July 26, 2020
Friday, July 31, 2020 UPDATE:
There’s a news director change at a network owned station in a top 30 market to tell you about today.
Germano
MICHELLE GERMANO has left ABC’s WTVD-TV in Raleigh/Durham after almost five years as news director. Her departure comes shortly after the man she replaced, ROB ELMORE, returned as general manager.
Rob, as you know, moved into 2015 to Los Angeles to be ND for ABC’s KABC-TV.
Michelle spent 12 years as ND for KOLD-TV in Tucson earlier and has also worked in Houston and Corpus Christi, TX.
Details on this story and all the week’s developments in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
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Sunday, July 26, 2020 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Ansin
Tonight, after we posted our latest newsletter, we learned of the death of billionaire TV station owner ED ANSIN.
He was 84.
Ansin owned stations in Miami and Boston. Both lost NBC affiliations. He and his team turned Miami (then WCKT-TV into WSVN-TV) and became a FOX affiliate with a presentation style that was widely copied.
When he lost the affiliation at WHDH-TV in Boston, he turned the station into a true independent.
In both case the stations increased their news programming and remain significant factors in their markets.
The Boston Globe has this obituary.
It’s expected his sons will take over the business.
I’m sure the trades will have much more on this story this week.
regards,
Rick Gevers
(Full disclosure: I worked as a young producer at WCKT from 1976-77, but had almost no contact with Mr. Ansin, as you might expect.)
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Greetings:
A little more movement this week, with TWO new news directors (both at Hearst stations) and TWO new openings. Our list of open ND jobs remains at 30 positions.
Once again, there’s ONE Paid Help Wanted Ad this week for an EP position in a small city that’s in a top ten market.
I’m sorry to report the death (last April) of a well respected FOUR time news director, three of those jobs in top 25 markets.
Just ONE item in Names in the News and TWO new GMs to tell you about.
Please read on, and have a great week.
Newly Named News Directors:
Franklin
WYFF-TV, Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville…AKILI FRANKLIN is being promoted to news director for this NBC affiliate from the same job at another Hearst NBC affiliate, WDSU-TV in New Orleans. She’s been the ND at WDSU since March, 2016, after three months as the Assistant ND there. Akili knows her way around there, having spent eight years at WYFF earlier in her career before stints at Hearst stations in Birmingham and West Palm Beach. She replaces BRUCE BARKLEY who’s been promoted to GM for Hearst’s KHBS/KHOG-TV (ABC/CW) in Fayetteville/Fort Smith, AR after eight years as ND for WYFF.
Dillard
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA…WILL DILLARD has been bumped up to ND for this Hearst owned ABC affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND here since 2015 and previously worked for Hearst’s WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach, FL, as an assignment manager and producer. Will’s also worked in Miami. At WJCL, he replaces SINAN SIDAR who was also promoted, in his case to a corporate talent recruiting role for Hearst.
New News Director Openings:
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA…as we told you above, AKILI FRANKLIN has been promoted to ND for sister Hearst NBC affiliate WYFF-TV in Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville. She was ND here for more than four years.
Snuffer
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE…MIKE SNUFFER is leaving this Standard Media owned ABC affiliate after just six months as news director here. There’s a sad family reason behind the abrupt move, as Mike outlined in this email to me. Before KLKN, he spent 16 years as ND for WSIL-TV in Harrisburg, IL. Mike’s a former ND for KLBK/KAMC-TV in Lubbock and KCEN-TV in Temple, TX.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
Are you a show doctor who likes to lead from the line?
Join the nation’s largest media group just outside the nation’s capital – in an election year.
Nexstar Media Group’s WDVM in Hagerstown, Maryland has an IMMEDIATE opening for an Executive Producer. Oversee content decisions on multiple platforms, while still owning an hour on the line.
This is an incredible opportunity to showcase your ability to lead – and your producing talents. Work with a diverse team of professionals around the country…and do it all in market #7.
It’s the best of both worlds… small town feel with access to big city news and entertainment.
If you are up for the challenge, apply here:
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 6/21/20)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (listed 7/19/20)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 5/31/20)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 7/19/20)
WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted 6/21/20)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WDVM-TV, Hagerstown MD (listed 7/12/20, see ad above!)
WFLA-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL (listed 7/19/20)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (relisted 6/7/20)
KING/KONG-TV, Seattle, WA (relisted 7/19/20)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 7/5/20)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 6/14/20)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (Digital EP, listed 6/7/20)
WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital EP, listed 7/5/20)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (PM EP, relisted 5/31/20)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 6/21/20)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (listed 6/21/20)
WFTX-TV, Ft, Myers, FL (listed 7/12/20)
More News Management Openings:
New listing this week:
WATE-TV, Knoxville, TN (Digital Media Manager)
WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI (Digital Content Director)
Listed 7/19/20:
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 7/12/20:
KOMU-TV, Columbia, MO (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 7/5/20:
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 6/28/20:
KOKI-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM Content Manager)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Managing Editor/Digital News)
Relisted 6/14/20:
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (Real Time Desk Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Director)
Obituary:
Acklen
DAN ACKLEN, who had been a news director in Seattle, Cleveland, Portland, OR, and Medford, OR, died April 13 of complications of lymphoma, lupus and deep vein thrombosis. He was 69. Dan was well respected by his employees who called him a gentleman who treated staff with respect and kindness.
I last spoke with Dan earlier this year when he called to check in. He maintained a sense of humor through his illnesses, as proven in this 2017 email to me:
As for me, I am doing the best I can. I still follow my Oregon Ducks and have my tickets for the next FB season (BTW – Go Ducks! Beat Michigan!). However, I face some challenges. I have deep vein thrombosis, lupus, and lymphoma. As for my health issues, it’s a classic case: I quit drinking and smoking and then my body went to hell…and my maladies are not generally associated with those bad habits.
My rheumatologist says the lupus will get me before the lymphoma will…reassuring, isn’t it? I still feel good, walk every other day and enjoy life (the old line about stopping to smell the roses applies to me!).
Memorial contributions may be made to the church in which Dan and his family grew up:
Newman United Methodist Church
132 NE B St.
Grants Pass, OR 97526
106 NW F Street, #951
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Names in the News (and other items):
Lattig
DERIK LATTIG joins Spectrum News in Dallas as Planning Manager for its new operation there, scheduled to launch September 1st. He spent almost 13 years as a regional news producer for CBS Newspath in Dallas, and has worked for stations across Texas and in Albuquerque, NM.
General Manager News and Notes:
Rieffer
JENNIFER RIEFFER, who started as a traffic assistant at WDKY-TV in Lexington, KY, in 1995 and rose to General Manager there in 2018, has been promoted. She’s the new GM for Sinclair’s WSMH-TV (FOX) in Flint, MI. She’ll also oversee services provided by Sinclair to WEYI-TV (NBC) in Flint. More details here.
Trcalek
SEAN TRCALEK moves across town to become General Manager for Scripps’ KATC-TV (ABC) in Lafayette, LA. He’s been the GM for KADN-TV in Lafayette since February, 2017. It’s a return to KATC for Sean who was national sales manager there from 1989-1995. Scripps issued this news release.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, July 26, 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
KABC-TV 500 Circle Seven Dr. Glendale, CA 91201
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
KXTX-TV 4805 Amon Carter Blvd. Ft. Worth, TX 76155 **
WBZ-TV 1170 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA 02134
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77057
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WWSB-TV 477 10th St. Sarasota, FL 34236
WTMO-TV 1650 Sand Lake Rd. # 340 Orlando, FL 32809 **
WJZY-TV 3501 Performance Rd. Charlotte, NC 28214
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
WPMT-TV 2005 South Queen Street York, PA 17403
WDSU-TV 846 Howard Ave New Orleans, LA 70113
WNYT-TV 715 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12204
WRGB-TV 1400 Balltown Road, Schenectady, NY 12309
WALA-TV 1501 Satchel Paige Dr. Mobile, AL 36606
WKEF/WRGT-TV 2245 Corporate Place Miamisburg, OH 45342
KLKN-TV 3240 S 10th St, Lincoln, NE 68502
WANE-TV 2915 W. State Blvd.Fort Wayne, IN 46808
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
KOMU-TV 5550 Old 63 S, Columbia, MO 65201
KTVA-TV 2550 Denali St. # 1604 Anchorage, AK 99503
KPLC-TV 20 Division Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
WCAV-TV 999 2nd Street, S.E. Charlottesville Virginia 22902
WLFI-TV 2605 Yeager Rd. West Lafayette, IN 47906
Delta News 837 Washington Av. Greenville, MS 38701
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903
KGWN-TV 2923 E. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001
* Position is Senior Director of Local Media Content
**: Spanish language station