April 12, 2020
Greetings:
Once again, a busier week than I might have expected, with lots of movement to report.
There are FOUR new news directors named this week. And our first ND opening in almost a month (created by a move of one of the four new NDs) leaves our list of open ND jobs at 27.
Once again we have ONE new Paid Help Wanted ad, this for a news director job at a very good station in the Southwest.
Sadly, TWO obituaries this week, one for a longtime Spanish language news director and anchor, and we have new details on the passing of a longtime Florida newswoman, including her obituary…which she wrote.
Once again we have THREE GM appointments, each one coming from a promotion within their current company.
And we have the list of IRE award winners.
Read on, but please stay healthy and take care of yourself and your staffs during this unique time in our history.
Newly Named News Directors:
Oldenburg
WNJU-TV, New York, NY…FREDDY OLDENBURG moves from one Telemundo o-and-o to another as he takes over as VP/News here. He’s been the ND for KWTX KXTX-TV, Telemundo’s station in Dallas/Ft. Worth since 2017. More from Media Moves. He’s a former ND for the Telemundo station in San Francisco and also worked as an Assistant ND in Los Angeles. In New York, he replaces ENDY RODRIGUEZ who left earlier this year after 20 years at the station, the last three as ND.
Hofmann
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC…our UPDATE earlier this week told you that CARRIE HOFMANN is returning to this NBC affiliate (now owned by Tegna) as news director. She spent two years as the Assistant ND here before leaving in 2013 to become ND for Scripps’ KSHB-TV (NBC) in Kansas City, a job she left last summer. She’s been the interim ND for Tegna’s WOI-TV in Des Moines since January. Carrie’s also worked in Denver, Milwaukee, and Phoenix, and replaces MATT KING here. Matt left last month to become ND for WGCL-TV in Atlanta.
Dangler
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA…OLIVIA DANGLER moves within Nexstar to become the next ND for this CBS (ABC) affiliate. Ironically, she replaces CJ HOYT, who, for a few weeks, was her boss at the new ND for WTTV (CBS) in Indianapolis, where Olivia has been the Assistant News Director since November, 2015. Here’s the note from WTTV/WXIN-TV GM DOMINIC MANCUSO to the staff. She’s also worked in Dallas, Phoenix, Columbus, OH, and New Bern, NC. CJ was ND here for 2 1/2 years.
O’Brien
KSBW-TV, Salinas/Monterey, CA…JILLIAN O’BRIEN returns to this Hearst owned NBC affilaite for her third stint, this time as ND. She’s earlier been a producer and later Assistant ND here. Most recently, she’s been the EP for “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien,” (no relation) a syndicated weekend program produced by Hearst. She’s also worked for CNN and in San Francisco. Jillian replaces LAWTON DODD who left in February after 22 years as ND.
New News Director Openings:
KXTX-TV KXTX-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX…as mentioned above, FREDDY OLDENBURG is leaving to going to New York as ND for sister Telemundo station WNJU-TV.
Also, please note the Paid Help Wanted ad just below for the open ND job for Hearst’s KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, NM.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WGN-TV, Chicago, IL (listed 3/22/20)
WSFL-TV, Miami, FL (listed 2/2/2020)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 3/8/20)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (relisted this week)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (listed 3/15/20)
WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted this week)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 3/22/20)
KNPN/KNPG/KCJO-TV, St. Joseph, MO (relisted 2/16/20)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Nexstar’s News Nation, Chicago, IL (2 openings, relisted 4/5/20)
Nexstar’s News Nation, Chicago, IL (Digital EP, relisted 4/5/20)
WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, PA (relisted 2/16/20)
KPHO/KTVK-TV, Phoenix, AZ (EP Special Projects, listed 2/16/20)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (relisted 3/29/20)
KING/KONG-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 2/16/20)
KDVR-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP and Digital EP, relisted 4/5/20)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 4/5/20)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (relisted this week)
KSND-TV, San Diego, CA (PM EP, relisted 3/1/20)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 4/5/20)
WFSB-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (AM EP, listed 3/15/20)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (EP/Innovation, listing revised 2/23/20)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 2/23/20)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 2/16/20)
WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 3/15/20)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 3/1/20)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 3/8/20)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (relisted 3/29/20)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (PM EP, listing revised 3/29/20)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (listed 3/8/20)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (PM EP, listing revised 3/29/20)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (relisted 2/23/20)
KARD-TV, W. Monroe, LA (listed 3/8/20)
KCAU-TV, Sioux City, IA (listed 3/8/20)
MANAGING EDITOR:
MANAGING EDITOR:
Nexstar’s News Nation, Chicago, IL (2 openings, 4/5/20)
WSFL-TV, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami (Investigative/Enterprise, listed 3/8/20)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (relisted 2/9/20)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 3/15/20:
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 2/23/20:
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (Investigative Producer)
E.W. Scripps @ WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (News Manager Apprentice)
Listed 2/16/20:
E. W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH (Director of News Content Strategy)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 1/19/20:
WBOC-TV/Draper Media, Salisbury, MD (Director of Digital Content)
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (Professor)
Obituary:
Echegoyen
LUIS ECHEGOYEN, described by some as a legend in Spanish language news, died last Monday at the age of 81. He was in failing health and had suffered a stroke. Luis spent much of his career as an anchor, but spent several years as the news director for the Univision station in San Francisco. More on his career in this obituary from Media Moves.
Siegel-Cohen
When we reported the death of SHARON SIEGEL-COHEN earlier this week, I had not seen her obituary.
After you read it, you’ll understand why her co-workers loved her. Sharon spent 33 years at WJXT-TV (Ind/Graham Media) in Jacksonville, FL. She was a producer when I worked with there (in 1982-83) and ended her career as an executive producer. Sharon also worked briefly in Atlanta and Tampa. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Names in the News (and other items):
IRE announced the 2019 IRE Award winners and finalists this year. The complete list is here. Winners will be honored at the annual convention, pushed back from its original June date to late August in National Harbor, MD.
General Manager News and Notes:
A flurry of top 25 GM jobs were filled this week, all with inter-company promotions.
Conklin
In Seattle, Sinclair promoted CHAD CONKLIN to General Manager for KOMO-TV (ABC). Chad’s been running the company’s WSMH-TV (FOX) in Flint, MI for the last nine years, where he also oversaw WEYI-TV (NBC) to which Sinclair provides services. Chad started at WSMH 20 years ago as an account executive. The company’s news release has more.
Lewis
Nexstar promoted JOHN LEWIS to general manager for WNCN-TV (NBC) (CBS) in Raleigh. He’s been running the company’s WNCT-TV (CBS) in Greenville, NC. He spent seven years running a firm that advised companies on acquisitions, and had earlier been a GM for two other stations in Greenville. He also has worked in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
Sosnoff
And in St. Louis, the new GM won’t have to move. JAMES (JD) SOSNOFF is being promoted at Meredith’s KMOV-TV (CBS) where he has been director of sales after first joining the station as local sales manager in 2014. JD is replacing MIKE MURPHY who is retiring at the end of June after five years in running KMOV.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, April 12, 2020:
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
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
KXTX-TV 4805 Amon Carter Blvd. Ft. Worth, TX 76155
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WEWS-TV 3001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
KOAT-TV 3801 Carlisle Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87107 (see ad above!)
WGAL-TV 1300 Columbia Avenue. Lancaster, PA 17603
WPMT-TV 2005 South Queen Street York, PA 17403
WRGB-TV 1400 Balltown Road, Schenectady, NY 12309
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KVAL/KMTR-TV 4575 Blanton Rd., Eugene, OR 97405
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
KOMU-TV 5550 Old 63 S, Columbia, MO 65201
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Rd, Rockford, IL 61101
KFDM-TV 2955 I-10 East Beaumont, TX 77702
KSWO/KAUZ-TV 1401 SE 60th St, Lawton, OK 73501
KPLC-TV 20 Division Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
WTVY-TV 285 N Foster St # 7, Dothan, AL 36303
KULR-TV 2045 Overland Ave. Billings, MT 59102
KHQA-TV 301 S 36th St, Quincy, IL 62301
Delta News 837 Washington Av. Greenville, MS 38701
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501
KAVU-TV 3808 N Navarro St, Victoria, TX 77901
**: Spanish language station