March 3, 2024
Greetings:
There are several ND changes this week, but lots of Names in the News and the obituary of a former ND who held ND jobs in several major markets.
There’s just ONE ND opening, that in a small southern market.
And TWO new NDs to tell you about.
Those changes leave 34 stations on our list of openings,
But there’s more!
Yet another Scripps GM has left the premises, while Sinclair promotes a GM who goes from California to Tennessee.
We have only a few details about the death this weekend of TOM BECHERER, who’d been a ND in Detroit and Baltimore among other places.
And lots of items in Names in the News…including a change at top of the news divisions of Scripps and Telemundo, and a new survey examines burnout in news (and what to do about it). We also have a link to a story that forecasts big pay cuts for cable news stars. And THREE veteran newspeople are honored by their stations as they retire.
Talent Training Workshop
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024 – 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
THE OMNI HOTEL-LAS COLINAS, IRVING TEXAS
We’re hosting a high energy, interactive workshop to help you or your team maximize storytelling impact and enhance viewer connection. Work with a team of experienced talent development experts to expand on-air performance and delivery, and off-air communication skills.
BONUS: All participants are given direct access to their workshop leaders for one month following the workshop for questions and support via email, texts, phone and video conferencing.
Great communication starts in the newsroom- let’s energize your team not newsroom leaders and invigorate the vision for your newscasts.
Maximum enrollment is 25. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Have a question about the event or would like to speak with our performance strategists on the agenda?
Email Gary Brown to set up a call and learn more.
Early bird registration: $495.00
After March 31st: $550.00
To Register: www.talentdynamics.com/dallas-workshop
Newly Named News Directors:
Carmona
KBLR-TV, Las Vegas, NV…JOHALI CARMONA has been promoted to news director for this NBC/Telemundo owned station. She’s worked there since 2016, most recently as an executive producer and earlier as a producer. She also worked in Colorado and Venezuela. At KBLR, she replaces MARIALCY CARRENO who left in January: she’d been there since 2018.
Walker
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA…LETITIA WALKER returns as ND for this Manship family owned ABC affiliate as she continues her tour of Louisiana TV markets. She’s been the ND for Gray’s KPLC-TV (NBC) in Lake Charles since 2022, had been an ND for KATC-TV in Lafayette, LA, and worked as an AM EP for WWL-TV in New Orleans. She started at WBRZ as a production assistant. Letitia replaces JONATHAN SHELLEY who resigned in December after about 15 months as ND.
SciLine has several 1-on-1, Zoom interview opportunities with scientific experts coming up in the next few weeks:
- Mar. 25 (1-3 p.m. ET): Childcare costs (Dr. Taryn Morrissey, American U.)
- Apr. 1 (11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET): Pollinator gardens (Dr. Rachel Mallinger, U. of Florida)
- Apr. 4 (3-5 p.m. ET): Cicadas (Dr. Chris Simon, UConn)
- Apr. 10 (1-3 p.m. ET): Lead pipes (Dr. Mary Jean Brown, Harvard)
- Apr. 16 (3-5 p.m. ET): Wildlife crossings (Dr. Nicki Frey, Southern Utah U.)
- Apr. 17 (1-3 p.m. ET): Syphilis on the rise (Dr. Ina Park, UCSF)
Recent video (free for download and use in your stories):
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.
New News Director Opening:
KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, LA…we told you above that LETITIA WALKER is leaving this Gray TV owned NBC to be the next ND for WBRZ-TV (ABC) in Baton Rouge.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
No paid ads again this week. If you want to highlight your news management opening to the most targeted audience available, let me know via email: rick@rickgevers.com
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KNBC/KVEA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 1/7/24)
WDCW-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/11/24)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/4/24)
KOVR/KMAX-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 2/11/24)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 1/7/24)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 1/21/24)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (listed 2/25/24)
WACH-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 1/14/24)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 1/7/24)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 2/11/24)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 2/25/24)
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:
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)
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 3/3/24)
WSNN-TV, Sarasota, FL (listed 1/7/24)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/24/25)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 1/7/24)
KATU-TV, Portland, OR (2 openings, AM and Digital, modified 2/4/24)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 2/25/24)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 2/5/24)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (Supervising Producer, listed 2/4/24)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 1/7/24)
WTNH-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 3/3/24)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/4/24)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 1/14/24)
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/14/24)
WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 2/25/24)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, (relisted 1/7/24)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (listed 2/4/24)
WGNO-TV, New Orleans, LA (AM EP, listed 1/28/24)
WRGB-TV, Albany, NY (listed 1/14/24)
KHON-TV, Honolulu, HI (listed 1/28/24)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 2/4/24)
KETV, Omaha, NE (listed 2/4/24)
WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL (Digital EP, listed 2/18/24)
KXXV-TV, Waco, TX (listed 2/25/24)
KVEO/KGBT-TV, Harlingen, TX (listed 3/3/24)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Digital EP, listed 2/25/24)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (relisted 1/14/24)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (listed 2/4/24)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (relisted 1/7/24)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (listed 1/14/24)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital EP, relisted 2/18/24)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (listed 1/14/24)
WRDW/WAGT-TV, Augusta, GA (listed 1/14/24)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 2/25/24)
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:
Listed 3/3/24:
WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH (News Operations Manager)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Assignment Desk Manager)
Relisted 1/7/24:
WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (Director of Digital Content)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Director of Digital Content)
Obituary:
Becherer
I’m sorry to report the death of TOM BECHERER. Tom died yesterday in Louisville. He’d been in poor health after a series of small strokes. Tom spent much of his career with Conus, a long since shuttered satellite news operation but had been an ND in several markets. His entertaining Linkedin page is worth a read (check out his ‘best job’. hint: it involved overnights.) And while I’ve known Tom for years, I only learned tonight that he hosted AA meetings at some RTDNA conventions. I hope to have more on Tom’s life next week.
Names in the News:
O’Brian
Lots of items today.
Our UPDATE earlier in the week shared that KATE O’BRIAN has been named President of News for Scripps. More here. She’s a former ABC and Al Jazeera America executive who’s been with the company since 2021, first hired to oversee Newsy and Court TV.
Sean M.
That means SEAN LcLAUGHLIN is leaving Scripps, where he had been Senior Vice Presdient of Local News. More in this post from Sean on LinkedIn. He first joined Scripps about ten years ago from his job as ND for KMOV-TV in St. Louis. He’s also been an ND in Tulsa (two stations) and Springfield, IL, and has also worked in Minneapolis and Austin, MN, where he worked as a weekend anchor and producer.
GEMMA GARCIA joins Telemundo as Executive Vice-President of News. It’s a return to Telemundo for Gemma.
We’ve all heard a lot of talk about burnout in news, and now one of the largest surveys on the topic…and possible solutions…is out. It was conducted by the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri, working with SmithGeiger. Details…and the entire project…are available here.
Mediate looks at possible pay cuts in the future for the highest paid cable tv stars.
The retirement section:
Several veteran newspeople have stepped down and their stations paid tribute either on-air or online…or both.
After 26 years at Hearst’s WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, where he began as an investigative reporter, JIM PARSONS has retired.
Also retiring is BRAD RINEHART after 44 YEARS at WFMZ-TV in Allentown, PA. More here.
Finally, it was four decades in news, mostly at Miami’s WPLG-TV (ABC) for KERRY WESTON, who is calling it quits.
Best wishes to all for along and happy retirement.
General Manager News and Notes:
After 31 years with Scripps, the last six as GM of WRTV (ABC) in Indianapolis, LANA DURBAN is leaving the company. A memo to the staff said it was due to family reasons. She’d been a regional news executive before taking the GM role.
JIM DOTY moves within Sinclair from GM for KERO-TV in Bakersfield, CA, to the same job at WCYB/WEMT-TV in Tri-Cities, TN.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 3, 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
WFLD-TV 205 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60601
KXTX-TV 4805 Amon Carter Boulevard, Ft. Worth, TX, 75155 **
KDVR/KWGN-TV 100 East Speer Blvd. Denver, CO 80203
WZTV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville, TN 37228
KUTV 299 South Main Street, #150 Salt Lake City, UT 84111
WXIX-TV 635 W 7th. Cincinnati, OH 45944
WHP-TV, 2300 N Cameron St Harrisburg PA 17110
WVTM-TV 1732 Valley View Dr. Birmingham, AL 35209
WBMA-TV 800 Concourse Pkwy Ste 200. Hoover, AL 35244
WBRE/WYOU-TV, 62 S. Franklin St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
WHEC-TV 191 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14604
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
WTOC-TV 1511 Chatham Center Dr. Savannah, GA 31405
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WAND-TV 904 W. South Side Drive. Decatur, IL 62526
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WFXG-TV, 3933 Washington Rd., Augusta, GA 30907
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
WTVY-TV 285 North Foster St., Dothan, AL 36303
KPLC-TV, 320 Division St., Lake Charles, LA 70601
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