March 21, 2021
Greetings:
It’s tough to concentrate when you’re trying to write this newsletter AND watch some very interesting basketball games. While I always try to proofread it before sending (not always well) apologies in advance for any typos this week.
The recent trend of an increasing number of ND openings continues this week, with FOUR new openings and just TWO open jobs filled.
Our list of open ND positions stands at 29 with TWO of those openings featured in Paid Help Wanted Ads.
We have an obituary for a founder of NABJ. There’s a GM retirement in Tennessee, a new high level hire at Scripps, a new EP in Houston, a retirement of a former NY news director who returned to TV after a traumatic brain injury, and a few other items in Names in the News.
Read on and celebrate that your tournament bracket HAS to be in better shape than mine!
Newly Named News Directors:
Saiers
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA…Friday’s UPDATE told you that PETE SAIERS is returning to California to become ND for this Nexstar owned CW affiliate. He’s spent the last two years as ND for KING/KONG-TV (NBC/indy) in Seattle. New tonight: the story from KTLA’s website and the email from KING GM JIM ROSE to the staff. Pete spent 18 years at KPIX-TV (CBS) in San Francisco and replaces JASON BALL who left last month after 12 years as ND.
Agans
KTEN-TV, Denison, TX…BRENDAN AGANS has been promoted to news director for this Lockwood Broadcasting owned NBC/ABC operation. Brendan joined the station three years ago as a sports reporter/anchor and was promoted to sports director in May, 2019. He replaces JOEY PARKER who left in February after nine months as news director.
New News Director Openings:
Casey
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ…Friday’s UPDATE also told you of veteran ND MARK CASEY’s pending departure from this Scripps owned ABC affiliate after 2+ years. Mark’s email to me will answer your questions and his Linkedin page details his background. He spent 17 years at KPNX-TV (Tegna/NBC) in Phoenix as ND and later station manager, and had a short run as the Director of Public Information for the Maricopa County (Phoenix) Sheriff’s Office before joining KNXV.
KING/KONG-TV, Seattle, WA…you learned about that PETE SAIERS is leaving this Tegna owned NBC/Indy duopoly to return to California as ND for Nexstar’s KTLA-TV.
Godbout
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT…it was a busy week for UPDATES: Monday’s told you that LIZ GREY GODBOUT is retiring from this Tegna owned FOX affiliate after more than four years. Liz holds the Hartford hat trick, having served as ND for WTNH-TV (ABC) and WVIT-TV (NBC). She’s also worked in New York City and Miami, and, as her Linkedin page details, spent a few years in jobs outside of TV.
Abraham
WNEP-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA…congratulations to CARL ABRAHAM who will retire at the end of April after 10 years as ND and 38 years at this Tegna owned ABC affiliate. Here’s the note to the staff from GM CHUCK MORGAN (who is also retiring on April 30th.) Carl began as the overnight assignment editor and worked his way up. Here’s to a long and happy retirement!
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WPIX-TV, New York, NY:
The search is on for the next News Director at WPIX in New York City.
Join #NexstarNation in the #1 Market in the country. Lead an award-winning team of journalists for the largest TV ownership group in the nation.
We are looking for an experienced news leader – who has a passion for enterprise reporting, issue-based political coverage, and an eye for stories that impact the local communities that make up New York City.
Must come with a love for weather coverage and sports. WPIX is the broadcast home for both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.
WPIX already produces more than 50 hours of local newscasts each week, and we are just getting started, We need a News Director who has a real passion for the industry, the desire to create new products, and the mindset to grow winning teams.
If this describes you, apply here.
News Director, KAKE-TV, Wichita, KS:
KAKE and KAKE.com, Wichita’s legacy ABC affiliate, seeks a News Director to lead a dedicated team of journalists and photojournalists in one of America’s most livable cities.
KAKE produces 40+ hours of local television news each week and embraces a screen-agnostic approach to coverage and, as a result, enjoys a leadership position in the market with digital audience engagement.
We are committed to excellence in journalism. KAKE journalists are timely, accurate, and unbiased in their reporting on all platforms. We seek someone who shares that expectation of excellence and can demonstrate their ability to lead strong teams.
Requirements:
Minimum 4 years of News Director experience
Four-year degree in Journalism, English, Mass Communications or other applicable discipline required
Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with an emphasis on collaboration, setting expectations, accountability, managing conflict, decision-making, coaching and delegation
Strong broadcast and AP style writing skills for all platforms
Strong command of the English language, journalism ethics, and the tenets of professional journalism
Competency with Microsoft Office applications, newsroom software, social media, camera equipment, and editing systems
Interested candidates can apply to:
Lori Johnson, Business Manager e-mail to: ljohnson@kake.com
No telephone calls please
Lockwood Broadcast Group and KAKE provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Pre-employment drug test is required along with a background screen as allowed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/21/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 1/31/21)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (listed 2/21/21)
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 (Special Proj./Investigations, listing revised this week)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 3/7/21)
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 3/14/21)
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 (listed 3/14/21)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted 3/14/21)
WGHP-TV, Greensboro/High Point, NC (Digital EP, new listing 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 (listed 3/14/21)
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA (relisted this week)
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 3/14/21)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (listed 1/31/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted 3/14/21)
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 3/14/21:
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:
Brock
PAUL BROCK, the founding executive director of NABJ, died last Sunday, March 14. He was 89. Much of Paul’s career was spent in radio, as you’ll learn by reading this obituary from the NABJ website. In the 70’s he spent two years as deputy director of communications for the Democratic National Committee before returning to radio.
Names in the News:
O’Brian
Longtime ABC News executive KATE O’BRIAN joins Scripps as head of news for its national television networks business, effective April 12. What does that mean? This news release will tell you! In addition to 30 years at ABC News, Kate was president of the short lived Al Jazeera America network which shut down in 2016 after fewer than three years,
At KPRC-TV (Graham Media/NBC) in Houston, LOUIS LOCHTE has been promoted to dayside executive producer. He’s in his second stint here, and has been producing the 10:00 news. In between his time at KPRC he worked in San Francisco and Dallas.
Kracher
FRANK KRACHER, a former news director for WTVH-TV in Syracuse, is retiring from WLOS-TV in Asheville, where he’s spent much of his career. But while ND for WTVH, he suffered a traumatic brain injury. After recovering, he returned to WLOS where he anchored and reported and became an advocate for TBI awareness. More here.
From time to time we like to bring stories about stations who are trying different ways to produce television news. This example details KVIA-TV in El Paso which added its best reporter to the co-anchor team for the late news.
Silcock
Recently retired Arizona State University professor Dr. BILL SILCOCK and his wife ANGELA have established the Angela and Bill Silcock Global Experience Fund at ASU. It will provide financial support for students to participate in study abroad programs. Learn more about it here and you can also find a link to donate. Bill taught for 20 years at ASU, and eight more at Missouri, and likely worked with someone you know.
General Manager News and Notes:
Cooper
COBY COOPER‘s 39 year career in television ends in early May when he retires as GM for WATE-TV, the Nexstar owned ABC affiliate in Knoxville. Remarkably, he’s only worked for two companies, Nexstar and Liberty/Cosmos, where he began in Jonesboro, AR. Coby’s been GM for three other stations: KGBT-TV in Harlingen, TX, WMBD-TV in Peoria, and WCIA/WCIX-TV in Champaign/Urbana, IL.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 21, 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 (see ad above!)
News Nation 2501 West Bradley Place Chicago, Illinois 60618
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
KNXV-TV 515 North 44th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85008
KING/KONG-TV 1501 1st Ave. South Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98134
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
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street Hartford, CT 06115
WVIT-TV 1422 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
KMPH/KFRE-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507
KAKE-TV 1500 N West St, Wichita, KS 67203 (see ad above!)
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
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
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