April 18, 2021
Monday, April 19, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
As if the seven obituaries in last night’s newsletter weren’t enough, there’s another death of a significant figure in our business to report this morning.
Davis
PAUL DAVIS died overnight in his sleep, We told you a few weeks ago that he had entered hospice care because of cancer.
A few minutes ago, I received this note from his son GLENN:
Cancer from previous prostate issue had resurfaced several years ago and took him last night.
Small service likely in Champaign Friday or Saturday. No details on that yet, but we expect in the current environment it will just be family.
I’ve asked Glenn to share a full obituary when it is available.
As many of you know, Paul was a news director for WGN-TV in Chicago, and also was an ND in Boston and an ND/anchor in Champaign. He’s a former RTDNA chair and was also the head of SPJ. Even in retirement, he was a frequent presence at many conventions, critiquing the work of young journalists of whom he mentored thousands.
If you’ll permit a personal memory…
Many years ago, Paul called before a convention in Las Vegas. He explained that he was a big fan of Cirque du Soleil, that he had planned to go to a show with friends, but they had canceled. Would Karen and I like to join him? Of course.
The Cirque show he had chosen was Zumanity. It was adult themed.
VERY adult themed.
Karen and I kept looking at each other, asking “Paul likes this?”
We endured to the end and left the theatre. As we walked away, Paul, in that great voice of his, said, in measured tones “That wasn’t what I expected.”
We never spoke of it again.
RIP Paul, and sympathy to his family and many, many friends. I’ll have more on his life and death in the days ahead.
I hope my next report to you brings happier news.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
Fair warning. This may be the longest newsletter ever.
It may also be the saddest.
SEVEN obituaries in this edition, including spouses of two well known industry veterans, and the Assistant ND of a Tennessee station who died in a car accident this morning.
In more normal developments, we have SIX new news directors with FIVE new stations with ND openings, leaving our list of stations looking for a news director at 31 stations.
Remarkably, to me at least, ELEVEN of those openings are clustered in just FIVE cities; New York (THREE) and TWO each in Seattle, Hartford, Tyler, TX. and Duluth, MN. And BOTH of the Duluth openings are among our FIVE Paid Help Wanted ads, along with ads for an Illinois Assistant ND, a Minnesota EP, and a teaching position at the University of Toledo.
There’s a new GM opening in Seattle, and we try to recap a crazy week of changes at both ABC News and CBS News.
There’s the usual handful of news managers on the move, and we have news of a new scholarship to honor a Hearst VP/Finance who was married to a longtime news director.
We tried to publish early this week since there is so much news. Read on for the details.
Newly Named News Directors:
Kosowski
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA…ED KOSOWSKI returns to California as ND for this Nexstar owned FOX affiliate, leaving sister Nexstar station KETK-TV in Tyler, TX. We have a two for one special! Click here to read emails from both Ed’s new and old GM’s. Ed’s been an ND in San Francisco, Boston, Denver and Kansas City, was an EP at CNBC, and has worked in other markets, too. At KTXL, he replaces MONIKA DIAZ who left in February after six years at the station and three as ND.
Jakobs
KMPH/KFRE-TV, Fresno, CA…JIM JAKOBS returns to TV as the next ND for this Sinclair owned FOX/CW operation. Jim has been working for GV Wire, a Fresno online news site. He previously was the Assistant ND for KFSN-TV (ABC owned) in Fresno, and has worked for two stations in Sacramento, ran a bureau for the NBC owned stations in California, and worked in Oklahoma City. He replaces JIM TURPIN who left in January after eleven years as ND
Schram
WILX-TV, Lansing, MI…MIKE SCHRAM returns to Lansing as the next ND for this Gray Television owned NBC affiliate. We told you last week that Mike was leaving WDIO-TV (ad for that job below) in Duluth, MN, for a job to be named soon. Here’s the note from GM DEBBIE PETERSMARK, where you’ll learn that Mike is just the THIRD news director in 24 years. He’s been an ND in Flint and Rochester/Austin, MN, and has also worked in Indianapolis. Mike replaces BARB ROETHLER who returned to Detroit for a job outside of TV.
Forrester
WDAM-TV, Hattiesburg, MS…EMILY FORRESTER, the Assistant ND at Gray’s WTOC-TV in Savannah, GA, will be the next ND at this Gray/NBC station. She’s been in Savannah for four years, spent 15 years in a variety of roles at WKRG-TV in Mobile, and also worked in Montgomery, AL. She replaces GALEAN STEWART-JAMES who was ND here for 3 1/2 years and is now the Assistant ND for Scripps’ WPTV in West Palm Beach.
LaCombe
Asplund
WLUC-TV, Marquette, MI…ANDREW LaCOMBE will eventually replace STEVE ASPLUND as the news director for this Upper Peninsula station owned by Gray and operated as NBC/FOX affiliates. Asplund has been the ND there for about 30 years and has held many roles in the newsroom. The station posted two stories: this one about Steve, and this one about Andrew, his eventual replacement.
Levy
KAIT-TV, Jonesboro, AR…GRENDEL LEVY returns to the news director’s chair as the next ND for this Gray TV owned ABC affiliate. She’s currently the Assistant ND for WHOI-TV in Peoria (an ad for her old job is below), and is a former ND in Charleston/Huntington, WV, and Boise, ID. Here’s the note from GM HATTON WEEKS, himself a former KAIT ND. Grendel replaces JOSH WHITE who announced in February he’d be leaving in a few months to move closer to family.
New News Director Openings:
Friend
WCBS-TV, New York, NY…the announcement more than a week ago that DAVID FRIEND would not be returning to this CBS o-and-o means this job is open, so we’re adding it to the list. Friend, as you know, was ousted after reports that he (and owned division president PETER DUNN had cultivated a hostile work environment. He was VP/News here for 14 years.
Mickle
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL..MIKE MICKLE has left this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate after 3 1/2 years as news director. He took the job after a 14 year hiatus from TV when he was running his own business. Before that Mike was an anchor and reporter at KWQC-TV in Davenport, IA. He also worked for the Independent News Network.
KETK-TV, Tyler, TX…we told you above that ED KOSOWSKI is leaving this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate to transfer to Nexstar’s KTXL-TV (FOX) in Sacramento. Ed was ND here more than four years.
Jacobsen
KBJR-TV, Duluth, MN…for the second week in a row, a Duluth station loses an ND as KEVIN JACOBSEN is leaving after four years to start a business with his wife. The local newspaper reports on both Kevin’s departure and that of WDIO-TV ND MIKE SCRHAM. Learn more about this opening in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.
Chu
WBKO-TV, Bowling Green, KY…HENRY CHU is retiring after 14 years as news director for this Gray TV owned ABC affiliate. He’s also been an ND in Oklahoma City, Austin,TX, and Harlingen, TX and has worked in San Francisco and Kansas City. Best wishes to Henry, who shared this photograph of him and his wife, GLYNDA CADDESS, herself a TV veteran who worked at stations around the country.
Glynda and Henry Chu toasting his retirement
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, KBJR-TV, Duluth, MN:
We’re looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.
KBJR Television in Duluth, MN seeks a News Director to grow our news team and advance our news products.
The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and maintaining market leading standards for newsroom operations and content. Other duties include hiring, coaching, supervising and evaluating news personnel as well as preparation and administration of newsroom budgets and capital requests.
Reporting to the General Manager, the News Director is expected to work closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.
A minimum of 3 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues and needs, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic, ethical and logistical judgments.
If you have a passion for excellence and a burning desire to lead what can become the best local broadcast news operation in Northern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin, we want to hear from you.
Send your cover letter and resume to:
Todd Wentworth
246 South Lake Ave
Duluth, MN 55802
twentworth@kbjr6.com
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
Throughout QMI, positions are available for candidates with all levels of experience and the advancement you are seeking. Visit https://quincymediacareers.com/ for links to all stations and opportunities.
KBJR 6 & CBS 3 is an EEO/AA Employer
Assistant News Director, WHOI-TV, Peoria, IL:
HOI ABC, serving the Peoria, Bloomington/Normal market in Central Illinois has an immediate opening for an Assistant News Director to oversee news gathering and production as manager in charge of our evening and late-night newscasts.
HOI ABC and WEEK make up a duopoly in East Peoria, with separate studios, staffs, and control rooms from the same modern, fully equipped building, producing nine hours of competing newscasts per day. We have a newsroom of friendly rivals.
The Peoria, Bloomington/Normal market (#120, serving about 340,000 people) is home to three universities (Illinois State, Bradley, and Illinois Wesleyan), State Farm Insurance, numerous Caterpillar plants, and the largest concentration of advanced medical facilities between Chicago and St. Louis.
In addition to fertile farmland, Peoria presents hills, ravines and bluffs overlooking the Illinois River with lots of opportunities for indoor and outdoor activities, and neighborhoods of restaurants, coffee shops, and entertainment venues.
Our newscasts are designed to tell the stories of Central Illinois and serve as a responsible and compelling source of news, weather, and sports. With most viewers in our DMA tuning in to our newscasts, we embrace the responsibility of serving our communities.
Candidates should be proven, dedicated, and hardworking broadcast and digital journalists with solid line producing experience, strong editorial judgment, and a history of building newscasts.
Send a cover letter, resume, and link to your latest newscast to Gavin Maliska, News Director, WEEK/HOI ABC, 2709 Springfield Road, East Peoria, IL 61611, gmaliska@week.com.
Quincy Media is an EEO employer.
Executive Producer, KAAL-TV, Austin, MN:
KAAL-TV, ABC News Channel 6, the award-winning ABC affiliate of Hubbard Broadcasting in Rochester, MN needs an Executive Producer.
This is a great opportunity for either an experienced E.P. or a producer looking to get their first leadership experience.
At KAAL-TV, we emphasize investigative style news and original hyper-local reporting. The position of Executive Producer is responsible for raising the bar on storytelling, and pushing for personal and memorable stories. This position will be responsible for story selection, cultivation, and crafting messages with reporters, anchors and producers.
Covering both Southeastern MN and Northeastern Iowa, KAAL is set in vibrant, beautiful Rochester, MN. The city is most well known as being the home of the Mayo Clinic-the world’s best hospital system. Rochester is an affluent, highly-educated, safe and diverse city consistently ranked as America’s Best City to Live in.
KAAL-TV is proud to be part of this community and we actively support community initiatives that help create positive change.
To learn more about the day-to-day duties and qualifications for this remarkable opportunity please see the full job description by clicking here.:
Any questions? Please reach out to Hubbard Broadcasting’s Recruiting Manager, Michael Hammond at mhammond@bhi.com
Senior Lecturer, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH:
The Department of Communication at the University of Toledo seeks a multimedia journalism teacher. Primary focus on integrated journalism and production in a multimedia lab environment. Should be prepared to teach undergraduate multimedia courses; reporting, photojournalism, TV production, advanced production, social media, integrated journalism, and podcasting, as well as other core media courses as appropriate.
Should be prepared to contribute to curriculum development emphasizing cross-discipline integration of new media technologies and multi- platform journalism. Expect to teach four to five courses per semester and advise a student media group and other university service.
Position begins August 2021. Please submit the follow items when applying:
· A cover letter articulating candidate’s qualifications, education and professional experience
· Curriculum vitae
· Links of two examples of published work and or/creative works
· List of references able to address the candidate’s qualification for this position
Minimum qualifications:
· Professional experience in multimedia journalism or TV production, or a closely related field and Master’s in Communication or related field. Degree must be completed by start date.
Preferred Qualifications:
· Knowledge of multimedia tools such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere and other Adobe Creative Cloud software as well as web technologies.
· Previous teaching experience in this field, and experience mentoring underrepresented minority students.
A more detailed description, equal opportunity and accommodation information can be found by clicking this link:
News Director, WDIO-TV, Duluth, MN:
WDIO-TV News Channel 10/13, the award-winning ABC affiliate of Hubbard Broadcasting in Duluth, MN needs an experienced News Director with a history of success in leading broadcast and multi-media news operations.
We emphasize investigative style news and original hyper-local reporting. This position requires a strong leader to help keep this station at the top of the market.
As the leader of this multi-platform operation, the News Director is responsible for leading and managing the planning, production and presentation of news, weather and sports. This position is also responsible for defining and maintaining ethical, editorial, artistic and technical standards for broadcast news programs on WDIO and content on digital and social media platforms.
The successful candidate must motivate, inspire, engage and lead both an experienced, high performing team as well as green talent. We are looking for a leader who can build off WDIO’s legacy, creating a vision for the future, and supporting our ‘with you for life’ brand.
Set on beautiful Lake Superior, Duluth is in a vast region that is an outdoor paradise surrounded by pristine nature. The community is a combination of college town, tourist mecca, shipping/manufacturing, and regional healthcare center. A safe community with low cost yet high standards of living. WDIO is proud to be part of this community and we actively support community initiatives that help create positive change.
To learn more about the day-to-day duties and qualifications for this remarkable opportunity please see the full job description here:
Any questions? Please reach out to Hubbard Broadcasting’s Recruiting Manager, Michael Hammond at mhammond@bhi.com
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/21/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 4/4/21)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (listed 2/21/21)
WHOI-TV, Peoria, IL (new listing this week, see ad above!)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (relisted 3/28/21)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (new listing this week)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Proj./Investigations, revised 3/21/21)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 3/7/21)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (EP Investigations, relisted 4/11/21)
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 3/28/21)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (PM EP, listed 3/28/21)
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)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (new listing this week)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham, AL (Digital EP, listed 3/28/21)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 3/14/21)
WGHP-TV, Greensboro/High Point, NC (Digital EP, listed 3/21/21)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 2/21/21)
WATN-TV Memphis TN (relisted 3/28/21)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 2/21/21)
WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL (Digital EP, listed 4/11/21)
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA (relisted 3/21/21)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (new listing this week)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 2/21/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (Digital EP, listing revised 3/28/21)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (relisted 4/11/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted 3/14/21)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 4/11/21)
WTVM-TV, Columbus, GA (listed 2/28/21)
KDRV-TV, Medford, OR (relisted 2/14/21)
KAAL-TV, Rochester, MN (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WVNS-TV, Ghent, WV (Digital EP, listed 4/4/21)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 3/28/21:
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (Digital Content Director)
Listed 3/28/21:
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL. (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 2/21/21:
Spectrum Networks NY1 Senior Manager, News and Content
Obituaries:
Too many obituaries this week, and TWO involve the spouses of well known figures in our industry.
Willi
SHERRI WILLI, wife of longtime consultant and former GM and ND JIM WILLI, died Friday when her car hydroplaned on wet roads and crossed into on-coming traffic in Athens, TX. She was 72. Jim shared this obituary, which includes details about a visitation and celebration of life next Saturday. Jim retired after 28 years from AR&D in 2018. He was an ND in Phoenix and Buffalo and a GM in Columbus, OH. Your kind note expressing sympathy can be sent here.
Connell
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Monday, April 19) for PAT CONNELL, husband of Talent Dynamics President SANDRA CONNELL. They were married for 50 years before his sudden death last Sunday. More here, including memorial information. Most of you know (or should know) Sandra, who’s helped thousands of broadcasters over the years find their next job. Click here to send her a kind note.
Armstrong
NASH ARMSTRONG, the Assistant News Director for WVLT-TV (Gray/CBS) in Knoxville, died early this morning in a single car accident. Nash was 33. He was an eight year veteran of the station, joining as a producer and working his way up through a variety of other newsroom leadership positions. Here’s the story from the WVLT website. Nash also worked for another Knoxville station and for the local newspaper.
Frost
Former ND JACK FROST died yesterday at 84. He’d suffered from kidney failure, and, according to a note his wife Mary sent me, refused to go on dialysis. Jack spent most of his career in Louisiana and Nebraska, working as an ND in Alexandria, LA, and for stations in New Orleans, Lafayette, and Lake Charles. He returned to Nebraska after ‘retiring’ but did a regular feature on senior issues for KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln, as you learned in this article we first shared with you in 2016. Jack is survived by his wife, MARY, a son, LUTHER who is in radio in Lafayette, LA and a daughter ADRIANNE who is an actress in New York City.
Sweeney
Our sympathy to the staff at KAKE-TV in Wichita on the death of their creative services director, JOHN SWEENEY. He died unexpectedly Wednesday night at the age of 45. The station has this story on its website. He worked in New York, Houston, Miami, and St. Louis. His wife, GINNY, is the special projects EP at KAKE.
Ervin
TOM ERVIN, who worked his way from the film room to the general manager’s job at Nashville’s WTVF-TV (CBS) died March 17th at the age of 86. He spent 40 years at the station and was very active in the community while GM. The newspaper obituary is here and his former station aired this story about his career.
Barrett
Finally, DICK BARRETT, who spent 14 years as the ND for KREM-TV in Spokane, died Monday at the age of 90. After leaving KREM for an advertising agency job, he later became executive director of the Spokane Board of Realtors and was later elected to the state house of representative. Learn more about an interesting life in this obituary.
Names in the News:
Godwin
We sent you several UPDATES this week on developments at the networks (well, at least ABC and CBS). Among them was KIM GODWIN’s appointment as President of ABC News, replacing JAMES GOLDSTON. Kim had been the Executive VP/News at CBS News, and is a former local news director in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Cleveland. She is the first Black woman to run a broadcast network news division.
Kim’s departure from CBS was not the only change there. CBS News Presdient SUSAN ZIRINSKY is stepping down and will develop programming for the news division.
McMahon
She’s being replaced, in an unusual move, by two people who will oversee the owned stations division and CBS News. WENDY McMAHON is leaving ABC where she was Presdient of the owned stations division. It’s a return to CBS for Wendy, who previously had held Creative Service Director jobs at two CBS owned stations, WBZ-TV in Boston and WCCO-TV in Minneapolis.
Khemlani
She’ll be joined by another former CBSer, NEERAJ KHEMLANI, who’s been named co-President. He’s a former producer for 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes II who has been working as a top executive at Hearst Newspapers. Here’s the news release from CBS, and a Los Angeles Times story outlining the new setup. The Times broke the story that lead to the departure of PETER DUNN who had been running the CBS o-and-o’s.
Corn
Back to ABC News, for a moment. MICHAEL CORN, a longtime ABC newsman who has been the EP of Good Morning America, abruptly left the network last week. He’s been the EP at GMA since 2014. Variety has more on his departure, his background, and the search for his replacement, which will likely be Godwin’s first big hire at ABC News.
Stanley
Hearst and the EMMA BOWEN Foundation have established a scholarship in honor of JEANA STANLEY, the company’s former VP/Finance who died suddenly last June. Details here. Many of you will remember that Jeana was married to longtime news executive RANDAL STANLEY who ran newsrooms in many markets (Washington, Cleveland, and Buffalo) and retired last year from News 12 New Jersey.
A few management moves to share:
VALERIE TOLLISON has been named Manager, Organization Development for Tegna. She’s been a Senior Recruiter for News Leadership at the company.
STELLA NICHOLS has been promoted to EP at Scripps’ WTMJ-TV (NBC) in Milwaukee.
And at Gray’s WXIX-TV (FOX) in Cincinnati, KIMBERLY GARRETT is the new EP. She’s worked in San Diego and Dayton.
General Manager News and Notes:
Rose
After 21 years at KING-TV (and its sister station KONG-TV) JIM ROSE is leaving for what he described as a new role outside of owner Tegna. Here’s the note he sent to the staff. Jim first joined the station as National Sales Manager at KONG, and moved his way up before becoming GM in 2016. He’s also worked in Salt Lake City and for Blair in New York. His departure leaves the station without a GM or ND.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, April 18, 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
WCBS-TV 530 W. 57th Street New York, NY 10019
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017
News Nation 2501 West Bradley Place Chicago, Illinois 60618
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
WCCB-TV 1 Television Place Charlotte, NC 28205
WBFF/WNUV-TV 2000 W 41st Street Baltimore, MD 21211
KCTV 4500 Shawnee Mission Parkway Fairway, KS 66205
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street Hartford, CT 06115
WVIT-TV 1422 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507
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 **
WHBF-TV 231 18th Street Rock Island, IL 61201
KETK-TV 4300 Richmond Rd, Tyler, TX 75703
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Macon, GA, 31201
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
KBJR-TV 246 South Lake Ave. Duluth MN 55802 (see ad above!)
WDIO-TV 10 Observation Road Duluth, MN 55811 (see ad above!)
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KOSA-TV 4101 E 42nd St. Ste 107 Odessa, TX 79762
KTXS-TV 4420 N. Clack Abilene, TX 79602
WBKO-TV 2727 Russellville Road. Bowling Green, KY 42101
**: Spanish language station