May 21, 2023
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 UDPATE:
Greetings:
It’s been a busy two weeks for the CBS o-and-o news director roster, with TWO jobs filled and ONE opening today as the incumbent moves to a new job with CBS.
Patey
KARI PATEY will be the next Vice President of producer development for the CBS owned stations. She’s been the ND for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul since 2017. Kari will be charged with the recruitment, development and retention of news producers for CBS’s 14 local stations, and will provide training for producers who aspire to be news managers. More on her new job in this news release from CBS.
Kari’s in her second stint at WCCO, first as a morning producer beginning in 1999. She also worked at KSTP-TV (ABC) in Minneapolis before spending 12 years at WNBC-TV in New York, where she began as a writer/producer and rose to Assistant News Director.
For a holiday week, it’s been busy. We’ll have a full newsletter sometime this weekend, perhaps on Monday.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Tuesday, May 23, 2023 UPDATE:
Greetings:
As we often say, two UPDATES in one day generally signifies big news, and there’s not much bigger than TWO new network o-and-o news directors in the number TWO market
Perelman
MARINA PERELMAN has been promoted to Vice President of News for KNBC-TV, NBC’s (duh!) o-and-o in Los Angeles. She’s been the Assistant ND there since 2019. She’s also been the Managing Editor and the EP of the 11:00 news at KNBC. She first joined NBC at the network’s San Francisco station, KNTV, where she began as the 11:00 producer and later promoted to executive producer. She’s also worked in Phoenix and Palm Springs, CA,
Gaytan
And MIKE GAYTAN has been named Vice President of News for KVEA-TV, the NBC/Telemundo o-and-o in Los Angeles. Since early last year, Mike has been the VP of News for Telemundo’s KUAN-TV in San Diego. He’s also worked in a number of other markets, as you’ll learn in this news release which covers BOTH his new job and Marina’s promotion.
It’s late. I’m going to bed. No more UPDATES tonight.
But no guarantees about tomorrow.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Tuesday, May 23, 2023 UPDATE:
Greetings:
For the second consecutive week, CBS hires a new o-and-o news director who won’t have to move. And this time, she won’t even need to change her route to work.
Black
TANYA BLACK has been promoted to VP/News Director for WJZ-TV in Baltimore. She spent 22 years as the managing editor there before becoming director of community impact early last year. Tanya first joined the station 30 years ago as an assignment editor, moved to assignment manager, and then managing editor.
She replaces GAIL BENDING who left in March after almost 32 years as news director.
And if you haven’t already heard, the Tegna-Standard General deal is dead.
We’ve have all the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Monday, May 22, 2023 UDPATE:
Greetings:
A new Chief Operating Officer for Gray Television, and it’s a former news director!
Breland
SANDY BRELAND will be the next chief operating officer for Gray, replacing BOB SMITH who recently retired. She’s currently the Senior Managing Vice President and first joined Gray when it acquired Raycom Media in 2019. Sandy’s a former GM for stations in New Orleans (WVUE-TV) and Baton Rouge (WAFB-TV), and has been a news director for WWL-TV in New Orleans and KTVK-TV in Phoenix.
Ressler
And one UPDATE about our item in last night’s full newsletter about the news director opening at WBNG-TV in Binghamton, NY. We told you that ASTRID RESSLER was leaving that Gray owned CBS affiliate. What we did not know at the time…and can tell you now…is that she is leaving to join the Gray recruiting team as a Talent Acquisition Specialist. She was ND here for just about one year.
More in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
There are still a lot of news director changes to report this week, though not quite at the pace of previous reports.
THREE ND jobs were filled, including ONE in a top FIVE market. And FOUR jobs opened up, leaving 39 stations on our list of open ND jobs.
TWO of those new openings are highlighted in Paid Help Wanted ads just below.
And we welcome a new advertiser for a new company, SEITZLER STRATEGIES, headed by longtime consultant and researcher BILL SEITZLER. Bill tells me he’s added some local news clients already and hopes to provide services for many different industries as well. Click on his ad just below to learn more.
Just ONE item in Names in the News (send me your news!) and…for the second straight week, no GM changes.
All that and more below.
We’ll see you sometime next weekend, though the Indy 500 may delay our report until Monday.
Newly Named News Directors:
Harris
KTVT/KTXA-TV, Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX…you learned in Thursday’s UPDATE that MEAGAN HARRIS will be the next VP/News Director for the CBS owned duopoly. She’s been the ND at the apparently soon to be shuttered NBCLX, based at NBC’s KXAS-TV in Dallas. She’s a former ND in Jacksonville and worked at another Dallas station and in San Antonio and Sherman, TX. She replaces SCOTT KEENAN who left in March after six months.
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA…a transfer with Nexstar sends STEVEN SHAW across country to be ND at this NBC/CBS duopoly. He’s been the ND of Nexstar’s WTAJ-TV (CBS) in Altoona, Pa. He’s previously been the Assistant ND for WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV, and in Boise, ID. He replaces LISA BURGER who left way back in December in another transfer, to Nexstar’s KTXL-TV (FOX) in Sacramento,
Harvison
KNWA/KFTA-TV, Fayetteville, AR…a NE Arkansas native, JOSH HARVISON returns home to be the next ND for this Nexstar operated NBC/FOX operation. He’s been the ND for Gray’s KNOE-TV in Monroe, LA for just over a year. He’s a former ND for WBNG-TV in Binghamton, NY, and has also worked in Shreveport and Jonesboro, AR. AT KNWA, he replaces LISA BRENCE who left in February after six-plus years as ND and 21 years at the station.
New News Director Openings:
Betts
WIVB/WNLO-TV, Buffalo, NY……BRIANNE BETTS has left this Nexstar owned CBS/CW duopoly after not quite one year as news director. Bri, as she’s known, spent the previous eleven years as the Assistant ND for sister-Nexstar CBS affiliate WCMH-TV in Columbus, OH. Of note: she has a master’s AND law degree from Syracuse. You can learn more about this opportunity by checking out the paid help wanted ad below.
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA…we told you above that STEVEN SHAW is leaving this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate to become ND for the company’s KSEE/KGPE-TV in Fresno, CA. Steven was here just over three years.
KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA…we also told you above that JOSH HARVISON was leaving this Gray TV owned CBS affiliate to return to Arkansas as ND for KNWA/KFTA-TV in Fayetteville. He was ND here about 15 months.
Ressler
WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY…this Gray Televsion owned CBS affiliate is looking for a new news director to replace ASTRID RESSLER who is leaving to join the Gray recruiting team, She’s been the ND there for the last year, and first joined the station in 2019 as a producer before being promoted to executive producer and later ND. Her station profile has more. You can learn more about this opportunity by checking out the paid help wanted ad below.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY:
WIVB-TV is seeking an ambitious News Director with a voracious appetite for news to lead and supervise all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming.
WIVB-TV is stationed between historic downtown Buffalo and beautiful Niagara Falls. To those who are unfamiliar with Western New York, Buffalo may just be another “rising” city. But to all of us at WIVB-TV, we know it’s much more than just chicken wings and beef on weck. It’s the City of Good Neighbors, the Queen City, or simply – home.
From the ever-growing Waterfront development, the changing seasons, wine country, and pro sports (with passionate fans like you’ve never seen before) and the flavorful food, it’s pretty tough to beat the unique, local feel!
Our brand is “We’re 4 Buffalo” and we live it every day with local news coverage by our enthusiastic news team. We offer factual news and locally produced programming with market-wide digital delivery on https://www.wivb.com
A qualified candidate for the News Director position will have a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience. Essential to being successful in this position is having a minimum five of years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role. Previous experience establishing long-range objectives specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them as well as experience preparing and maintaining departmental budgets are valuable attributes to achieve success in the position.
News Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY:
WBNG is looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.
WBNG-TV, the CBS affiliate in Binghamton, NY, seeks a News Director to help guide our news department to new heights of journalistic and ratings success. This is an exciting opportunity to join a great team in one of New York’s most beautiful places to live.
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. The News Director is expected to work closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.
A minimum of 4 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.
If you have a passion for excellence, and a burning desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Binghamton, NY, we want to hear from you.
WBNG offers a competitive salary and traditional benefits package.
If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in a great community, apply online at:
Please apply by clicking here.
WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Multimedia News Manager, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in beautiful Gainesville, Florida, seeks a Multimedia News Manager for the Innovation News Center (INC) to teach students, produce news content, and provide innovative leadership.
News Managers of the INC must embrace our dual mission which is to prepare UF College of Journalism & Communications students for the workforce through instructional coursework and immersion experiences while serving the greater Gainesville community through high-quality news, weather, sports, and information content across existing and emerging multimedia platforms.
The ideal candidate will have effective service as a newscast Producer, Executive Producer, or News Director and experience working in a blended/multiplatform news environment, and especially experience with broadcast & digital platforms.
The INC is a 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art professional newsroom at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, which is one of the top communication programs in the country, providing hands-on learning opportunities for more than 400 students each semester. Students work alongside professionals to produce and edit content for seven media properties and companion digital platforms, including the local NPR, PBS, and ESPN affiliates, as well as the Spanish-language news operation of Noticias and the Fresh Take Florida news service.
Click here to learn more and apply:
Posting closes June 2, 2023
Technical Media Producer, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in beautiful Gainesville, Florida, seeks a Technical Media Producer for the Innovation News Center (INC) to mentor students and be directly involved in the production of daily news products.
Technical Media Producers (TMP) of the INC must embrace our dual mission which is to prepare UF College of Journalism & Communications students for the workforce through instructional coursework and immersion experiences while serving the greater Gainesville community.
TMPs direct and/or provide production support for live and pre-recorded WUFT and WRUF programs, including but not limited to news, sports, and weather, for distribution on all media platforms including WUFT-TV/FM, WRUF-TV/FM, WUFT.org, WRUF.com, FPREN, all station social media accounts, and mobile apps. Programs may be in studio or remote productions.
The ideal candidate will have effective service as a Director or Technical Director in a complex news environment and experience using Ross Overdrive automation.
The INC is a 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art professional newsroom at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, which is one of the top communication programs in the country, providing hands-on learning opportunities for more than 400 students each semester. Students work alongside professionals to produce and edit content for seven media properties and companion digital platforms, including the local NPR, PBS, and ESPN affiliates, as well as the Spanish-language news operation of Noticias and the Fresh Take Florida news service.
Click here to learn more and apply:
Posting closes June 2, 2023.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KCBS/KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, LA (listed 4/30/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 4/16/23)
WJTV, Jackson, MS (listed 5/14/23)
WNCT-TV, Greenville, NC (listed 5/21/23)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 3/26/23)
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (AM/Special Projects EP, relisted 4/23/23)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (relisted 4/23/23)
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (Nightside EP, listed 3/26/23)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 5/21/23)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 3/26/23)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 3/26/23)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 5/14/23)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 3/26/23)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City (relisted 3/26/23)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 5/14/23)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
WAVY/WVBT-TV, Norfolk, VA (relisted 3/26/23)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 5/21/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC (Digital EP listed 4/23/23)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (Digital EP, relisted 3/26/23)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (Digital EP, listed 4/23/23)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI (relisted 4/23/23)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 4/16/23)
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (listing revised 5/13/23)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (listed 5/13/23)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 5/21/23:
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital News Manager)
Listed 5/7/23:
U. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Multimedia News Manager, see ad above!)
U. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Technical News Producer, see ad above!)
Listed 4/30/23:
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (Director of Digital Content)
Listed 3/12/23:
WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (Manager of Enterprise Content)
Names in the News:
SARAH HINES joins KOLR-TV in Springfield, MO (CBS, owned by Mission Broadcasting and operated by Nexstar) as the nightside EP. She’s been a producer for Nexstar’s WREG-TV (CBS) in Memphis for almost two years.
General Manager News and Notes:
For the second consecutive week, as far as I know, no GM or upper management moves this week.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, May 21, 2023:
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
KNBC/KVEA-TV 100 Universal City Plaza, #2120 Universal City, CA 91608
WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, Georgia 30324
WZDC-TV 4001 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 **
WLTV 9405 NW 41st St, Doral, FL 33178 **
WJZ-TV 3725 Malden Avenue Baltimore, MD 21211
KGTV 4600 Air Way. San Diego, CA 92102
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115
KSNV-TV 1500 Foremaster Lane Las Vegas, NV 89101
WWMT-TV 590 West Maple St. Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
KFTV 3239 W Ashlan Av. Fresno, CA 93722 **
WIVB-TV 2077 Elmwood Ave Buffalo, NY 14207 (see ad above!)
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd. Moosic, PA 18507
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr. Tulsa, OK 74129
WHIO-TV 1611 S Main St. Dayton, OH 45409
KITV 801 So. King St. Honolulu, HI 96813
KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North. Wichita, KS 67219
WISC-TV 7025 Raymond Rd. Madison, WI 53719
WOWT-TV 3555 Farnam Street, Omaha NE 68131
WQAD-TV 3003 Park 16th Street Moline, Illinois 61265
KHGI-TV 1078 25 Road Axtell, NE 68924
WTAJ-TV 5000 Sixth Avenue Altoona, PA 16602
KIMA-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima, WA 98901
KMIZ-TV 501 Business Loop 70 E., Columbia MO 65201
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KNOE-TV 1400 Oliver Rd., Monroe, La. 71201
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790 (see ad above!)
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa TX 79763
KTIV-TV 2929 Signal Hill Dr. Sioux City, IA 51108
WBUP/WKBP-TV 1705 Ash Street Suite 5 Ishpeming, MI 49849
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
WBKO-TV 2727 Russellville Road. Bowling Green, KY 42101
KGNS-TV 120 W. Del Mar Blvd. Laredo TX 78041
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd North, Twin Falls, ID 83301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KNOP-TV 402. S. Dewey. North Platte NE 69101
**: Spanish language station