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January 28, 2024

Sunday Jan 28, 2024

Thursday, February 1, 2024:

Greetings:

It’s been a busy week for Tegna, which filled one opening today, 24 hours after another was created (we told you yesterday that TIM RYAN is leaving Denver’s KUSA-TV.)

Schaab

Today’s news comes from St. Louis, where KSDK-TV (NBC) announced that MORGAN SCHAAB will be the next Director of Content. Here’s the note to the staff from GM ALICIA EISNER. Morgan has spent the last 2 1/2 years as Director of Content for sister Tegna staton KFSM-TV (CBS). She’d previously spent 14 years at WAND-TV in Decatur, IL, the last 5+ years as news director.

At KSDK, Morgan replaces CAROL FOWLER who was promoted to Director of Content for Tegna’s WXIA-TV (NBC) in Atlanta earlier this year. Carol spent 4+ years here and, as you know, spent many years in Chicago as ND for three different stations.

ART HOLLIDAY remains news director at KSDK, and he’ll report to Morgan.

As I mentioned yesterday, this weekend’s newsletter will be busy!

regards,

 

Rick Gevers

Wednesday, January 31, 2024:

Greetings:

A big change in Denver as a longtime news manager is leaving after 40 years in our business, 30 of them at the same station (in two stints.)

Ryan

TIM RYAN, who’s been Executive News Director for Tegna”s KUSA-TV (NBC) for the last four years, will be leaving in the next several months. GM MARK CORNETTA‘s email shares Tim’s note to the staff, in which Tim hinted at his next move.

Tim retuned to KUSA four years ago after 2 1/2 years as ND for Tegna’s KVUE-TV in Austin, TX.

Before Austin, Tim spent 26 years at KUSA, starting as weekend assignment editor.

He was promoted a number of times, and was the Assistant ND when he went to KVUE. He began his career as a reporter, working in Columbia, MO, Ft. Smith, AR, and Wichita,

There’s lots of other news to share. Our Sunday newsletter will be a busy one.

regards,

 

Rick Gevers

Monday, January 29, 2024 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A news director turned general manager turned agent…has turned again, this time back to a GM gig.

Dallman

BILL DALLMAN joins Nexstar as general manager for its Grand Junction, CO, stations, KREX/KGJT-TV (CBS/MyNetwork). Here’s the news release from the company. Bill’s last mention here was an October report on his move to begin a career as an agent. Before that, he spent two years as a General Manager for Tegna’s KARE-TV (NBC) in Minneapolis, following a long career as a news director in multiple markets.

The move returns Bill and his wife ANGIE to Colorado, where they lived when Bill was ND for KDVR/KWGN-TV there. And I believe one of their children lives in Denver.

We’ll see you Sunday with our full newsletter.

regards,

 

Rick Gevers

**** ***** ****

Greetings:

We’ve used this line below, but after 28+ years I’m running out of cliches.

THREE up and THREE down is a baseball term for a perfect inning, but this week it describes the number of NEW openings and NEW news directors in our report this week.

Our total of open ND jobs remains at 31 with just ONE paid ad for an EP job for a political program in Washington, DC.

We also have ads for deadlines for The Scripps Howard Awards (deadline this week, cash prizes involved) and for RTDNA’s Edward R Murrow Awards.

And we have an ad from Sciline which is offering a number of interesting sessions, including one that is tomorrow afternoon. Check out their ad just below.

And while on the topic of awards, the duPont-Columbia award winners are announced, and many local stations are honored. We have the list.

We have ONE obituary for a Memphis newswoman who died this week. She was just 38.

There’s ONE new GM to tell you about, a promotion within Sinclair.

Speaking of Sinclair, executive chairman DAVID SMITH is in the news again, as his planned purchase of The Baltimore Sun had an interesting impact on other news organizations. And Smith’s behind the scene’s role in a law suit against Baltimore schools in unmentioned…at least until now…in stories by Sinclair’s Baltimore station.

Finally, former GM HANK PRICE wonders if stations are essentially penny-wise and pound foolish in retention decisions. His column is below.

All this and more below!

Crash Course: Stats essentials for math-averse reporters

Monday, January 29th (2-3 p.m. ET) on Zoom

Many journalists lack confidence when including numbers in their reporting, or they fear misrepresenting the data when it comes to covering facts and figures, studies, or technical reports. This free, one-hour “crash course”—designed for reporters who cover science, health, or environment issues but lack statistics or data training—aims to take the stress out of reporting on the numbers that could be crucial to your next story.

Tori Espensen and Emily Mueller—Ph.D. scientists and trained science communicators—will lead a 45-minute presentation and 15-minutes of open Q&A that will help you:

  • Understand statistical concepts such as risk and odds, correlation strength, absolute and relative numbers, and statistical significance and how to use them in your reporting;
  • Explain to your audience how much uncertainty exists around a given finding and how to judge the strength and importance of that finding;
  • Recognize statistical red flags that should prompt deeper questions about a study or dataset; and
  • Include numbers and data in your reporting in ways that are accessible, clear, and meaningful to readers/listeners/viewers.

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More from SciLine:

FREE training opportunities:

Interview an expert:

SciLine, a philanthropically funded, free service for reporters, arranges 1-on-1, broadcast-quality interview opportunities with articulate scientists. Reporters can book 15 mins with them via Zoom or request a SciLine interview clip for your use. SciLine also runs a free expert matching service that connects reporters rapidly to scientist-sources on deadline.

Newly Named News Directors:

Friedrich

WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC…our Tuesday UPDATE reported that MIKE FRIEDRICH will be the next ND for this Capitol Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. The staff note is here, the news release here, and Mike’s complete work history is here. He’s currently the ND for Sinclair’s KUTV (CBS) in Salt Lake City. At WRAL, Mike will success RICK GALL who will retire at the end of May after almost 19 years as ND.

Grubs

KOB-TV, Albuquerque, NM…MATT GRUBS has been promoted to ND for this Hubbard Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. He’s been a part of KOB’s investigative unit since October 2021. More on his background in his not-yet updated station bio. Matt replaces TIM MAESTAS who left late last year. Tim, who has a law degree, took a job with the New Mexico Attorney General’s office. He was ND here for almost five years.

Kirby

KIDY/KXVA-TV, San Angelo/Abilene, TX…JOHN KIRBY, a former news director in Grand Junction, CO, has been hired as ND for these Tegna owned FOX affiliates. He replaces GABE VELA who was ND here for two years. He returns to Tegna’s KENS-TV in San Antonio as an executive producer. Gabe was a producer at KENS before taking the ND job in San Angelo.

New News Director Openings:

KUTV, Salt Lake City, UT…you learned above that MIKE FRIEDRICH is leaving this Sinclair owned CBS affiliate after 2+ years as ND. He’ll be the new ND for WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC.

Sylvester

WAND-TV, Decatur, IL…JACKLYNN SYLVESTER is leaving to become the Assistant ND for Tegna’s WBNS-TV (CBS) in Columbus, OH. WBNS ND RICK McLAUGHLIN shared the news with his staff. She’s been ND for this Block Communicatons station for two years, was the AND for two years, and also worked as a producer in Ft. Myers, FL.

Speier

KOSA-TV, Odessa, TX…DREW SPEIER is retiring from TV after more than 40 years, the last 2+ as the ND for this Gray TV owned CBS affiliate. Drew’s spent much of his career as a news and sports anchor in multiple markets. His Linkedin page has a thorough summary of his previous stops.

The 71st Scripps Howard Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious American journalism competitions, is accepting entries from now until Feb. 5, 2024, for journalism and storytelling produced in 2023.

Click here to enter the 70th Scripps Howard Awards.

This year’s awards offer $170,000 in prize money in 15 categories:

  1. Audio Storytelling
  2. Breaking News
  3. Business/Financial Reporting
  4. Environmental Reporting
  5. Distinguished Service to the First Amendment
  6. Narrative Human-Interest Storytelling
  7. Visual Human-Interest Storytelling
  8. Innovation
  9. Local/Regional Investigative Reporting
  10. National/International Investigative Reporting
  11. Multimedia Journalism
  12. Opinion Writing
  13. Local Video Storytelling
  14. National/International Video Storytelling
  15. Impact Award

The awards honor work from television stations, networks, radio and podcasts, visual media, online media outlets, independent producers, newspapers and other print publications.

Finalists will be announced in September, with winners announced in October during a special program airing on Scripps News, the national broadcast news network owned by The E.W. Scripps Company.

Learn more about the categories and watch videos from last year’s finalists at SHAwards.org.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

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The 90-minute morning show features commentary and analysis from all sides of the political spectrum. The program also features interviews with political and cultural newsmakers. Rising is produced five days a week and consists of ten segments per episode.

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Check out who we are looking for and apply here:

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KNBC/KVEA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 1/7/24)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 1/7/24)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 1/21/24)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (listed 1/7/24)
WACH-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 1/14/24)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 1/7/24)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/14/24)
WCIV-TV, Charleston, SC (listed 1/14/24)
KBOI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 1/14/24)
WGXA-TV, Macon, GA (listed 1/14/24)
KVII-TV, Amarillo, TX (listed 1/14/24)
KBMT-TV, Beaumont, TX (relisted 1/7/24)
KTVO-TV, Kirksville, MO (also PM anchor, listed 1/14/24)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

WPIX-TV, New York, NY (Sports EP, listed 12/3/23)
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (listed 1/21/24)
KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 1/7/24)
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (PM EP, relisted 1/14/24)
The Hill, Washington, DC (Rising Program, listed 1/21/24, see ad above!)
Nexstar DC Bureau, Washinton, DC (listed 12/24/23)
WSNN-TV, Sarasota, FL (listed 1/7/24)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 1/7/24)
KATU-TV, Portland, OR (listed 11/12/23)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 1/7/24)
WRTV, Indianapolis IN (Digital EP, listed 11/12/23)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 12/24/23)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 12/24/23)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 12/17/23)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 1/7/24)
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (relisted 1/7/24)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 1/14/24)
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/14/24)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 1/21/24)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, (relisted 1/7/24)
WGNO-TV, New Orleans, LA (AM EP, listed 1/28/24)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (Digital EP, listed 1/21/24)
WRGB-TV, Albany, NY (listed 1/14/24)
WKEF-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 12/3/23)
KHON-TV, Honolulu, HI (listed 1/28/24)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (relisted 1/14/24)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC (AM EP, listed 1/21/24)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (relisted 1/7/24)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (listed 1/14/24)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital EP, listed 12/17/23)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (listed 1/14/24)
WRDW/WAGT-TV, Augusta, GA (listed 1/14/24)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/21/24)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KHON-TV, Honolulu, HI (listed 1/28/24)

More News Management Openings:

Relisted 1/7/24:

WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (Director of Digital Content)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Director of Digital Content)

Obituary:

Hanson

Our sympathy to the staff at WMC-TV in Memphis on the death of AMANDA HANSON. Amanda was the Leader of Digital Innovation for this Gray owned NBC affiliate. She died this week at the age of 38. This station obituary mentions her recent marriage but does not list a cause of death. Amanda had worked at the station since April, 2021.

Names in the News:

A clarification on last week’s report that MATEO GAMBOA was going to CBS’s KTVT/KTXA-TV as Assistant ND. That’s correct, but what we didn’t know is that Mateo will be one of TWO Assistant NDs there. He’ll oversee mornings, while GINGER MADDOX remains AND for days and evenings.

The duPont-Columbia Awards announced the winners of the coveted Silver Baton and finalists this week. Multiple local stations (too many to single out here) were among the 15 Silver Baton winners and 14 finalists, but you can see for yourself by clicking here.

Sinclair Executive Chairman DAVID SMITH‘s purchase of The Baltimore Sun newspaper has had an interesting side effect: a bump in attention, clicks and donations to other news sites in Baltimore.

Meanwhile, Sinclair’s Baltimore station WBFF-TV (FOX) had aired multiple stories about a lawsuit against Baltimore City Schools without mentioning that Smith was behind the suit. A Sinclair spokesperson said the station and its reporters were unaware of Smith’s involvement and that appropriate disclosures would be made going forward. The conflict was reported by The Baltimore Banner, one of those news sites gaining subscribers.

Former GM HANK PRICE offers some thoughts about stations losing key news talent over a relatively small amount of money. Not to put words in Hank’s mouth, but essentially penny-wise and pound foolish. Check out his column from TVNewsCheck.

General Manager News and Notes:

DIANA WILKIN moves within Sinclair to become GM for WPEC/WFTX-TV (CBS/CW) in West Palm Beach, FL. She’s been the VP/GM for KOKH/KOCB-TV in Oklahoma City.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, January 28, 2024:

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

News 12 Bronx/Brooklyn, 930 Soundview Ave. Bronx, NY 10473
KXTX-TV 4805 Amon Carter Boulevard, Ft. Worth, TX, 75155 **
KDVR/KWGN-TV 100 East Speer Blvd. Denver, CO 80203
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr. Charlotte, NC 28217
KSDK-TV 1000 Market Street St. Louis, MO 63101 (Director of Content)
WTAE-TV 400 Ardmore Blvd Pittsburgh PA 15221
KUTV 299 South Main Street, #150 Salt Lake City, UT 84111
WHP-TV, 2300 N Cameron St Harrisburg PA 17110
WBMA-TV 800 Concourse Pkwy Ste 200. Hoover, AL 35244
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
WRGB-TV 1400 Balltown Rd. Schenectady, NY 12309
WHEC-TV 191 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14604
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WAND-TV 904 W. South Side Drive. Decatur, IL 62526
WBRZ-TV 1650 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323. Tyler, TX 75701
KNDU/KNDO-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave. Yakima, WA 98902
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Avenue Medford, OR 97504
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave, Duluth, MN 55802
KXMB-TV 1811 N 15th Street Bismarck, ND 58501
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX. 79761
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KGNS-TV 120 W. Del Mar Blvd. Laredo TX 78041
KGWN-TV, 2923 E. Lincolnway. Cheyenne, WY 82001
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KQTV 4000 Faraon St. Joseph, MO 64506

**: Spanish language station

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