Rick Gevers & Associates

February 2, 2025

Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 UPDATE:

Greetings:

For the second time in two days, a top 20 market news director’s job has been filled.

Garber

Today it’s Hubbard’s KSTP-TV (ABC) in Minneapolis, which has named MIKE GARBER to replace the retiring KIRK VARNER. Mike’s currently the Director of Content for Sinclair’s National Desk in Washington, but he’s a former ND in Dallas, Salt Lake City, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville. He began as a sports producer in Tampa. Here’s his complete background. And here’s the note he sent his team at the National Desk, which includes the note from Sinclair’s Senior VP of News, SCOTT LIVINGSTON.

Varner

We told you back in November that Kirk would be retiring in early 2025 after a long and varied career in our business. His Linkedin page has all the stops.

We’ll see you Sunday with a full newsletter that we hope will BOWL you over.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A new news director at a top 15 network o-and-o, and details on two companies taking different diretcions on franchises.

Briske

CHERYL BRISKE has been promoted to Vice President and News Director for FOX’s WTVT-TV in Tampa. She’s been at WTVT since 1997 in, as you might expect, a variety of roles, most recently as Special Projects Executive Producer. More on Cheryl and her background in this news release.

She replaces her former boss, JOHN HOFFMAN, who announced in December that he would retire this month after 15 years as ND at WTVT and almost 40 working there.

Tegna has disbanded its national VERIFY team, putting about 18-20 people out of work. The company says the franchise will continue at its local stations. VERIFY started in 2015 as an attempt to combat misinformation. We have links to stories from Newscast Studio and The Desk.

By contrast, Gray Media has renewed its daily news magazine InvestigateTV+. The 30 minute program appears on all 113 Gray stations and is also carried on a growing number of stations owned by other companies.

We hope to have a Super newsletter this weekend. 🙂

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Greetings:

Another busy week!

TWO new news director and TWO new openings, leaving our count of open ND jobs at 44.

One of those jobs is featured in a Paid Help Wanted ad below. It appears to be an attractive opportunity.

Speaking of ads, check out the alert that the deadline for Edward R. Murrow Awards entries is coming soon. And Sciline is offering free interviews about well water and its quality. Click on its ad below, along with the ad from our friends and supporters at Barry Nash and Company.

We try and clear up confusion about the ND role at Morris Multimedia stations. That’s below.

We have an obituary on the death of a former GM and group VP who died last April. (Thanks to a reader who tipped us to that…which reminds me to remind YOU that we welcome tips). And a more careful reading of the obituary for BILL PAYER revealed a most unusual destination that Bill wanted for his ashes.

CNN reports that journalists, including many at CBS, are worried about a possible settlement between Paramount Global and President Trump. That’s in Names in the News, along with the pending retirement of a three time ND turned corporate news boss, and we have updates on TWO former news directors.

All that and more below!

The deadline to enter the 2025 Edward R. Murrow Awards is fast approaching.

All entries are due by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 13.

Entries can be submitted here.

Among the most prestigious awards in journalism, the Murrow Awards recognize outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital news at the national, local and student levels. With about 5,000 entries annually, the Murrows are among the most competitive, too.

The Murrow Awards honor news stories that uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, showcase technical excellence, and highlight the critical role of journalism in serving the community. Murrow Award-winning work embodies the standard of excellence established by Edward R. Murrow in the broadcast news profession.

To be eligible, work must have been published between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024. Entrants are strongly encouraged to review the complete rules and category descriptions here before submitting.

Regional winners will be announced in May. All regional winners automatically advance to the national competition, with winners announced in August. National winners will be celebrated at the 2025 Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala in October in New York City.

For questions about eligibility, please email awards@rtdna.org

Newly Named News Directors:

Sandrik

KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA…this ABC o-and-o promoted SARA SANDRIK to VP/News Director. GM MARTIN ORTIZ (who held that job before his elevation to GM) sent this note to the staff. Sara’s been the Manager of News and Content since 2020, in her second stint at the station. She began in 2007 as a reporter/anchor, left for three years for a PIO job with a school district and returned in 2019. She’s also worked in Yuma.

Hackling

WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA…a move within Nexstar sends CONNOR HACKLING to this NBC affiliate. This post announcing his move is on the website. He’s been the ND at sister-Nexstar station WRBL-TV in Columbus, GA, for the past 3 1/2 years, and started there as a producer in 2014. At WSAV, Connor replaces KATHY WIDEMAN who left in December for a job outside of TV.

New News Director Openings:

Morris Multimedia is undergoing a restructuring, naming RUSS GELLER News Operations Manager for the company, overseeing news at its six stations, with a local news content manager at each station (though the ND title has gone away.)

Here’s a unedited statement from COO BOBBY BERRY to me, along with some followup questions and his answers as I attempted to clarify.

Here is his statement and answers to my questions.

It appears that Lexington ND MIRANDA COMBS (who also anchored) at Morris’ WTVQ-TV has left the station.

WRBL-TV, Columbus, GA…we told you above that CONNOR HACKLING is off to sister Nexstar station WSAV-TV in Savannah, GA, as ND. Connor was ND here for the past 3 1/2 years and worked at WRBL for 10 years.

Snuffer

KFDX/KJTL-TV, Wichita Falls, ND…veteran news director MIKE SNUFFER is leaving this Nexstar operated duopoly after not quite two years as ND. Mike has a new job and we expect to tell you where in our next report. He’s been an ND in Harrisburg, IL, and Lincoln, NE. Nexstar owns KFDX and provides services to Mission Broadcasting owned KJTL.

And while it’s not a new opening, please check out (and click on!) the ad just below for the open ND job at WRCB-TV in Chattanooga.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 1/26/25)
WTAE-TV, Pittburgh, PA (listed 1/26/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 1/19/25)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 1/12/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 1/5/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 1/12/25)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 1/19/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 1/5/25)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, relisted 1/12/25)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 1/26/25)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, released 12/22/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/5/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 1/12/25)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/5/25)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 12/22/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/22/24)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listing modified 1/12/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 1/5/25)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Nightside EP, listed 1/5/25)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville FL (listed 1/5/25)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 1/5/25)
KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 1/26/25
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 1/26/25)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (relisted 1/5/25)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 1/19/25:

WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real-Time Depth)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (News and Content Manager)
WJET-TV, Erie, PA: (Digital Content Manager)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Executive Producer)

Listed 1/12/25

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Senior Digital Content Producer)

Relisted 1/5/25:

KGW-TV, Portland, OR (Digital Director)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 12/15/24:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Streaming/Weekend Executive Producer)

Obituaries:

Llewellyn

Somehow the passing of many-time General Manager JOHN LLEWELLYN escaped our notice (and yours, too, apparently) until we received a tip this week from a loyal reader. John died last April at the age of 81. During his career, he ran WOIO/WUAB-TV in Cleveland (twice), WCNC-TV in Charlotte, and WPBN-TV in Traverse City, MI, and also served as a Group VP for Raycom.

Payer

Monday’s UPDATE brought you the sad news of the sudden death of BILL PAYER, who’d been an ND in Birmingham, Buffalo, Columbus, OH, and Tulsa. Bill also worked in some other markets, and for CONUS. A more careful reading of his obituary revealed a MOST unusual request Bill had for the disposition of his ashes. It’s near the end.

Names in the News (and other stuff):

CNN is reporting that some journalists at CBS…and other places… are alarmed at the possibility that Paramount Global may settle what many think is a dubious lawsuit filed by President Trump over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with then VP KAMALA HARRIS.

Maulden

CHUCK MAULDEN has announced this retirement. but it’s not until December! He’s currently Vice President of Content for Griffin Media, overseeing the company’s KWTV in Oklahoma City and KOTV in Tulsa. Tulsa is where Chuck first joined the company (in 2018) as ND. He’s a former ND in Springfield, MO, and Little Rock, a director of operations for KSDK-TV in St. Louis, and began as a photographer.

Licon

We had outdated news in last week’s newsletter regarding the new assistant news director at KNBC/KVEA-TV in Los Angeles. LIZBETH LICON has been promoted from her old job as Managing Editor. Here’s the note from KNBC’s news director MARINA PERELMAN. Lizbeth has also worked in her hometown of El Paso, as well as in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Dallas.

One-time WFXT-TV (Boston/Cox Media/FOX affiliate) news director SARAH BURGESS is now the Chief Community Affairs officers for the Massachusetts State Police. She explains her new job in this LinkedIn post.

BRENDA DANEHART, who stepped down last year after 20 years as ND for WTRF-TV in Wheeling, WV, was honored during the state of the city   speech by Wheeling’s Mayor. Brenda worked for more than 40 at WTRF.

General Manager News and Notes:

Gray Media has named PAMELA BIDDLE General Manager of WVTM-TV (ABC) in Columbus, GA. She’s been the director of sales there.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 2, 2025:

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

WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
KDFW-TV 400 N. Griffin Street Dallas, TX 75202
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WJLA-TV 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
WKMG-TV 4466 N John Young Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32804
WISH-TV 1950 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74129
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KCCI-TV 888 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WRCB-TV 900 Whitehall Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37405 (see ad above!)
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
KINT-TV 5426 North Mesa Street El Paso, TX 79912
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd. East; Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KSFY-TV 325 S 1st Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
WRBL-TV 1350 13th Ave. Columbus, GA 31901
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
KFDX-TV 500 Seymour Hwy. Wichita Falls, TX 76309
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station

January 26, 2025

Monday, January 27, 2025 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Sorry to report the passing of a veteran news director, and two corrections from last night’s full newsletter in today’s UPDATE.

Payer

BILL PAYER died suddenly last Tuesday. Bill was 78 and was enjoying retirement in South Carolina. A complete obituary can be found here. During his career, he was a news director in Birmingham, Buffalo, Columbus, OH, and Tulsa, worked in several other markets, and also worked for the long shuttered CONUS satellite service. His career history is here. Our sympathy to his family and friends.

Licon

Last night’s newsletter contained incorrect information on the new assistant news director at KNBC/KVEA-TV in Los Angeles. LIZBETH LICON has been promoted from her old job as Managing Editor. Here’s the note from ND MARINA PERELMAN.

She succeeds JAMIE NOVOGROD who left last year.

And speaking of Los Angeles, due to an editing error, I included the wrong note from longtime LA newsman WARREN CEREGHINO about life after losing his home in the wildfires. Here’s the correct one.

Apologies.

If we do another update before next weekend, hopefully it will contain happier news..

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

For the second consecutive weeks, there are THREE ND changes this week, but this week TWO are in top 20 markets.

TWO of these changes are new news director openings and ONE change is a new solution to an ND opening, so our list of stations with openings grows to 44.

NO Paid Help Wanted ads this week, but both WMV and Sciline have ads, including Sciline’s offer of a crash course in science essentials for reporters. Both ads are below.

There’s an obit for a controller turned GM who later ran her city’s Chamber of Commerce.

And..again…lots of interesting items in Names in the News (and other stuff) including:

Winners of the DuPont Awards
Ever changing details on how a local group will cover weather
An update on how a former LA ND in coping after losing his house
Lots of news management changes

And a veteran GM…who succeeded her husband…is retiring.

All that and more below!

Newly Named News Directors:

Dallman

KREX/KRQX-TV, Grand Junction, CO…this opening has been resolved with a two-pronged solution. Production Manager SCOTT SHERIFF assumes an additional role as news operations manager, while GM BILL DALLMAN (a former ND in multiple large markets) will handle other duties. This combo replaces TERRI CHAPPELL-PAXSON who left last summer. Nexstar owns KREX (CBS) and KRQX (FOX).

New News Director Openings:

Carson

WJLA-TV, Washington, DC…the second of TWO Updates this week told you CHERYL CARSON is stepping down as ND for this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate at the end of February. Cheryl told the staff why in this staff memo. She’s been the ND there for six years, spent more than three years as ND for KING-TV in Seattle (in addition to three years as the Assistant ND at KING) Her complete career history is here.

McGinley

WKMG-TV, Orlando, FL…this week’s FIRST Update brought word of ALLISON McGINLEY’s pending departure from this Graham Media owned CBS affiliate. She’s off to a new job at her alma mater, the University of Central Florida. She’s been ND here since 2015. Allison joined the station in 1993, though she took a four year break to become a mom. She’s a past chair of RTDNA, as well.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

No ads this week. If you want to reach a VERY targeted audience for your news management opening, please send me an email: rick@rickgevers.com

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 1/26/25)
WTAE-TV, Pittburgh, PA (listed 1/26/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 1/19/25)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 1/12/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 1/5/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 1/12/25)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 1/19/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 1/5/25)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, relisted 1/12/25)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 1/26/25)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, released 12/22/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/5/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 1/12/25)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/5/25)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 12/22/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/22/24)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listing modified 1/12/25)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, relisted 1/12/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 1/5/25)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Nightside EP, listed 1/5/25)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville FL (listed 1/5/25)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 1/5/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 1/12/25)
KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 1/26/25
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 1/26/25)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (relisted 1/5/25)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 1/19/25:

WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real-Time Depth)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (News and Content Manager)
WJET-TV, Erie, PA: (Digital Content Manager)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Executive Producer)

Listed 1/12/25
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Senior Digital Content Producer)

Relisted 1/5/25:

KGW-TV, Portland, OR (Digital Director)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 12/15/24:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Streaming/Weekend Executive Producer)

Relisted 12/1/24:

KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager)

Obituary:

Hooper

A long battle with cancer claimed DEBORAH HOOPER on January 20th. She was 67. Deborah spent 25 years at WFMY-TV in Greensboro, beginning as the controller and raising to General Manager, and played an important role when Harte-Hanks sold WFMY (and other stations) to Gannett. She also served as President of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. More on an interesting life in this obituary.

Names in the News (and other stuff):

The 2025 DuPont-Columbia Award winners and finalists were announced this week. KPRC-TV in Houston, WTVF-TV in Nashville, KXTV in Sacramento, KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City were winners, while finalists included Chicago’s WBBM-TV, WVUE-TV in New Orleans, and KUSA-TV in Denver. Apologies to any local stations I may have missed. The complete list is here and will reassure you that lots of good work is being done on the local level.

The ever evolving story of how weather will be covered at Allen Media Group stations continues to, well, evolve. Last week we told you that local meteorologists at Allen stations would be replaced by forecasts from (Allen owned) The Weather Channel. It was only a day or two later that several stations, including WTVA-TV in Tupelo and WAAY-TV in Huntsville posted stories that the decision had been reversed. As I said earlier this week, lots more to come there.

Before news of the possible reversal, veteran broadcaster HANK PRICE, whose work from TVNewsCheck.com we share with you from time to time, called it a tragedy and one of the saddest moves he’d ever seen.

In another TVNewsCheck story, EMILY BARR, formerly head of Graham Media and a one-time GM for WLS-TV in Chicago, praised the coverage of the California wildfires provided by local stations in Los Angeles.

Warren C.

Speaking of the fires, we have an UPDATE from longtime Los Angeles newsman WARREN CEREGHINO, who was among the many residents who lost their home…and most everything else…in the California wildfires. He emailed this update on his life after the fire. It’s worth a moment of your time. Warren’s a former ND at KTLA-TV and KTVU-TV in San Francisco/Oakland, and worked at several LA stations.

BRAD HYATT joins Nexstar’s WJZY/WMYT-TV (FOX/MyTV) in Charlotte as Assistant ND. He most recently was the ND for WIS-TV in Columbia, SC. ND CASEY CLARK shared the news with staff.

Higgins

NATHAN HIGGINS has been promoted to Assistant News Director at Tegna’s KUSA-TV (NBC) in Denver. But he won’t start the new role until mid-April. He’s got a good excuse, as explained in this Linkedin post.

But an Assistant ND job has opened at another Tegna station, KSDK-TV, (also NBC) in St. Louis.

They’re restructuring there, replacing retiring news director ART HOLLIDAY with an Assistant ND. We told you a few weeks ago that Art will leave in July on his 46th anniversary, a great career art KSDK, with four distinct chapters. Art reported (as will the new AND) to Director of Content MORGAN SCHAAB.

General Manager News and Notes:

Byrnes

Longtime Cleveland GM MICKI BYRNES will retire from Tegna’s WKYC-TV (NBC) in April. She’s been GM since 2015, succeeding her husband, BROOKE SPECTORSKY, and was station manager and marketing director before that, first joining the station in 1997. She’s also worked in Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco and Orlando and (fun fact) is a Trustee for the Cleveland based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, January 26, 2025:

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

WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
KDFW-TV 400 N. Griffin Street Dallas, TX 75202
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WJLA-TV 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
WKMG-TV 4466 N John Young Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32804
WISH-TV 1950 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74129
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KCCI-TV 888 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WRCB-TV 900 Whitehall Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37405
WSAV-TV 1430 East Victory Drive Savannah, GA 31404
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
KINT-TV 5426 North Mesa Street El Paso, TX 79912
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd. East; Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KSFY-TV 325 S 1st Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station

January 19, 2025

Friday, January 24, 2025 UPDATE:

Another day, and another departure (at least for now) of another experienced news director.

Carson

Today it’s CHERYL CARSON who will leave Sinclair’s WJLA-TV (ABC) at the end of February. Cheryl tells me she needs to spend more time caring for her elderly parents (her dad is 90 and her mom is not far behind). She also said she’s not done working in journalism, which she also expressed in this note she sent to the WJLA staff.

She’s been the ND here since February, 2019, earlier spent three years as the ND for KING-TV (NBC) in Seattle, and had a variety of other stops as detailed in her Linkedin page.

It’s shaping up to be a busy week for our full newsletter which we expect to send out on Sunday.

We’ll see you then.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Thursday, January 23, 2025 UPDATE #2:

A veteran ND and one time RTDNA chair is leaving the business for a job at her alma mater.

McGinley

ALLISON McGINLEY, who’s been the news director for Graham Media’s WKMG-TV (CBS) since 2015, is leaving to become Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at UCF, her alma mater. Allison first joined WKMG in 1993 as a producer, took a break in 2004 to become a mom (though did some projects for WKMG during that time), and returned four years later.

From 2021-22, she served as the chair of RTDNA.

And an update on the apparent reversal of Allen Media’s decision to move weathercasts from its local stations to recorded forecasts from the Allen owned Weather Channel.

An Allen spokesperson returned my call today but said he had ‘nothing to add’ to the company’s Saturday news release that first reported the change.

You likely saw our earlier update today that the policy was being reversed in at least three markets, Honolulu, Huntsville, and Eugene. I’ve since heard that the change will be reversed at the Allen station in Eugene, OR.

My guess is that this story is far from over.

We’ll see you Sunday with our full report.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Thursday, January 23, 2025:

Greetings:

A stunning but probably not surprising reversal from, shall we say, an odd move from Allen Broadcasting.

This story on the website of Allen’s WTVA-TV in Tupelo shows that the company has reversed its decision to eliminate local meteorologists and air weathercasts produced (and usually recorded) from the Allen owned Weather Channel.

What’s unclear (at this point, though I have a call into an Allen Media spokesperson) is whether (weather? pun intended) this change is just for Tupelo or all the stations. I am told that Allen stations in Huntsville and Hawaii will also restore local weather people.

More details as I have them.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Only THREE ND changes this week, but a lot of other interesting items in this report.

There are TWO new news director openings and ONE new ND that were announced this week, moving our list of stations with ND openings to 43.

ONE of those openings (in California!) is featured in a Paid Help Wanted ad.

We have the obituary for a longtime anchor of an Arkansas station who also was the ND for seven years, and more details (and what I think is an fun story, if that’s possible in an obit) on the death of an early adopter webmaster in Indianapolis.

Just a week after CBS announced changes to its weather presentations, a group owner announced big changes on how its stations present weather …and they are possibly related.

That’s in Names in the News, along with the departure of the President of MSNBC, once a former local ND. You’ll also learn that some Los Angeles newspeople (including a former ND) lost homes in the wildfires, and news of other news people, some current, and some former.

And we confirmed the departure of a top five market o-and-o GM.

Have a great week.

Newly Named News Directors:

Shelley

WZDX-TV, Huntsville, AL…veteran news director JONATHAN SHELLEY moves from interim ND to permanent ND at this Tegna owned FOX affiliate. Jonathan’s been the interim ND since last July and was made permanent about a month ago. He’s a former ND in New Orleans, Ft. Wayne, and Baton Rouge and succeeds ANDREA CLENNEY who stepped down in October, 2023, after six years on the job

New News Director Openings:

Roberts

WRCB-TV, Chattanooga, TN…MEGAN ROBERTS is stepping down after three years as ND for this Sarkes-Tarzian owned NBC affiliate. Megan posted the details of her departure on her Linkedin page. She started at the station in 2013 as a weekend producer, went to Nashville, and then returned as ND, replacing CALLIE STARNES who was promoted to (and remains) GM here.

Reyes

KINT-TV, El Paso, TX…BRENDA REYES has left this Entravision owned station after three years as news director. She first joined the station in 2009 as a weather anchor. When her newscast was cancelled, she moved into a producer position and then served as Assistant ND for three years before her promotion to ND.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

News Director, Redwood News, Eureka, CA:

KIEM/KVIQ in beautiful Eureka, California is currently on the lookout for a dynamic individual to fill the role of News Director. The role demands a great deal of patience and a knack for mentoring, making it essential for the candidate to possess strong leadership and coaching skills.

The person stepping into this role will be responsible for overseeing all news, weather, and sports content and execution. You won’t be bogged down by budgets and endless reports. Newsroom experience a must: producers and executive producers are welcome to apply.

Redwood News is situated in Eureka, CA which is the largest city in the two county DMA: Humboldt and Del Norte. Route 101 runs from the top to the bottom of the DMA with breathtaking views of the ocean and weaving in and out of the magnificent Redwoods. There are numerous rivers for kayaking and fishing. The area has a temperate climate, but if it’s heat or snow you seek it’s an hour away inland. The area boasts a significant population of artists and performers and is home to Cal Poly Humboldt University. In recent times Cal Poly has been a feeder to our news staff so you will have a recruiting pipeline.

If you love the outdoors and a laid-back vibe then Eureka is the place to be!

Learn more and apply here!

Salary $68,640

Imagicomm Communications, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, genetic information, ancestry, age, sex, gender, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, veteran status, or any other status or characteristics protected by federal, state and/or local laws. Applicants may notify the appropriate local, state or federal agency if they believe they have been the victims of discrimination.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 1/5/25)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 12/8/24)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 1/19/25)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 1/12/25)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 1/12/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 1/5/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 1/12/25)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 1/19/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 1/5/25)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, relisted 1/12/25)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, released 12/22/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/5/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 1/12/25)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/5/25)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 12/22/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/22/24)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted 1/5/25)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listing modified 1/12/25)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, relisted 1/12/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 1/5/25)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Nightside EP, listed 1/5/25)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville FL (listed 1/5/25)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 1/5/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 1/12/25)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 11/17/24)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (relisted 1/5/25)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 1/19/25:

WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real-Time Depth)
KTLX-TV, Sacramento, CA (News and Content Manager)
WJET-TV, Erie, PA: (Digital Content Manager)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Executive Producer)

Listed 1/12/25

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Senior Digital Content Producer)

Listed 1/5/25:

WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (Digital Director)

Relisted 1/5/25:

KGW-TV, Portland, OR (Digital Director)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 12/15/24:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Streaming/Weekend Executive Producer)

Relisted 12/8/24:

Tegna, Jacksonville, or Tampa, FL (Florida Digital Director)

Relisted 12/1/24:

KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager)

Obituary:

Edson

BUR EDSON, a longtime anchor for KFSM-TV in Ft. Smith, AR, who also served as the station’s news director for seven years, died last Wednesday. He was 77 and died of pneumonia. His former station remembered him here. Bur stepped down as anchor in 2002 to take a job running a metal manufacturing business.

Mills

We now have a full obituary for former WTHR-TV (Indianapolis) photog and early webmaster WARREN MILLS, whose passing we reported last week. He was 69 and suffered from cancer and kidney disease which returned after a 2014 kidney transplant. I mentioned last week that he got this newsletter on the web for the first time.

A personal note: I’ve known his wife Kathy since I was a kid. She and her brother Rick (ironic since my sister is also Kathy, her brother was my age, while my sister is about her age) lived about four houses apart in St. Louis.

Despite his long running health issues, a pleasant moment came in 2017 when they joined us for a concert at the zoo. Told him I had a surprise for him.

Rolled the ‘Warren” bottle to him and he said “Thanks. I have several of these.”

Then I rolled the other bottle to him, for which he had no response.

RIP, friend.

Names in the News (and other stuff):

Jones

RASHIDA JONES, a one-time local news director (WIS-TV, Columbia, SC) announced this week that she would step down as President of MSNBC. She held the job for four years and was the first black person to head a national news network. She also held executive roles at The Weather Channel and at NBC News and worked as a producer in Norfolk.

Warren C.

Sorry to report that longtime Los Angeles newsman WARREN CEREGHINO was among the many residents who lost their home…and most everything else…in the wildfires raging through Southern California. Warren kindly emailed this account, which also mentions two other LA newsies who suffered the same fate. Warren’s a former ND at KTLA-TV and KTVU-TV in San Francisco and worked at several LA stations.

ROBIN FREESE joins Transocean as a Senior Communications advisor. She’s been an EP for KPRC-TV and KTRK-TV in Houston.

JOE PEREA moves within Nexstar to become EP at WVLA/WGMB-TV in Baton Rouge. He’s been a producer for KLAS-TV in Las Vegas and has also worked in Madison and Wausaw, WI.

MARGARET CORDES, once a news director at WDSU-TV in New Orleans has joined Horse World Magazine as editor. She has a wealth of experience in TV news as detailed here.

For the second week in a row, a big change in how a large group is handling weather coverage. Last week it was CBS bringing its weather coverage in house and ending (at least for now) its partnership with the Weather Channel.

Only a cynic would wonder if that change occurred because Allen Media (owner of the Weather Channel) is now eliminating most meteorologists from its 27 local stations and those stations will instead provide weather coverage from TWC.

What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

Just a few days after Imagicomm Communications announced it was selling all of its stations, Marquee Broadcasting announced it was buying four Imagicomm stations in two markets.

General Manager News and Notes:

 Harris

We have now confirmed that RIC HARRIS left WCAU-TV in Philadelphia after almost ten years as GM of that NBC o-and-o. While Ric never responded to our inquiries, others did forward a copy of the memo he sent to his staff. The Philadelphia Tribune also weighed in with this story. He’s a former GM for NBC’s WVIT-TV in Hartford and held other jobs outside of television as you’ll see in his Linkedin bio.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, January 19, 2025:

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

WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
KDFW-TV 400 N. Griffin Street Dallas, TX 75202
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
WISH-TV 1950 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74129
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KCCI-TV 888 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WRCB-TV 900 Whitehall Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37405
WSAV-TV 1430 East Victory Drive Savannah, GA 31404
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
KINT-TV 5426 North Mesa Street El Paso, TX 79912
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd. East; Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KSFY-TV 325 S 1st Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503 (see ad above!)
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station

January 12, 2025

Greetings:

It appears I missed a BIG discount or sale on GM and upper management hires, as TEN such moves were revealed this week. We have the details below in our GM section.

THREE new news director openings and TWO new NDs were named, all the result of intra company moves. That brings the total of stations with ND openings to 42.

ONE of those openings (in what sounds like a beautiful part of California) is featured in a Paid Help Wanted ad.

Sorry to report the death of a longtime photographer who reinvented himself as a web expert. And while you didn’t know him, if you’re reading this newsletter you may owe him a small debt of gratitude.

CBS is making more changes on how it presents weather. That’s in Names in the News, along with the retirement of a long-ago ND who also reinvented himself…and later benefited from the services of his world famous last employer.

Finally, check out the new ad (and new format) from our friends at Sciline, which offers you free Zoom interviews with experts of a variety of topics, and weather consultant TIM HELLER is advertising as well.

Have a great week.

Plantinga

Newly Named News Directors:

Stanley

WHNS-TV, Greenville, SC…MATT STANLEY moves with Gray Media to become the new ND for this FOX Affiliate. Since 2019, he’s been the ND at WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach. GM BRYCE CALDWELL sent this memo to the staff. Matt’s also worked in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Montgomery, AL. At WHNS, he replaces MARYBETH JACOBY who moved to Gray’s WIS-TV in Columbia, SC as ND.

WOWK-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV…STEPHEN SHAW returns to this Nexstar/CBS affiliate as its next news director. Earlier in his career he was the Assistant ND here before moving up the Nexstar food chain to ND jobs at WTAJ-TV (CBS) in Altoona, PA, and KSEE-KGPE-TV (NBC/CBS) in Fresno, where he’s been since July, 2023. He replaces BOB SCHAPER who left in October to become ND for Scripps’ WGBA-TV in Green Bay.

New News Director Openings:

Smith

KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA…ALLISON SMITH has been promoted to General Manager for sister Hearst station KETV in Omaha. She’s been ND here since 2018. Allison graduated from high school in Nebraska and worked in news at stations in Pennsylvania and Ohio before moving to KCCI. More on her new job in our General Manager News and Notes section below.

KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA…you read above that STEPHEN SHAW has accepted a transfer within Nexstar to become ND for WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV.

WMBF-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC…you also learned above that MATT STANLEY will be the next ND for sister Gray Media station WHNS-TV (FOX) in Greenville, SC.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

News Director, Redwood News, Eureka, CA:

KIEM/KVIQ in beautiful Eureka, California is currently on the lookout for a dynamic individual to fill the role of News Director. The role demands a great deal of patience and a knack for mentoring, making it essential for the candidate to possess strong leadership and coaching skills.

The person stepping into this role will be responsible for overseeing all news, weather, and sports content and execution. You won’t be bogged down by budgets and endless reports. Newsroom experience a must: producers and executive producers are welcome to apply.

Redwood News is situated in Eureka, CA which is the largest city in the two county DMA: Humboldt and Del Norte. Route 101 runs from the top to the bottom of the DMA with breathtaking views of the ocean and weaving in and out of the magnificent Redwoods. There are numerous rivers for kayaking and fishing. The area has a temperate climate, but if it’s heat or snow you seek it’s an hour away inland. The area boasts a significant population of artists and performers and is home to Cal Poly Humboldt University. In recent times Cal Poly has been a feeder to our news staff so you will have a recruiting pipeline.

If you love the outdoors and a laid-back vibe then Eureka is the place to be!

Learn more and apply here!

Salary $68,640

Imagicomm Communications, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, genetic information, ancestry, age, sex, gender, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, veteran status, or any other status or characteristics protected by federal, state and/or local laws. Applicants may notify the appropriate local, state or federal agency if they believe they have been the victims of discrimination.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 1/5/25)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 12/8/24)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 1/12/25)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 1/12/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 1/5/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 1/12/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 1/5/25)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, relisted 1/12/25)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, released 12/22/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/5/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 1/12/25)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 1/12/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/5/25)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 12/22/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/22/24)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted 1/5/25)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listing modified 1/12/25)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, relisted 1/12/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 1/5/25)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Nightside EP, listed 1/5/25)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville FL (listed 1/5/25)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 1/5/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 1/12/25)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 11/17/24)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (relisted 1/5/25)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 1/12/25:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Senior Digital Content Producer)

Listed 1/5/25:

WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (Digital Director)

Relisted 1/5/25:

KGW-TV, Portland, OR (Digital Director)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 12/15/24:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Streaming/Weekend Executive Producer)

Relisted 12/8/24:

Tegna, Jacksonville, or Tampa, FL (Florida Digital Director)

Relisted 12/1/24:

KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager)

Obituary:

Mills

Funeral services for WARREN MILLS will be held Tuesday, January 21, here in Indianapolis. He was 69 and suffered from cancer and kidney disease which returned after a 2014 kidney transplant. (Many of you may owe him a debt of thanks as he did my first website for the newsletter.)

Warren was an early webmaster for WTHR-TV in Indianapolis where he began as a photographer, and also worked in Shreveport, Savannah, and Columbia, MO. This obituary has visitation and service information…but little else. I am hoping it gets updated so keep checking.

Names in the News (and other stuff):

CBS has apparently abandoned (at least temporarily) its partnership with The Weather Channel and turned in house for its weather coverage. Details in this memo from President, Editorial and News Gathering, ADRIENNE ROARK and in this story from Newscast studio.

At Sinclair’s WJAR-TV (NBC) in Providence, RI, morning producer DAN PAQUET has been promoted to assistant news director.

Petrovich

Former News Director RON PETROVICH has retired from his second career, finishing at the Mayo Clinic, leaving with the title of Emeritus, Communications Director. Check out his post on his retirement AND his first party tale from 2015 of how he benefited a few years ago from Mayo’s medical expertise. He’s a former ND in Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Saginaw.

General Manager News and Notes:

Apparently there was a BIG sale on filling GM and other senior management jobs. We missed out, though I did get a free bag of chips for my birthday at a local sub shop.

There is one apparent opening which I’ve had trouble confirming. RIC HARRIS has apparently left WCAU-TV after almost ten years as GM of that NBC o-and-o. We’ll keep trying to confirm.

Plantinga

We’ll start with Scripps, which promoted LYN PLANTINGA to Senior VP of Local Media. She’ll also keep the day job as GM for WTVF-TV (CBS) in Nashville, which she’s been since 2015 and assumed regional responsibilities last year. Her background is unique, serving at WTVF (at different times, of course) as Assistant ND AND national sales manager. She replaces (and will report to) DEAN LITTLETON, who was promoted to EVP of media broadcast operations last month.

Rogers

TRACEY ROGERS will oversee Nexstar stations in Panama City, Dothan, AL, and Columbus, GA. She’s a long ago news director in Huntsville and Memphis, and has held general manager jobs in Jonesboro, AR, Memphis, and Nashville, and also served as a regional SVP for Nexstar. More on her background here.

MIKE MORSE will run Nexstar stations KSEE/KGPE-TV (NBC/CBS) in Fresno.

JON McGUIRE moves from Columbus, GA, to Charlotte, where he’ll oversee WJYZ/WMYT-TV.

MITZI COLEMAN leaves WTRF-TV Wheeling, WV, where she was GM for about 18 months to WEHT-TV in Evansville, IN, as GM there.

And TINA CASTANO gets a promotion from GM in Elmira and Binghamton, NY, to run stations in Burlington, VT.

But wait! There’s more!

Hearst made TWO GM moves, shifting SHAWN OSWALD from KETV in Omaha to WISN-TV in Milwaukee, and promoted ALLISON SMITH, ND at KCCI-TV in Des Moines, to replace Shawn at KETV.

Not to be left out, Tegna names SCOTT DEMPSEY GM for WLTX-TV in Columbia, SC. He’s a former GM for WBTV in Charlotte and a former regional GM for Raycom.

And Sinclair promoted JON KRAMER to GM for WMSN-TV (FOX) in Madison, WI. He’d been the GSM there and is also (ya gotta’ like this) the founder and President of the Wisconsin Billiards Hall of Fame, as detailed in the link above.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, January 12, 2025:

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

WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
KDFW-TV 400 N. Griffin Street Dallas, TX 75202
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
WISH-TV 1950 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74129
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KCCI-TV 888 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WSAV-TV 1430 East Victory Drive Savannah, GA 31404
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd. East; Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KSFY-TV 325 S 1st Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503 (see ad above!)
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station