February 7, 2021
Greetings:
We have just TWO news directors on the move, but ONE of those moves includes a longtime ND returning to his hometown as a GM for a top 15 market NBC affiliate. And the other move sees a promotion to ND for a veteran newsie.
ONE of this week’s 17 ND openings is among our TWO Paid Help Wanted ads this week: the other is for a newscast producer opening at one of the few family owned stations in a top 15 market.
Speaking of advertisers, we welcome back WMVision. If you don’t recognize the company, that’s the new name for longtime friends of this newsletter Weather Metrics. Click on their ad just below to learn more.
We have a number of interesting items in Names in the News, so be sure to check that out below. And there are THREE obituaries: a former Los Angeles newsman, a longtime marketing consultant, and one for a man who spent his entire career in Terre Haute, IN, including 18 years as GM for the station at which he spent his entire career.
Read on for all that and more.
Newly Named News Directors:
Vetscher
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI…TIM VETSCHER has been promoted to news director at this Scripps’ owned NBC affiliate. Here’s the note from GM JOE POSS. Tim joined the station in 2019 as editorial director. His background is wide and varied, having started as a sports producer for another Milwaukee station, moved to reporting jobs in a number of markets, before turning to management. His Linkedin page has all the details. Tim succeeds JEFF KIERNAN who was promoted to ND for sister Scripps station WXYZ-TV in Detroit.
New News Director Openings:
Dallman
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA…congrats to BILL DALLMAN who’s been named GM for KARE-TV (Tegna/NBC) station in his native Minneapolis. It’s a return to Tegna for Bill, who was ND for WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids and an EP for KXTV in Sacramento. It’s also a Twin Cities hat trick for this hockey fanatic: he once was ND for KMSP-TV and earlier produced for KSTP-TV. He’s also been an ND in Denver and Los Angeles, and was VP/News for Fox Sports 1. Bill began his career as an anchor/reporter in Austin, MN. At KARE, he replaces JOHN REMES who retired after 24 years at the helm. More from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Newscast Producer, KSTP-TV, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN:
What’s an ad for a newscast producer doing here?
We figure if you are reading Rick’s weekly newsletter, you are interested in keeping up with what is going on in our business.
So KSTP-TV, the Hubbard Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate in Minneapolis-St. Paul, is looking to hire an experienced newscast producer who wants to grow their career by joining what we believe is one of the best newsrooms in the country.
Sure, that sounds like boasting–but consider this: We are the flagship station of a family-owned broadcasting company in the 14th largest market. We treat our team members with respect and support innovation to make local television news more relevant. We believe in practicing solid journalism on every platform, and there isn’t a list of corporate-mandated stories to manage every day.
If you would like to be producing newscasts for a great news operation in a competitive, major market, then apply here.
News Director, KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA:
Nexstar Inc. seeks an experienced & driven broadcast professional to serve as News Director for KTXL-TV/FOX40 in California’s capital city of Sacramento.
Fox 40 produces the most local news in the market plus executes on multiple special projects and a statewide weekly political show. You will lead and supervise all aspects of news, weather, sports and digital content and be a key part of the leadership team in this competitive Top 20 market.
Sacramento has it all when it comes to a top quality of life in Northern California.
We are looking for someone who has passion for the industry, is a proven leader, can lead a growing television station and has the desire to win the right way. You must also have a strong sense of collaboration.
To learn more and apply, just click here!
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KARE-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 1/17/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 1/31/21)
WPTV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 1/3/21)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 1/24/21)
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 1/24/21)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 1/10/21)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 1/24/21)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WGN-America/News Nation, Chicago, IL (listed 1/3/21)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (EP Special Projects, listed 1/10/21)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (EP, listed 1/10/21)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (EP Investigations, relisted 1/31/21)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (new listing this week)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (Digital EP, relisted 1/10/21)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 1/24/21)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 1/3/21)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (Digital Content EP, relisted 12/20/20)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted 1/10/21)
WATN-TV Memphis TN (relisted 1/18/21)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (Digital EP, relisted 12/13/20)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital EP, relisted 1/10/21)
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA (listed 1/17/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 12/20/20)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (Digital EP, listed 1/31/21)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (listed 1/31/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, listed 1/3/21)
KDRV-TV, Medford, OR (relisted 12/13/20)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 1/10/21:
Spectrum News: Senior Director of News, New York
Obituaries:
Noyes
We told you earlier this week of the death of PETE NOYES, a legendary Los Angeles newsman who worked at almost every Los Angeles TV station. He served as a news director for stations in Sacramento and San Diego and is said to be the model for the LOU GRANT character on the Mary Tyler Moore. New in this newsletter: an obituary from The Los Angeles Times.
Lindgren
BRUCE LINDGREN, who advised countless television stations on marketing strategies, has died according to several sources. His Linkedin page has details on his career and some of the companies with which he worked. I haven’t been able to find more details and an obituary, but hope to include that information in the next newsletter or earlier if possible via an UPDATE.
Bailey
DAVID BAILEY, whose long broadcasting career included 18 years as general manager for WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, IN, died January 20th at the age of 76. He started at WTHI while still in college in 1966 and worked there until he retired in 2005. More on David’s life and career in this obituary.
Names in the News:
Pudar
Chicago’s ROBERT FEDER, who’s covered the local TV news scene there for years, reports that News Director SANDY PUDAR has left Nexstar’s News Nation just five months after the three hour program launched in September and in the middle of program changes around the newscast. JENNIFER LYONS remains as VP/News for WGN-America.
The Los Angeles Times continues its reporting into allegations of misconduct against the two top leaders of the CBS owned stations division. The latest story looks at WCBS-TV and includes statements from the President of the Division, PETER DUNN and the head of the news efforts for the group, DAVID FRIEND, issued through their lawyers.
Ball
Longtime Los Angeles News Director JASON BALL ankled (that’s LA lingo, right?) KTLA-TV Friday after more than 12 years helming (another LA term, I believe) the news department here. The station’s morning show paid tribute to him in its typical style. KTLA is a CW affiliate now owned by Nexstar. Jason’s future plans are unknown but we’ll let you know when we can.
Brune
Speaking of former KTLA-TV executives, RAYMOND BRUNE is joining WISH-TV in Indianapolis as Senior Executive Producer of News and Programming. Details about his role at this locally owned CW affiliate are included in this news release from the station’s website, which credits him with creating the KTLA Morning News.
Lopez
YOLANDO LOPEZ, a former news director for Univision’s WGBO-TV in Chicago, has been named Acting Director of Voice of America. She first joined VOA in 2015 as Latin America Division Director. Details in this story from Media Moves. She also served as the executive producer for KMEX-TV, the Univision station in Los Angeles.
Aldama
CESAR ALDAMA, a former news director (WFOR-TV/CBS) in Miami who most recently was news operations manager for WCAU-TV (NBC-Philadelphia) has joined the Black News Channel as Senior Director of News Content. He posted this on social media. Cesar’s worked at a number of large market stations as you’ll learn on his Linkedin page.
Ngyuen
TRAM ANH NGYUEN is moving across town in St. Louis and joining KSDK-TV, the Tegna owned NBC affiliate, as Morning Content Manager for Today in St. Louis, the station’s morning newscast. Director of Content CAROL FOWLER told the staff via this email. It’s a return to KSDK for Tram Anh, who once worked there as a production assistant. She’s been a supervising producer for KTVI-TV, the FOX station in St. Louis and has also worked in Decatur, IL.
General Manager News and Notes:
Dallman
In case you missed it, check our New ND Openings section above for news that BILL DALLMAN will be the next GM for KARE-TV (Tegna-NBC) in Minneapolis. He’s a Minneapolis native who’s worked at two other stations there. Bill’s currently the ND for Sinclair’s KOMO-TV (ABC) in Seattle.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 7, 2021:
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
KTLA-TV 5800 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
KOMO-TV 140 4th Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
WFOR-TV 8900 NW 18th Terrace, Doral FL 33172
KTXL-TV 4655 Fruitridge Road Sacramento, CA 95820 (see ad above!)
KAKW-TV 2233 W. North Loop Austin,TX 78756 **
KMPH/KFRE-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave.Fresno, CA 93727
WNYT-TV 715 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12204
KTLM-TV 200 S 10th St. Fl 2 McAllen, TX 78501 **
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Road McAllen TX 78501 **
WCTI-TV 225 Glenburnie Dr, New Bern, NC 28560
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KADN/KLAF-TV 1500 Eraste Landry, Lafayette, LA 70506
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi TX 78411
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KTXS-TV 4420 N. Clack Abilene, TX 79602
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903 ***
**: Spanish language station
***: News Director and Anchor