July 11, 2021
Thursday, July 15, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
More changes in the corporate structure at CBS today, and it involves a former news director.
Roark
ADRIENNE ROARK returns to CBS as President, CBS Stations. Details in this story from Broadcasting and Cable.
Adrianne’s been the GM for Meredith’s KPTV/KPDX-TV in Portland, OR, for the past five years. But earlier in her career she was the VP/News Director for CBS’s KTVT/KTXA-TV in Dallas and for another CBS o-and-o, WFOR-TV in Miami,
Adrienne’s complete career bio can be found on her Linkedin page.
Hanson
Meredith has already named COREY HANSON to replace Adrienne in Portland. Currently the GM for the company’s Mobile station, WALA-TV, Corey spent more than 15 years at KPTV/KPDX before taking the GM job in Mobile last year. She held a variety of positions in Portland, including executive news director and station manager. Complete details in the Meredith news release.
More on both these stories in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
With TWO new openings…and, to my knowledge, NO new news directors named…our list of openings jumps to 40.
FOUR of those openings are featured in Paid Help Wanted ads.
We have a few more details on a story covered in our UPDATE earlier week, that of a former ND named GM at a market one network o-and-o.
In Names in the News: More changes for Nexstar’s News Nation, and new assistant NDs for TWO network o-and-o’s.
And TWO new obituaries, one of a long ago Dallas ND, and one of a current assignment manager at a Philadelphia station.
Read on for details!
Newly Named News Directors:
Remarkably, after many weeks of a lot of action, I am not aware of any newly hired news directors. The holiday shortened week may, of course, played a role in that. If I’ve missed something, please send me an email to: rick@rickgevers.com
New News Director Openings:
Jackson
WOWK-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV…the sad passing of news director ROD JACKSON means the search is on for his replacement. We told you last week that Rod lost his battle with cancer. He’d been the ND there for two years when he died at the age of 65 Rod moved to WOWK from his ND post at WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre to be closer to family. Many of you may remember him from his long tenure at ABC’s NewsOne in Los Angeles.
Moon
WREX-TV, Rockford, Il…AUDREY MOON is leaving this Quincy Media owned NBC affiliate to take a job outside of TV. She spent seven years at WREX, first as Internet Director, then Assistant ND, before being promoted to ND in March, 2020. You can learn more about this opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.
And while not a new opening, there is a new ad just below for the open ND job at WCIA-TV in Champaign, IL.
Also, in last week’s report, we made an error which we have done before, and that’s accidentally move WVTM-TV from its proper home in Birmingham, AL, to Columbus, GA. Apologies to SUE STEPHENS whose upcoming retirement from WVTM prompted the mention.
Clearly I confused WVTM with WTVM-TV, which is in Columbus. Both stations are looking for NDs, so there’s every chance I could make this mistake again.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL:
#NexstarNation has an immediate opening for an experienced News Director to lead our team at WCIA in Champaign, Illinois (DMA #90.)
This is a #1 station committed to the communities it serves. We provide award-winning local news, producing more local programming than any station in the market. WCIA also produces extensive local special programming including debates, community forums, and sports programming.
The station is the official broadcast partner of The University of Illinois Fighting Illini.
The ideal candidate has a proven track record of success on broadcast and digital platforms. We are looking for someone who is a true communicator, collaborator, and team builder. We want someone who believes in innovation and dynamic storytelling.
You are in the middle of everything. Champaign is just two to three hours driving distance from Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis.
More importantly, it’s a great place to live. This is an incredible chance to join the largest TV ownership group.
If you are an excellent leader who understands the true value of local broadcasters, apply here:
News Director, WREX-TV, Rockford, IL:
13 WREX is looking for a dynamic, innovative journalist committed to leading a group of talented journalists into the future of our industry.
Our news operation is content-focused and thrives off of journalists willing to think outside the box. We don’t just document what happened — we are storytellers.
WREX is committed to telling important, impactful stories that make a difference in our local communities. Our next news director must have a passion for seeking the truth and help identify important stories.
WREX has been named Station of the Year by the Illinois Broadcasters Assoc., Outstanding News Operation by the Illinois AP and the regional winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence. We’re looking for a candidate who strives for excellence in everything they do.
Other duties include hiring, coaching, supervising and evaluating news personnel, preparation and administration of newsroom budgets and capital requests. The news director works closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.
A minimum of 4 years of TV news management experience and a degree in broadcast journalism is preferred. You must demonstrate a strong working knowledge of community issues and sound journalistic principles with fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.
If you have a passion for excellence, and a desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Rockford, Illinois, we want to hear from you.
Please send resume & cover letter to:
Ed Reams
General Manager
13 WREX
P.O. Box 530
Rockford, IL 61105
News Director, WTVM-TV, Columbus, GA:
DOMINANT SOUTHEASTERN ABC AFFILIATE SEEKS EXPERIENCED AND DRIVEN NEWS MANAGER
WTVM NEWS LEADER 9, the ABC affiliate in the Columbus, GA/Auburn, AL market is seeking a Director of News and Content to oversee and manage the daily news product. WTVM produces local news on two other affiliates under separate Shared Services Agreements with WXTX, the FOX affiliate and WLTZ, the NBC affiliate.
All three stations carry content branded as News Leader 9: as in WTVM News Leader 9; News Leader 9 on FOX 54; and News Leader 9 on NBC 38.
Other duties of the Director of News and Content include oversight and management of the WTVM News and Weather apps, wtvm.com and mobile platforms including live streams.
WTVM is owned by Gray Television. Don’t let our market size of 127 fool you. We cover news in a two state, two time zone market, producing more than 40+ hours of live local news per week.
The Shared Services Agreements with WXTX and WLTZ mean that WTVM provides all station services (News, Marketing, Production and Engineering), except Sales. Each station retains its own Sales department.
The News and Content Director will manage the considerable assets of the News Department including reporters, producers, web producers, photographers, the Assistant News Director, Executive Producer, Assignment Editor and Digital Content Manager.
Please apply by clicking here.
No phone calls please. Gray is an equal opportunity employer.
News Director, WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL:
Cox Media Group in Jacksonville, FL is seeking a creative, team-oriented, and passionate journalist to lead the powerhouse WFOX/WJAX team as a News Director.
This is a rare opportunity for someone who possesses a passion for local news with network-level standards. The ideal candidate will be an expert recruiter, a visionary, a problem-solver and above all – a leader.
The Action News Jax newsroom is a well-oiled machine driven by aggressive, investigative storytelling, cutting-edge producing, the region’s best severe weather team, and a staff committed to our focused brand.
The Jacksonville market is one of the fastest growing in the nation. We’re home to Fortune 500 companies, world class beaches and outdoor sporting possibilities – and with the #1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft-a future Super Bowl contender.
You can learn more about this opportunity by checking out this link!
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (listed 6/27/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 6/13/21)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 7/4/21)
KTHV-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 5/9/21)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (listed 6/27/21)
WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 6/20/21)
WSIL-TV, Harrisburg, IL (listed 7/4/21)
KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR (relisted 7/4/21)
HOI-ABC, Peoria, IL (listing modified 5/16/21)
KWES-TV, Midland, TX (listed 5/9/21)
KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN (relisted this week)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
News Nation, Chicago, IL (listed 5/16/21)
WHDH-TV, Boston, MA (EP/Investigations, listed 5/16/21)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 5/9/12)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (AM EP, listed 5/23/21)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listing revised 5/2/21)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (listed 6/27/21)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Lifestyle show, relisted this week)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 6/13/21)
WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 5/31/21)
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC (EP/Digital Content, listed 5/23/21)
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 6/13/21)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (Digital EP, listed 5/23/21)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (relisted this week)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 5/31/21)
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA (new listing this week)
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (listed 6/6/21)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 7/4/21)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 6/6/21)
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital EP, listed 6/13/21)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted 7/4/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 7/4/21)
WJTV, Jackson, MS (relisted this week)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (Digital EP, relisted 6/13/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted 5/16/21)
KAAL-TV, Rochester, MN (relisted this week)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (listed 6/27/21)
More News Management Openings:
New listings this week:
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (Senior Manager of Investigative)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (Real Time Desk Manager)
Relisted 6/27/21:
Spectrum Networks NY1 Senior Manager, News and Content
Listed 6/20/21:
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Digital Content Director)
Relisted 6/6/21:
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 5/23/21:
WKOW-TV, Madison, WI, (Content Manager)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (Digital Content Manager)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 5/16/21:
News Nation, Chicago, IL (Social Media Manager)
Obituaries:
Hughes
ERIC HUGHES, a longtime employee of ABC’s Philadelphia o-and-o, WPVI-TV, died Wednesday night. Eric spent many years as an assignment editor there. He had long suffered from a pulmonary illness and was a candidate for a double lung transplant but that did not happen. The station produced this story on its website with more details. He first joined the station twenty years ago.
Whitson
JOHN WHITSON, a 28 year veteran of television news, died Monday at the age of 90. His obituary says he was once the news director for Dallas’ KTVT-TV, where he also anchored. And this column from longtime Dallas media writer ED BARK says he also married his one-time co-anchor, KATHLEEN KREBS WHITSON, who survives.
Hinkle
We have a little more information about the passing of former news director STEVE HINKLE, whose death we reported last week. New this week: an email to the staff from Avid’s JEFF ROSICA to co-workers. Steve most recently had worked as an engineer for Avid after serving as an ND in several markets and as a news manager in many others.
Names in the News:
Nexstar’s News Nation has dramatically changed its prime-time programming lineup, as you’ll learn here.
New Assistant News Directors for two network owned stations, both moving within their companies.
Harrison
AKEMI HARRISON joins NBC’s Chicago station, WMAQ-TV as its new assistant ND, coming from sister NBC o-and-o WVIT-TV in Hartford. She replaces TRACY DAVIS who made the reverse trip, moving from the assistant ND job at WMAQ to WVIT as news director. Akemi has also worked at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh and for KXTV in Sacramento.
Gardner
And SAMUEL GARDNER III joins CBS’s KTVT-TV in Dallas/Ft. Worth as content director and assistant news director. He was the assignment manager at CBS’s KYW-TV in Philadelphia. He’s also worked for CNN, the NFL Network, ABC NewsOne, and for stations in Atlanta (WSB-TV) and Charlotte (WSOC-TV).
General Manager News and Notes:
Green
We told you Tuesday that one-time news director JOHNNY GREEN Jr. will be the next GM for WCBS-TV in New York. Here’s the story from the station’s website. which includes a link to its on-air report. Johnny’s been the interim ND at WCBS since ND DAVID FRIEND and GM PETER DUNN left five months ago amidst complaints of a hostile work environment. Johnny first moved to NY as head of CBS’s Newspath from his job as ND for o-and-o WBZ-TV in Boston.
D’Amico
DONNA D’AMICO has been promoted to general manager for KXRM-TV (Nexstar/FOX) in Colorado Springs, CO. She’s been the sales manager there since 2016 and has also worked in Denver, for two stations in Cleveland, and in Albuquerque. Learn more in this station news release.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, July 11, 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
WCBS-TV 530 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019
WCVB-TV 5 TV Place Needham, MA 02494
KMSP/WTTC-TV 11358 Viking Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
KGTV 4600 Air Way, San Diego, CA 92102
WSMV-TV 5700 Knob Road, Nashville, TN, 37209
KUTV 299 South Main St. # 150, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
WHNS-TV 21 Interstate Court Greenville, SC 29615
WJAX/WFOX-TV 11700 Central Pkwy., #2 | Jacksonville, FL 32224 (see ad above!)
WAVY-TV 300 WAVY Street Portsmouth, VA 23704
WTKR-TV 720 Boush Street Norfolk VA 23510
WVTM-TV 1732 Valley View Dr. Birmingham, AL 35209
WOOD-TV 120 College Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S Franklin St. Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18701
WHAS-TV 520 West Chestnut Street Louisville, KY 40202
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Rd.. Charleston, WV 25301
WOWK-TV 350 Quarrier St Charleston, WV 25301
WHAM-TV 4225 West Henrietta Rd., Rochester NY 14623
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KTAL-TV 3150 N Market St., Shreveport, LA 71137
WCIA-TV 509 S. Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820 (see ad above!)
WFFF/WVNV-TV 298 Mountain View Dr, Colchester, VT 05446
KFSM-TV 5101 S. 48th Street Springdale, AR 72762
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WEEK-TV 2907 Springfield Rd, East Peoria, IL 61611
WWTV/WWUP-TV P.O. Box 627, Cadillac Michigan 49601
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd.. Columbus, GA 31907
WTVM-TV 1909 Wynnton Rd Columbus, GA 31906 (see ad above!)
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road Rockford, IL 61103 (see ad above!)
KBJR-TV 246 South Lake Ave., Duluth MN 55802
WDIO-TV 10 Observation Rd., Duluth, MN 55811
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101
KULR-TV 2045 Overland Ave. Billings, MT 59102
WDTV 5 Television Drive. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WBKO-TV 2727 Russellville Rd., Bowling Green, KY 42101
KSAN/KSLT-TV 2800 Armstrong St., San Angelo, TX 76903
**: Spanish language station