November 14, 2021
Thursday, November 18, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
TWO news director changes of note to tell you about this morning.
King
Just two days after naming a new GM for its about to be acquired Atlanta station, WGCL-TV (CBS), Gray Television is now looking for a news director there. MATT KING is leaving the station after 18 months as ND. He came to WGCL from WCNC-TV (NBC-Tegna in Charlotte and eventually teamed up with his former GM from WCNC-TV, DEBORAH COLLURA. Now both are gone.
GM and ND changes at WGCL were not uncommon under Meredith’s ownership. Matt King’s replacement, by my count, will be the NINTH news director in 13 years. And the incoming GM, ERIK SCHRADER, will be the SEVENTH GM in 12 years, according to RODNEY HO of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Let’s hope the merry-go-round will slow under Gray.
And for the second time in less than a week, someone crosses town for their first ND job.
Garcia
WDJT-TV (CBS) in Milwaukee named JESSIE GARCIA as its next news director. Jessie joins this Weigel Broadcasting station from WTMJ-TV (Scripps/NBC), where she is currently the Editorial Director. More from the WDJT website. Jessie had previously been the Broadcast Director at WTMJ. and first joined the station 27 years ago as a sports anchor/reporter. She’ll replace KENT HARRELL, who will assist in the transition before leaving the station early next year. Kent will have been here 4 1/2 years.
You’ll recall that MAUREEN JENNINGS also crossed the street in Indianapolis last week, leaving Nexstar’s WTTV/WXIN-TV (CBS/FOX) where she was the Assistant ND to become news director (I’m sorry, I’m told her title is Senior Director of Local News Content) for Scripps’ WRTV (ABC).
It’s been a busy week. Bring a #2 pencil for the test Sunday night. (Why do I fear that line is going to go over the heads of many of our younger readers?)
regards,
Rick Gevers
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Gray Television continues to be busy playing the General Manager shuffle, naming SIX new GMs today, one day after moving SIX current Gray GMs to stations acquired in its acquisition of Meredith. Today’s moves fill some…but not all of the vacancies…created by Monday’s moves.
Here is the complete list of today’s appointments.
Only one of today’s appointments involves a former news director turned general manager.
Hughes
That’s DAVID HUGHES, who moves from Gray’s WVIR-TV in Charlottesville, VA, to WSAZ-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV. David’s a former ND for Gray’s WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, VA, and has worked in Tampa, Raleigh, and Macon, GA.
We’ll have quite the busy GM section in our full newsletter this weekend. 🙂
regards,
Rick Gevers
Monday, November 15, 2021 UPDATE #2:
Greetings:
Whack.
That’s the sound you heard as Gray moved SIX General Managers to stations the company is acquiring with its takeover of Meredith.
Schrader
Among the promotions are TWO former news directors turned general managers. ERIK SCHRADER, who moves from Cleveland CBS/CW duopoly WOIO-WUAB-TV to WGCL-WPCH-TV (CBS/Peachtree TV) in Atlanta. He replaces another former ND, DEB COLLURA, who had been the GM there since May, 2020 and had earlier been a GM in Charlotte.
Bush
Also on the move is DEBBIE BUSH, who returns to Arizona as general manager for KPHO/KTVK-TV (CBS/independent). She is currently the GM for Gray’s WXIX-TV (FOX) in Cincinnati and previously was the GM for KOLD-TV in Tucson. The duopoly is currently without a news director. She replaces KEVIN JAMES who had been GM there for the last three years.
FOUR other Meredith-turning-to-Gray stations are getting new GMs: Nashville, Kansas City, Greenville, SC, and Mobile.
More about those stations and the complete list of changes is in this Gray news release.
It’s been a busy day. We’ll have more in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Monday, November 15, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
As we teased in last night’s full newsletter, a top ten market has a new news director this morning. And we have a link to an interesting (well, I thought it was) column about the possible tax credit for news organizations in the Build Back Better bill currently in Congress.
Wolff
WBTS-TV in Boston (owned by NBC and branded as NBC Boston) has named KIRSTEN WOLFF as its next news director.
She’s been the ND for Hearst’s WESH-TV (NBC) in Orlando for almost eight years, and was the Assistant ND there for the previous seven years. Kirsten has spent the last 33 years working for Hearst, beginning as a photographer at KSBW-TV in Salinas. She later moved to KCRA-TV as a producer and later an EP.
She replaces BEN DOBSON. He left in August after three years as ND and ten years with NBC, including a stint as ND for the company’s WVIT-TV in Hartford.
And this column is worth a moment of your time. TVNewsCheck editor HARRY JESSELLÂ examines the tax credit proposed for news organizations. The credit is part of in the Build Back Better bill under consideration in Congress.
We’ll have more in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
Good news. No sports cliches this week, having stretched a bit too far last week.
But we have FIVE stations with new news director, and just ONE new opening.
Those changes leave 40 stations with ND openings.
However, I anticipate one of the larger openings to be filled soon, perhaps as early as tomorrow. I’ll post an UPDATE if/when that happens.
Just ONE paid ad this week, and that’s for an EP opening at a California network owned station.
There are TWO obituaries this week, both of former female news directors, one of whom is believed to be the first female news director in America.
We have news of TWO general managers and a bunch of high level GM changes at Telemundo owned stations.
And lots of items in Names in the News, including a new job for a former Seattle and Milwaukee news director.
Read on for all the details.
Newly Named News Directors:
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN…Friday’s UPDATE told you that MAUREEN JENNNINGS CARUSO is moving across town to become ND for this Scripps owned ABC affiliate. As you’ll learn in this note from GM LANA DURBAN-SCOTT, Maureen is currently the Assistant ND for Nexstar’s FOX/CBS duopoly, WXIN-TV/WTTV. She’s also worked in Chicago and South Bend. Maureen replaces TERRI COPE-WALTON who left after 8 years as ND to become GM for Graham Media’s WJXT-TV (independent) in Jacksonville.
KUAN-TV, San Diego, CA…MIKE GAYTAN moves from one Telemundo station to another as he joins KUAN. He’s spent the last five years as ND for KTAZ-TV, Telemundo’s Phoenix station. Gaytán previously worked at Univision stations in Texas for 20 years, including KAKW-TV in Austin and KWEX-TV in San Antonio. Mike replaces PEDRO CALERON who left in August.
KATV, Little Rock AR…AMY SULLIVAN is the new ND for this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate. We told you last week, in reporting her departure from KVEO-TV in Brownsville, TX, that we expected news of a new job soon. Amy grew up in Arkansas, has a son in college there and a daughter nearby. She’s also been an ND in Amarillo, and has worked in Wichita, Tulsa, and Alexandria, LA. She replaces NICK GENTY who left in September after 11 years as ND.
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN…somehow we missed that PHIL BUEHLER joined this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate as ND last September. He replaced TOM HENDERSON who retired. Phil spent the last three years as ND for KOTA/KEVN-TV, Gray’s operation in Rapid City, SD. He started as a sports anchor, began a news anchor, left TV for seven years before returning.
KOTA/KEVN-TV, Rapid City, SD…speaking of this Gray Television owned duopoly (as we were just above) we can tell you that PHIL BUEHLER was replaced as news director by JEN BLAKE. Jen’s been at the station since 2014 but has been in the area for much longer, as you’ll learn in her station profile.
New News Director Openings:
KTAZ-TV, Phoenix, AZ…we reported above that MIKE GAYTAN was leaving this Telemundo station to head west as ND for Telemundo’s KUAN-TV in San Diego.
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Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, listed 10/24/21)
WLS-TV, Chicago, IL (listed 10/3/21)
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (listed 10/24/21)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake, UT (11/7/21)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 10/24/21)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 10/3/21)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (listed 10/24/21)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (listed 10/3/21)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 11/7/21)
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (relisted 10/31/21)
KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR (relisted 9/19/21)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA, (Weekend AM EP, relisted 10/31/21)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Morning EP, relisted 10/31/21)
WHDH-TV, Boston, MA (EP/Investigations, relisted 10/10/21)
KPHO/KTVK-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 9/26/21)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (listed 9/12/21)
WSFL-TV, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (EP, Lifestyle Show, listed 10/3/21)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 9/12/21)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (listing revised 10/17/21)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 10/10/21)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (listed 10/3/21)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 10/10/21)
KUTV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 10/17/21)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 10/3/21)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 9/26/21)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 9/12/21)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 10/10/21)
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA (listed 11/7/21, see ad above!)
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (AM EP, listed 10/31/21)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 9/12/21)
KSNW-TV, Wichita, KS (new listing this week)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (listed 9/12/21)
WOWK-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV (listed 11/7/21)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (listed 10/31/21)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 10/24/21)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (AM EP, listed 10/24/21)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted 9/12/21)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 9/12/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 10/24/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 9/12/21)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (listed 10/17/21)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 10/24/21)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, listed 9/26/21)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (listed 10/3/21)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (listed 10/3/21)
WTWO-TV, Terre Haute, IN (Digital EP, new listing this week)
KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR (listed 10/10/21)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted 10/31/21
Spectrum Networks NY1 (Senior Mgr., News and Content)
Listed 10/24/21:
E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH (Senior Director of Community Connection and Inclusive Journalism)
Relisted 10/10/21:
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 10/3/21:
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 9/19/21:
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)
Listed 9/12/21:
New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
Obituaries:
After several weeks without any obituaries, we have two this week:
PATRICIA STEVENS TWENTIER, who this obituary describes as the first female news director in America (at KGUN-TV in Tucson), died in September. She was just a few days short of her 75th birthday. Patricia married CARL TWENTIER, who’d been a news director at several stations. He apparently died before her, though I am unaware of that and couldn’t find any information online. I last heard from Carl in 2016. Would appreciate hearing from anyone with more information.
LIZ GOLSON COMBS died November 6th. She was 62 and suffered from cancer and liver failure. Liz was a news director in Baton Rouge, Ft. Myers and Des Moines, and also worked as an EP for NBC stations in Atlanta and Cleveland. More details about her life and career here.
Names in the News:
Changes are coming at the top of Telemundo’s network news division. President LUIS FERNANDEZ will retire at the end of the year. He joined Telemundo in 2016 and has worked in media for almost 50 years. PATSY LORIS replaces him. She’s been the Executive VP for the network which she joined in 2019.
JOHN LaPORTE, a former Seattle, Milwaukee (two stations), Eau Claire, WI, and Palm Springs, CA, news director, has a new job. He’s the news Managing Editor for Spectrum News 1 in Milwaukee. John’s most recent position was as the Assistant ND for WDJT-TV (Weigel Broadcasting/CBS) in Milwaukee. He’s made several other stops along the way: his Linkedin page has the full story.
DONOVAN MYRIE has been promoted to Executive Producer of Digital Enterprise for Graham Media’s WKMG-TV (CBS) in Orlando. News Director ALLISON McGINLEY told the staff in this email. He’s been an investigative producer there for the last five years, and as also worked in New York, Dallas, Tampa and Orlando.
Some quick items:
KPRC-TV (Houston/NBC/Graham Media) News Director DAVE STRICKLAND has been named Media Champion by Houston Children’s Charity.
DIANA MALDONADO joins Nexstar’s KVEO-TV in Brownsville, TX as assistant news director.
General Manager News and Notes:
A longtime Las Vegas General Manager has announced her retirement. LISA HOWFIELD is stepping down as GM for Nexstar’s KLAS-TV (CBS) at the end of the year. Details in this story from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Of note: the station is also without a news director. She’s been GM at KLAS since 2015, and spent 21 years at KSNV-TV in Las Vegas, the last eight as GM. She began at KSNV in a sales role.
While that creates a GM opening at one Nexstar station, another filled its open GM position. LARRY FORSGREN is joining WCIA-TV (CBS) in Champaign, IL. It’s a return to Nexstar for him, as he previously was sales manager for the Nexstar station in Peoria, IL, WMBD-TV. Most recently he was GM for Scripps’ KMTV in Omaha, NE.
Several GM promotions at Univision stations in large East Coast markets are covered in this story from Media Moves.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, November 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
WDCW-TV 2121 Wisconsin Ave. NW #350 Washington, DC 20007
WBTS-TV 189 B St., Needham, MA 02494
KPHO/KTVK-TV 5555 N. 7th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85013
KTAZ-TV 4625 S 33rd Pl Phoenix Arizona 85040
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way Sacramento California 95815-5008 **
KGTV 4600 Air Way, San Diego, CA 92102
WSMV-TV 5700 Knob Road, Nashville, TN, 37209
WOAI/KABB-TV 4335 NW Loop 410. San Antonio, TX 78229
WCPO-TV 1720 Gilbert Avenue. Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
KLAS-TV 3228 Channel 8 Drive Las Vegas, NV 89109
WOOD-TV 120 College Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S Franklin, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18701
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WBAY-TV 115 S Jefferson St Green Bay, WI 54301
WGBA-TV 1391 North Rd Green Bay, WI 54313
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
WTVG-TV 4247 Dorr St. Toledo, OH 43607
KVEO-TV 9201 W. Expressway 83. Harlingen, TX 78552 **
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr. Carterville, IL 62918
WCIA-TV 509 S. Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur, IL 62521
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WRCB-TV 900 Whitehall Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37405
KNDO/KNDU 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KBAK-TV 1901 Westwind Dr. Bakersfield, CA 93301
KERO-TV 321 21st St. Bakersfield, CA 93301
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd.. Columbus, GA 31907
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KCBD-TV 5600 Avenue A Lubbock, TX 79404
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KXMB-TV 1811 N 15th Street Bismarck, ND 58501
KAAL-TV 1320 Salem Road SW Rochester, MN 55902
KTTC-TV 6301 Bandel Road NW Rochester, MN 55901
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 South Broadway Eureka CA 95503
**: Spanish language station