March 14, 2021
Friday, March 19, 2021 UPDATE:
News director changes in THREE markets (Los Angeles, Seattle and Phoenix) in this UPDATE.
Saiers
First, PETE SAIERS returns to California to become the next news director for Nexstar’s KTLA-TV (CW) in Los Angeles. He’s currently the news director for Tegna’s Seattle duopoly, KING/KONG-TV. (NBC/independent). He’s been in Seattle for almost two years.
He replaces JASON BALL who left the station earlier this year after a remarkable (by Los Angeles standards) 12 years as ND here.
Pete spent much of his career in the San Francisco market, working for 18 years in a variety of roles at KPIX-TV (CBS owned) and a short time freelancing at KGO-TV (ABC owned) as an EP before moving to Seattle. Pete also worked in Sacramento as a reporter and producer, and in Beirut in both print and TV.
His Linkedin page has more.
Dallman
With his departure, Seattle joins New York City and Hartford as large markets with TWO ND openings. KOMO-TV (Sinclair/ABC) continues its search for a replacement for BILL DALLMAN, who leaves in June to become GM for KARE-TV (Tegna/NBC) in Minneapolis.
Casey
The third change comes from Phoenix, where veteran news director MARK CASEY is leaving Scripps’ KNXV-TV (ABC). Mark explains his move in this email to me.
Mark became ND here in the fall of 2018 after a short period as Director of Public Information for the Maricopa County (Phoenix) Sheriff’s Office. He spent 17 years at KPNX-TV (NBC) in Phoenix as ND and later station manager, and held many other ND jobs around the country. Mark’s Linkedin page has the whole story.
Obviously a busy day. We’ll have all the week’s news in our full report this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Monday, March 15, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
What is it about TV stations in the Northeast?
Godbout
There are TWO ND openings in New York (WABC-TV and WPIX-TV, CW) and now TWO in Hartford with news this afternoon that LIZ GREY GODBOUT will retire in June from Tegna’s WTIC-TV. We told you late last month that JANET HUNDLEY was leaving NBC owned WVIT-TV in early April.
Liz has been the ND for that FOX affiliate for more than four years. It was the third station in her Hartford hat trick, having earlier run the news departments at WVIT-TV and WTNH-TV (ABC). She’s also worked in New York and Miami, and held a few jobs outside of televsion. Her linkedin page explains it all.
One update from yesterday’s full newsletter. We transposed the call letters of MIKE REDDING’s station in Maine. It’s WCSH-TV, not WCHS-TV, as I reported.
Apologies for that mistake. We’ll try to do better next weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** *****
Greetings:
In what seems to be an interesting trend, our list of open news director jobs continues to edge slightly higher, with 27 such openings this week.
That comes after TWO open jobs were filled but FIVE others opened up.
ONE of those jobs is one of our TWO paid help wanted ads this week.
We have an obituary for a former NBC president who began his career in news and field produced the network’s coverage of President Kennedy’s assassination.
In Names in the News, Scripps abandons plans to build its own news department in Miami and cuts a deal with another local station. A former meteorologist turned digital expert takes a new job with Fox. There’s a new assistant ND at a Virginia station, and a profile of a architectural designer turned reporter turned news director.
And we make a slight foray into suggesting a column that touches on TV news and journalism but doesn’t have a management angle. Let me know what you think of it.
Good luck when you fill out your brackets!
Newly Named News Directors:
Stack
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA…we’re a little tardy in reporting the appointment of BRIT STACK as the new news director for this Allen Media owned FOX/NBC duopoly. She began here last month. Her Linkedin Page details her background. She replaces JOSH GOOD who left late last year and to become the news director for WFXR-TV (Nexstar/Fox) in Roanoke, VA.
Lennon
WSWG/WSST-TV, Albany, GA…VINCE LENNON is the new news director for this CBS/My Network TV duopoly. I was not familiar with the station but Vince kindly filled me in on its background, future plans, and his own background. You can read our email exchange here.
New News Director Openings:
Lyons
News Nation, Chicago, IL…we told you via our Tuesday UDPATE that JENNIFER LYONS has resigned as VP/News for the Nexstar News Nation. New in this edition, an updated column from ROBERT FEDER with background on Jennifer’s departure and information about expansion plans for News Nation. She was ND at sister Nexstar station WGN-TV from 2014 until moving to News Nation, except for brief departure to work as a no-profit for a few months in 2018.
Burns
WPIX-TV, New York, NY…our UPDATE yesterday told you that VICKIE BURNS will leave this Nexstar owned CW affiliate in late March. Here’s the note to staff from newly arrived GM CHRIS McDONNELL. She’s been the ND here for two years and consulted the station for previous owner Tribune before that.Vickie’s spent most of her career with NBC owned stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington.
WCCB-TV, Charlotte, NC…this Bahakel Communications owned CW affiliate is looking for a news director to replaces ANGELA ROBBINS. She’s run the news department here for eight years and served as the assistant news director before her promotion. Her replacement will be only the third news director in the station’s history.
Roethler
WILX-TV, Lansing MI…after 4+ as ND for the Gray Television owned CBS affiliate, BARB ROETHLER is leaving TV and returning to Detroit as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Detroit Health Department, as you’ll learn in this Facebook post. She’s worked for two Detroit stations and is a former ND of WEYI/WSMH-TV in Flint/Saginaw.
Alexander
KFDM-TV, Beaumont, TX…this Sinclair station has a posting for news director on its website. My records shows that PAUL ALEXANDER started at this CBS affiliate last June as ND. He’s a former ND in Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Paul began in sports, working as an anchor in Tucson, Austin, TX, San Antonio and St. Louis, a news anchor for the statewide News of Texas, and a news and sports radio talk show host.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI:
News 8 Now/WKBT-TV has a rare opening for a News Director to lead our team in one of Wisconsin’s best cities to live in. La Crosse is a university town, a regional health care center and city with a rich history. La Crosse is home to three institutions of higher learning. La Crosse is also home to top rated Gunderson Health System as well as having a Mayo Clinic Health System hospital and regional clinics.
WKBT has not had a news director opening for nearly thirty years. We are looking for someone to break the mold and connect with local audiences in a new way. We produce 20+ hours of television news a week and embrace coverage through our app, social, web site and streaming video channels resulting in a digital leadership position in the market. The right candidate will have a proven track record of audience growth and will understand how to build emerging platforms.
We are committed to quality journalism. We are proud of being honored as the Small Market Television Station of the Year from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association eight times.
In this role, you’ll be asked to set and execute a strategy for audience growth with a content editorial team. You’ll lead efforts to build and retain a top-notch staff. You’ll need to be aggressive moving resources to meet the demand of a shifting local news marketplace. You’ll be asked to make critical editorial decisions with a deep understanding of journalism ethics.
Apply at https://morganmurphymedia.com/
Executive Producer, WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA:
Meredith Corporation is searching for an Executive Producer. This is a great opportunity to create compelling content while promoting an engaging work environment. This position works closely with Producers, Reporters and Assignment Editors in developing and maintaining high quality newscasts. The Executive Producer oversees story selection, pre-production and Producer rundowns. The incumbent proofs and edits scripts on a daily basis. In addition, the Executive Producer helps reporters craft their stories and oversees brand management and content for the show. Prior experience is EP required.
WGCL-TV & WPCH TV are owned and operated by the Meredith Local Media Group. Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP; www.meredith.com), a leading media company for nearly 120 years, produces service journalism that engages audiences with essential, inspiring, and trusted content. Meredith reaches more than 190 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including nearly 95 percent of all U.S. women, across media platforms including digital, video, print, and broadcast television. Meredith’s Local Media Group includes 17 television stations reaching more than 10 percent of U.S. households. Meredith’s portfolio is concentrated in large, fast-growing markets, with seven stations in the nation’s Top 25 – including Atlanta, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Portland – and 14 in Top 60 markets. Meredith’s stations produce approximately 745 hours of local news and entertainment content each week and operate leading local digital destinations.
Please visit https://www.meredith.com/careers
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/21/21)
KARE-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 1/17/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 1/31/21)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (listed 2/21/21)
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 1/24/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City,TN (listed 2/14/21)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 2/14/21)
KXMB-TV, Bismarck, ND (listed 3/7/21)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (EP Special Projects, listed 1/10/21)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (EP, listed 1/10/21)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 3/7/21, see ad above!)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (EP Investigations, relisted 1/31/21)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (listed 2/21/21)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (Digital EP, relisted this week)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 1/24/21)
WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/21/21)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Lifestyle show, listed 3/7/21)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (Digital Content EP, relisted 2/21/21)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/21/21)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (new listing this week)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted this week)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 2/21/21)
WATN-TV Memphis TN (relisted 1/17/21)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 2/21/21)
KMTV, Omaha, NE (new listing this week)
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA (listed 1/17/21)
WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 2/14/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 2/21/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (2 jobs, one Digital EP, revised this week)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (listed 1/31/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted this week)
KATC-TV, Lafayette, LA (listed 3/7/21)
WTVM-TV, Columbus, GA (listed 2/28/21)
KDRV-TV, Medford, OR (relisted 2/14/21)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted this week:
Spectrum News: Senior Director of News, New York, NY
Listed 2/28/21:
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Broadcast Director)
Listed 2/21/21:
Spectrum Networks NY1 Senior Manager, News and Content
Listed 2/14/21:
Obituary:
Mulholland
ROBERT MULLHOLLAND, a former president and COO of NBC, died Tuesday at the age of 87. He came up the news side of the business, joining NBC as a writer at WMAQ-TV and eventually rose to become the news director for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles and EP of the NBC Nightly News. More on an interesting life and career in this obituary.
Names in the News:
Scripps has dropped plans to build a news department at its station in Miami, WSFL-TV. Instead, it has signed a deal with Berkshire Hathaway owned WPLG-TV (ABC) which will produce newscasts for WSFL in time periods that do not compete with WPLG’s newscasts. The Scripps news release is here.
Baron
Old friend and former client (during his weatherman days) STEVE BARON has joined FOX News where he will be SVP/Digital Products and Strategy for Fox Weather. This post from Steve’s Linkedin page fills in details. Steve worked as a on-air meteorologist and reporter before moving to the digital world in 2008 and has held senior positions with a number of companies.
Bazemore
AMANDA BAZEMORE joins Graham Media’s WSLS-TV (NBC) in Roanoke, VA, as its new Assistant News Director. Amanda’s previously worked for stations in Charlotte and Greensboro, NC, but has been out of the business for a little more than two years. Learn more about what she’s been up to during that time by checking out her Linkedin page.
Redding
WCSH/WLBZ-TV (Portland/Bangor, ME) news director MIKE REDDING is profiled in this story from WOUB-TV, the PBS station at Ohio University where Mike studied journalism after abandoning a career in architectural design. And quite a career switch it was. Mike began on air and won 28 Emmys before moving into management.
Finally, we’re not often in the business of suggesting articles that aren’t directly related to management changes, but I found this recent column from BILL McCLELLAN in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch very interesting. I think it’s worth a few minutes of your time. It does involve journalism and television so it’s not completely off track.
General Manager News and Notes:
Doebler
DAVID DOEBLER, who’s been the general manager for NBC’s Chicago owned station, WMAQ-TV will retire at the end of June. He also oversees NBC’s Telemundo station, WSNS-TV. He’s a longtime NBC employee, having worked at NBC stations in Philadelphia, Raleigh, Hartford and Birmingham. More from ROBERT FEDER.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 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
WABC-TV 7 Lincoln Square, New York, NY 10023
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017
KTLA-TV 5800 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
News Nation 2501 West Bradley Place Chicago, Illinois 60618
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
WCCB-TV 1 Television Place Charlotte, NC 28205
WVIT-TV 1422 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
KMPH/KFRE-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
KAKE-TV 1500 N West St, Wichita, KS 67203
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Rd. Charleston, WV 25301
WACH-TV 1400 Pickens Street, Suite 600 Columbia, SC 29201
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Road McAllen TX 78501 **
WILX-TV 500 American Rd, Lansing, MI 48911
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi TX 78411
WKBT-TV 141 South 6th Street La Crosse, WI 54601 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WAOW-TV 1908 Grand Ave, Wausau, WI 54403
KFDM-TV KFDM 2955 I-10 East Beaumont, TX 77702
KTEN-TV 10 High Point Cir, Denison, TX 75020
KTXS-TV 4420 N. Clack Abilene, TX 79602
WDAM-TV 2362 US-11, Moselle, MS 39459
KAIT-TV 472 Craighead 766. Jonesboro, AR 72401
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903 ***
**: Spanish language station
***: News Director and Anchor