April 6, 2025
Greetings:
Greetings from Las Vegas and the annual NAB/BEA conventions. Hope our paths cross if you are here.
There’s a bunch of new NDs this week…not sure how to count them since one hire is going to oversee THREE newsrooms in TWO different states. One of those new hires is a former Chicago ND who’s been at his new job since December.
And there are TWO new openings, including one in market number one.
My always unofficial number shows there are 37 stations with ND openings.
If you are at NAB, please visit our advertisers, Trint, Octopus, AccuWeather and WMV. Speaking of advertisers, Sciline is back with a free crash course to improve your science coverage. That’s all below.
Ever change an employee’s schedule? Of course you have. So you’ll be happy to know that a St. Louis jury found for a news director who was sued for intentional infliction of emotional distress. That’s in Names in the News, along with several other news management changes.
And speaking of changes, several in our GM section as well.
Newly Named News Directors:
Jones
WKMG-TV, Orlando. FL…AUTUMN JONES moves across Florida to be the next ND for this Graham Media owned CBS affiliate. She’s been the ND for WFTX-TV (Scripps/Fox) in Ft. Myers but earlier worked at WFTV in Orlando. It’s a reunion with Graham’s VP/News SEAN McLAUGHLIN: they worked together when Sean was VP/News at Scripps. Autumn replaces ALLISON McGINLEY who left after ten years for a job at her alma mater, the University of Central Florida.
Miller
KWTV, Oklahoma City, OK…ANDY MILLER returns to a newsroom as VP of Digital Content for this Griffin owned CBS affiliate. And he’ll succeed CHUCK MAULDEN when Chuck retires as VP of Content later this year. Andy will also oversee Griffin’s KOTV in Tulsa. He spent six years as a regional ND for Nexstar and many years as ND for WCIA-TV (in two stints) in Champaign, IL. He sent this note about how the job came about…and it points out what we all know: it’s a small business.
Piacente
KGMB/KHNL/KFVE-TV, Honolulu, HI…we’re late in reporting that MATT PIACENTE has been the ND since December for these three Gray Media owned stations, branded as Hawaii News Now. Matt’s last ND job was at WFLD-TV, the FOX o-and-o in Chicago which he left a year ago after eight years as ND. Matt’s Linkedin page has his entire career history. Matt replaces SCOTT DUFF who lost his battle with cancer last July. Scott was ND here for two years and at WSFA-TV in Montgomery for 16.
Burger
KWWL/KIMT/WREX-TV, Waterloo, Mason City, IA, and Rockford, IL…I guess you could call it a hat trick of sorts. LISA BURGER will be the news director for all of these Allen Media owned stations. At KWWL, she replaces ANDREW ALTENBERN. At KIMT I believe the incumbent was DAN CLOUSE, while I think the ND job at WREX-TV has been vacant since GEOFFREY DEFFENBAUGH left last year for job in Bend, OR. Lisa most recently was ND for KTXL-TV in Sacramento.
Ludgood
WRBL-TV, Columbus, GA…a veteran newsman takes the helm at this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate. ERIC LUDGOOD is a former ND at WGCL-TV (now WANF-TV) (CBS) in Atlanta, where he worked for two other stations and at CNN. Most recently he was VP for Scripps News. At WRBL, Eric replaces CONNOR HACKLING who transferred to ND for WSAV-TV in Savannah after three years as ND here and more than ten years at the station.
New News Director Openings:
Tindiglia
WPIX-TV, New York, NY…this Nexstar owned CW affiliate is looking for a new news director. NICOLE TINDIGLIA, who’s held that job since 2021, is moving to a new role within the station. She spent many years at WCBS-TV in New York before taking the ND job here, including eight years as the Assistant ND. Some of our more, uh, veteran readers will fondly remember her late father RON TINDIGLIA, who was an ND at WABC-TV and VP/News for the CBS o-and-o group.
Horn
WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL…another Nexstar station, another opening. GLEN HORN has been the ND here since 2021. His LinkedIn page has his extensive and varied background. I believe…but have not yet confirmed…that he’s off to a new ND job in another market. Stay tuned!
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
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Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 4/6/25)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 3/23/25)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 3/16/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (relisted 2/16/25)
KTVB-TV, Boise, ID (relisted 2/23/25)
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (relisted 3/16/25)
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, listed 2/16/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 4/6/25)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 3/9/25)
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 (listed 2/16/25)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Weekend EP, listed 2/16/25)
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, listed 2/16/25)
WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 4/6/25)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (AM EP, listed 3/23/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/6/25)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 1/26/25)
WPTZ-TV, Burlington, VT (listed 2/16/25)
WAPT-TV, Jackson, MS (listed 2/16/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 2/16/25)
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:
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)
Listed 2/9/25:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Executive Reporter, title change this week)
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA: (Executive Reporter)
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Diener
A jury in St. Louis didn’t take very long to find in favor of KMOV-TV (Gray/CBS) News Director SCOTT DIENER in a lawsuit filed by a former employee. Meteorologist MEGHAN HODGE (air name: MEGHAN DANAHEY) sued Diener claiming intentional infliction of emotional distress because he changed her schedule. Another suit against the station is still pending.
Ford
CRAIG FORD, who’s been an anchor (who added Assistant ND duties to his portfolio) is retiring after more than 25 years at WTVA-TV in Tupelo, MS. That’s a joint NBC/ABC affiliate owned by Allen Media. The station aired this tribute and the local newspaper reported on his departure, including some health battles. Earlier he was an ND in Hattiesburg, MS.
There’s a new Nightside EP at Weigel’s WDJT-TV (CBS) in Milwaukee. JOE SINICKI has been the morning EP for WITI-TV, the Fox affiliate in Milwaukee.
BRIAN FARBER, who was the last of the original team hired when WXMI-TV (FOX) in Grand Rapids, MI, launched news in January 1999, is leaving the station. TIM DYE, who was the first news department employee as ND and hired Brian, told Brian’s story on LinkedIn.
General Manager News and Notes:
Lane
Monday’s UPDATE told you that PHIL LANE, general manager of Graham Media’s KPRC-TV in Houston, announced his retirement this week by sending a video to the staff. (I tried, believe me, but haven’t been able to get a copy.) He’s been GM for this NBC affiliate since 2022, when he transferred from Graham’s (aka Post-Newsweek) KSAT-TV in San Antonio. He’s been a GM in South Carolina and two stations in Georgia.
JEFF MILLER moves within Nexstar to become GM for KRQE-TV (CBS) in Albuquerque. He’s been running the company’s Brownsville, TX, operations as you’ll learn in this Linkedin post from Nexstar’s SVP MATTHEW ROSENFELD. He’s also been a GM in Omaha and Sioux City, IA.
MATT JAQUINT has left Gray Media where he’s been Chief Revenue Officer since 2023. Before that he was a regional VP overseeing stations and is a former GM in Salt Lake City.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, April 6, 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
WABC-TV 7 Hudson Square, New York, NY 10013
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
WKYC-TV 1333 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44114
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
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
WATN/WLMT-TV 1725 N. Shelby Oaks Dr., #101 Memphis, TN 38134
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
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
WFXR-TV 5305 Valleypark Drive, Suite 1. Roanoke, VA 24019
WAAY-TV 1000 Monte Sano Blvd SE Huntsville AL 35801
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KOAA-TV 2200 7th Ave, Pueblo, CO 81003
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
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WMDT-TV 202 Downtown Plaza, Salisbury, MD 21801
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
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