February 14, 2021
Wednesday, February 17, 2021 UPDATE #2
Greetings:
A second update in the same day usually means big news, and there’s little bigger than an ND moving to the GM chair in the number one market!
Matthews
Congratulations to CHAD MATTHEWS who’s been elevated to President and GM of WABC-TV in New York. Details here. He’s been ND for this ABC owned station for the last three years, after a year as the Assistant News Director. Chad worked at WABC for 12 years earlier in his career, before spending five years as the Assistant ND for NBC’s WTVJ-TV in Miami.
He replaces DEBRA O’CONNELL, who became president of Networks for Disney last fall.
Chad is one of TWO former ND’s to run o-and-o’s in New York City, joining WNBC-TV’s ERIC LERNER who’s been on the job there since 2015.
McDonnell
And he’s one of TWO New York City General Managers named today, as Nexstar tabbed CHRIS McDONNELL to be GM for WPIX-TV (CW). Chris is currently the GM for Nexstar’s KRON-TV in San Francisco. You can learn more about his appointment and background in this news release.
It’s been a busy day: who knows what the rest of the week will bring. But you do know we’ll cover it all in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Wednesday, February 17, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
A Chicago news director is out after a flurry of criticism over his social media posts.
Balta
WTTW-TV News Director (and EP of the program Chicago Tonight) HUGO BALTA has been ‘forced out’. That’s according to ROBERT FEDER, who has the scoop in the latest post to his website.
Hugo’s been the ND here for just about a year. He’s also worked for MSNBC, and ESPN, and is a former ND for WNJU-TV (Telemundo) in New York City. He’s also worked for two different stations in New York and one in Miami.
Hugo’s a two time President of NAHJ.
More on this story and all the week’s developments in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
Our Valentine’s Day report shows TWO newly named NDs, with TWO new openings, one of which was created by a transfer with Sinclair that accounted for one of the two new ND hires.
That leaves 18 stations looking for a new news director. None are featured in our TWO paid help wanted ads, both of which ARE featuring producer openings for candidates with a fair amount of experience
There are TWO obituaries, one of a multi-time news director who passed this week, and we have more information about last week’s death of marketing consultant BRUCE LINDGREN, including a detailed obituary.
And our thanks to Chicago media reporter ROBERT FEDER whose hard work produced the first two stories in our Names in the News section: a report on a Chicago ND placed on administrative leave, and more details on behind the scenes changes at Nexstar’s News Nation.
There are some other items in Names in the News, some involving names you may know like LABBE, WALDON, and SEALLS.
Read on and enjoy!
Newly Named News Directors:
Schmaltz
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA…TREY SCHMALTZ, an eleven year veteran of the station, has been promoted to ND replacing LEE POLOWCZUK who is retiring. Trey’s been the Assistant ND: WBRZ has hired BEN LEMOINE to replace him. Ben’s a former reporter and anchor at this Manship family owned ABC affiliate. Lee spent five years as ND and has been an ND in New Orleans, W.Palm Beach, and Greenville, SC.
Swope
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC…CHRIS SWOPE will be the next news director for this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate. He’s currently the ND for the company’s WCHS/WVAH-TV in Charleston, WV, but wanted to move to be closer to family. He’s been the ND here for 5+ of the nine years he worked there. Chris has also worked in Columbia, SC, Greenville and Charleston, SC, as well as Atlanta and Pittsburgh.
New News Director Openings:
WCHS/WVAH-TV, Charleston, WV…as we told you above, CHRIS SWOPE is leaving this Sinclair operated CBS/FOX duopoly after 5+ years as ND to become ND for WCTI-TV in New Bern, NC, to be closer to family.
Parker
KTEN-TV, Ada, OK/Sherman, TX/Addison, TX…after nine months, JOEY PARKER has left as the news director for this Lockwood Broadcasting owned NBC/ABC combination. Joey’s been an ND in Utica, NY, and Casper, WY, and has also worked in Columbia, MO, Gainesville, FL, Hastings, NE, Montgomery, and Dothan, AL.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Newscast Producer, The National Desk, Sinclair Broadcast Group:
There is nothing better than loving, living, and embracing what you do. We’ve dared to change the face of an industry and have become the most diversified innovative broadcasting company in the nation.
The National Desk is looking for a dynamic Newscast Producer to join the Sinclair family. Our goal is to offer audiences on multiple platforms something different. The kind of coverage they care about, the kind that impacts their lives. This is an incredible opportunity to be a part of something bigger and create an impact on the industry.
The life-blood of our organization is our people. We have a compelling story, a goal-oriented culture, and we take really good care of people. How good? Here is a glimpse: 100% company-paid life and disability, 401k match, employee stock plan, education reimbursement, and the ability to design your own comprehensive benefit package to suit you and your family’s every need.
Ready to join a winning team? Let’s talk. Apply here.
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.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KARE-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 1/17/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 1/31/21)
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 1/24/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City,TN (new listing this week)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 1/24/21)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (new listing this week)
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 (listed 2/7/21)
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 this week)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital EP, relisted 1/10/21)
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA (listed 1/17/21)
WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (new listing this week)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 12/20/20)
WNCT-TV, Greenville, NC (new listing this week)
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 this week)
More News Management Openings:
Listed this week:
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 1/10/21:
Spectrum News: Senior Director of News, New York
Obituaries:
Bowe
JACK BOWE died Thursday at the age of 78. He had been a news director at WSBT-TV in South Bend, KOLO-TV in Reno, KGET-TV in Bakersfield, WJHG-TV in Panama City and KMST-TV (now KION-TV in Monterey, CA). This obituary recaps his entire career and explains why memorial donations are directed to the University of Notre Dame.
Lindgren
We have more information on the death of longtime marketing consultant BRUCE LINDGREN, whose passing at the age of 81 we first reported last week. Here’s an obituary published today, and check out a nice tribute to Bruce penned by veteran marketer ERIK CANDIANI, first published on the Well Dunne! talent blog.
Names in the News:
Balta
Chicago’s media watcher ROBERT FEDER reports that WTTW-TV (PBS) News Director HUGO BALTA has been placed on administrative leave for what sources tell Feder were misdeeds on social media. The complete details in Feder’s story here. Hugo’s a two-term president of NAHJ and has worked at WCBS-TV in New York, ESPN, MSNBC, and as VP/News at WNJU-TV,the Telemundo station in New York.
Pudar
And Feder’s been busy. He followed up last week’s story on the departure of news director SANDY PUDAR from Nexstar’s Chicago based News Nation with this story looking at what he says are some of the reasons Pudar left the job. It’s an interesting read with more than a little behind the scene drama, apparently.
Hill
STEPHANIE HILL returns to a Tulsa newsroom as the new Assistant News Director at Scripps’ KJRH-TV (NBC). She’s been working as the Director of Communications for Oral Roberts University, her alma mater. But she spent 30 years working for KOTV (ABC) in Tulsa in a variety of roles, leaving as Managing Editor in 2016 when she took the position at Oral Roberts.
It’s Black History Month, and we’ve seen several examples of stories highlighting Black managers. Here’s a story from KABB/WOAI-TV in San Antonio profiling Sinclair Regional News Director BLAISE LABBE. Hearst has this interview with KOAT-TV (Albuquerque/ABC) General Manager (and two time news director) LORI WALDON. And, while not a manager, Accu-Weather posted this story on my longtime client ALAN SEALLS as a pioneering Black meteorologist. Alan’s the chief meteorologist at Sinclair’s WPMI-TV (NBC) in Mobile. Apologies to others whose profile I may have missed.
Ackermann
The curriculum overhaul at the University of Missouri School of Journalism continues, overcoming roadblocks like Covid-19, the 2020 election, and post election riots. So says STEVE ACKERMANN who just wrapped a long run as interim ND for the University’s KOMU-TV (NBC). Many of you know Steve, a former VP/News for Raycom.
General Manager News and Notes:
To my knowledge, no GM movement to report, though I expect one of the largest GM openings will be filled early this week. We’ll fill you in our report next weekend.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 14, 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
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
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Rd. Charleston, WV 25301
KTLM-TV 200 S 10th St. Fl 2 McAllen, TX 78501 **
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Road McAllen TX 78501 **
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
KTEN-TV 10 High Point Cir, Denison, TX 75020
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