81. During his career, he ran WOIO/WUAB-TV in Cleveland (twice), WCNC-TV in Charlotte, and WPBN-TV in Traverse City, MI, and also served as a Group VP for Raycom.
Payer
Monday’s UPDATE brought you the sad news of the sudden death of BILL PAYER, who’d been an ND in Birmingham, Buffalo, Columbus, OH, and Tulsa. Bill also worked in some other markets, and for CONUS. A more careful reading of his obituary revealed a MOST unusual request Bill had for the disposition of his ashes. It’s near the end.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
CNN is reporting that some journalists at CBS…and other places… are alarmed at the possibility that Paramount Global may settle what many think is a dubious lawsuit filed by President Trump over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with then VP KAMALA HARRIS.
Maulden
CHUCK MAULDEN has announced this retirement. but it’s not until December! He’s currently Vice President of Content for Griffin Media, overseeing the company’s KWTV in Oklahoma City and KOTV in Tulsa. Tulsa is where Chuck first joined the company (in 2018) as ND. He’s a former ND in Springfield, MO, and Little Rock, a director of operations for KSDK-TV in St. Louis, and began as a photographer.
Licon
We had outdated news in last week’s newsletter regarding the new assistant news director at KNBC/KVEA-TV in Los Angeles. LIZBETH LICON has been promoted from her old job as Managing Editor. Here’s the note from KNBC’s news director MARINA PERELMAN. Lizbeth has also worked in her hometown of El Paso, as well as in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Dallas.
One-time WFXT-TV (Boston/Cox Media/FOX affiliate) news director SARAH BURGESS is now the Chief Community Affairs officers for the Massachusetts State Police. She explains her new job in this LinkedIn post.
BRENDA DANEHART, who stepped down last year after 20 years as ND for WTRF-TV in Wheeling, WV, was honored during the state of the city speech by Wheeling’s Mayor. Brenda worked for more than 40 at WTRF.
General Manager News and Notes:
Gray Media has named PAMELA BIDDLE General Manager of WVTM-TV (ABC) in Columbus, GA. She’s been the director of sales there.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 2, 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
WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
KDFW-TV 400 N. Griffin Street Dallas, TX 75202
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WJLA-TV 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
WKMG-TV 4466 N John Young Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32804
WISH-TV 1950 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74129
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KCCI-TV 888 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WRCB-TV 900 Whitehall Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37405 (see ad above!)
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
KINT-TV 5426 North Mesa Street El Paso, TX 79912
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd. East; Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KSFY-TV 325 S 1st Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
WRBL-TV 1350 13th Ave. Columbus, GA 31901
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
KFDX-TV 500 Seymour Hwy. Wichita Falls, TX 76309
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
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
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station