Rick Gevers & Associates

March 6, 2022

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 UPDATE:

Greetings:

One item today, but it’s a another big one.

A veteran news director gets her first GM job…in a top five market.

Frank

KELLY FRANK, currently the Director of Content (aka news director) for Tegna’s WTSP-TV (CBS) in Tampa, has been named President and General Manager for KYW-TV, the CBS o-and-o in Philadelphia.

Details are in this news release, where you will learn more about her background, including working earlier in her career with one of the Presidents of the CBS stations, ADRIENNE ROARK.

Kelly’s a former ND in Columbus, OH, (WBNS-TV/CBS), has worked for CNN, and in a variety of local markets. Her WTSP bio has more.

More in our full newsletter Sunday.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

The key word this week is RETURN.

Many of the moves involved people either returning to their old station or to their home state.

All part of a flurry of ND hires this week, with SIX jobs filled. And the TWO new openings were created by people taking new jobs within their current companies.

Our list of open ND jobs stands at 39.

TWO of those ND jobs are among our FOUR Paid Help Wanted ads.

And we have a NEW Paid Help Wanted ad this week for a job at the University of Mississippi.

THREE GMs are in the news this week, as well as a one-time San Francisco Bay Area reporter who is returning to the market in management. And there’s a new exec at ABC News.

Enjoy this week’s newsletter and I promised to send out next week’s newsletter BEFORE I start working on another failed basketball bracket.

Newly Named News Directors:

Hogensen

WSYX-WTTE-TV, Columbus, OH…NICOLE HOGENSEN returns to her native Ohio as she will be the next news director for this Sinclair owned ABC/FOX duopoly. She’s leaving WPTV (Scripps-NBC) in West Palm Beach after eleven years, six as ND. Nicole replaces JAMIE JUSTICE, promoted to a Group ND role at Sinclair after seven years as ND of the 14 years she worked there.

Woodard

WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY…JEFF WOODARD shows you CAN go home again returning to this Tegna/NBC affiliate after six years. He spent 18 years here, the last 7+ as ND, before leaving in 2016 to take the Director of Marketing job at SUNY-Fredonia. Here’s part of the note from GM JIM TOELLNER. Jeff began in radio in Syracuse. He replaces ATHAN KOMPOS who left last year after 20 years, four as ND.

Dangler

WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH…another Ohio native returns home as OLIVIA DANGLER joins this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate as ND. Here’s the staff note from GM JOE ABOUZEID which details her background. Olivia comes from sister Nexstar station WHTM-TV (ABC) in Harrisburg, PA, where she’s been ND for two years. Olivia replaces LONI BLANDFORD who’s moving to the Nexstar recruiting team after 4 1/2 years as ND here.

Mulligan

WSIL-TV, Harrisburg, IL…it’s another homecoming as JEFF MULLIGAN returns to his first station. He’s the new ND for this Allen Media Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate, as you’ll learn in this news release. Jeff’s currently the Dayside EP for KGO-TV (ABC owned) in San Francisco. A native of Chicago, Jeff attended nearby SIU and worked in Cape Girardeau, Peoria and Indianapolis. At WSIL, Jeff replaces JEFF WEINRICH who left last year for a marketing job with a local health group.

Boatman

WAND-TV, Decatur, IL…JACKLYNN BOATMAN gets her first news director job at this Block Communications owned NBC affiliate. She’s been the Assistant ND there since 2019, and the interim ND since MORGAN SCHAAB left in October to become ND for Tegna’s KFSM-TV in Ft. Smith, AR. Jacklynn’s an alum of Southern Illinois University and also worked in Ft. Myers as a producer. Morgan was ND here for 3 1/2 years. She worked there for 13 years, in two stints.

Ernst

KCBD-TV, Lubbock, TX…we’re late in reporting MATT ERNST’s ascension to ND for this Gray TV NBC affiliate. He’d been the Assistant ND here for the past year following 14 years at KJTV (FOX) in Lubbock, where he began as a weather anchor, became chief meteorologist, and then spent two years as ND. (KJTV is operated by Gray). He replaces BENJI SNEAD who left in October after failing to adhere to Gray’s vaccination policies.

New News Director Openings:

Flynn

WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI…JULIE FLYNN is leaving one Tegna station to return to another. She’s been the news director at this ABC affiliate since early 2019, coming from Tegna’s WKYC-TV (NBC) in Cleveland. She’s now returning to WKYC to be Director of Innovation. Julie also worked for WEWS-TV (Scripps/ABC) during the 15 years she worked in Cleveland.

WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA…you learned about that OLIVIA DANGLER is leaving this Nexstar/ABCs station to become ND at Nexstar’s WDTN-TV (NBC) in Dayton. She’s been ND here for two years.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:

KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.

You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.

This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.

KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.

You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.

To learn more or apply now, click here.

News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:

NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.

The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.

Specific Job Duties:
Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.

Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.

Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

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 by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Names in the News:

Kiriyama

GEORGE KIRIYAMA returns to the Bay Area, this time in management. He’ll be the new Managing Editor for KTVU-TV (FOX) in Oakland/San Francisco. Earlier in his career he was a reporter for KNTV (NBC) before moving to managment where has held a number of jobs, most recently as a managing editor in Las Vegas. His Linkedin page tells the story.

Deshishku

ABC News has named STACIA PHILIPS DESHISHKU executive editor and senior vice president of ABC News. Details here. She’s been VP/GM for ABC Audio, is a former deputy Washington Bureau Chief for ABC News, and has previously worked for CNN and CBS.

General Manager News and Notes:

Siegel

Former WWL-TV (New Orleans) news director BILL SIEGEL gets his second GM job as he moves up I-95 to take over Scripps WPTV (NBC) in W. Palm Beach. He’s been running Scripps’ WSFL-TV in Miami, going there with plans to launch a news department. That got shelved, though WPLG-TV (ABC) now produces newscasts for WSFL. Bill’s also worked in St. Louis, Milwaukee, and San Antonio.

Boenau

A new general manager for the Gray station in Tucson. ROB BOENAU takes over, moving from his current job as marketing director for Gray’s WOIO/WUAB-TV (CBS/CW) in Cleveland, where he has worked for 20 years. Rob’s also worked in Wichita. Left unsaid in the news release was the fate of previous GM MICHAEL HORNFECK, who just named JESSICA BOBULA as ND there on February 16th.

Hormaza

WTIC/WCCT-TV, the Tegna owned FOX/CW duopoly in Hartford, has named HUMBERTO HORMAZA as its next general manager. More details here. He joins the station from the Entravision owned station in Orlando, where he’s been VP/GM for the last eight years. Humberto comes through the sales ranks, having worked in Miami before moving north.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 6, 2022.

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

KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WZZM-TV 645 3 Mile Rd NW. Grand Rapids, MI 49544
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WITN-TV 275 East Arlington Blvd. Greenville, NC 27858
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
KTAB/KRBC-TV 4510 South 14th St. Abilene TX 79605
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
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

**: Spanish language station

February 27, 2022

Greetings:

There were TWO big stories this week, the sale of Tegna and a new president coming for CNN after Discovery takes over the cabler. We’ll cover those below.

A modest week of ND changes, as TWO new ND’s were named, with just TWO new openings.

Our list of open ND jobs is still high at 45.

THREE of those open jobs are among our FOUR Paid Help Wanted ads. The fourth ad is for an Assistant ND job in Texas.

Also this week, we’ll fix an omission from last week’s report on changes at a Massachusettes station. That omission involves a well known broadcaster.

The GM merry go round continues in Buffalo, which has seen FOUR GMs leave stations in the last eight months. That’s among the changes in our GM news section.

NAHJ has a new executive director, ONE local station wins a Polk Award, and there are a lot of news management changes at local stations. We’ll cover those in our Names in the News section, along with the details on the Tegna and CNN changes.

There’s a lot to read in this week’s newsletter. Pour your favorite beverage and enjoy.

Newly Named News Directors:

Burch

KVII-TV, Amarillo, TX…JAMIE BURCH returns to the news director chair as he takes over at this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate. Jamie’s spent the last year or so as the Assistant ND at Scripps’ KXXV-TV in Waco. He’s a former news director at Sinclair’s KTXS-TV (ABC) in Abilene, as well as in Panama City. He’s also worked in Dallas, Atlanta and Mobile. At KVII, he replaces ROGER GRAY who (if my records are correct) left way back in JULY after two years as ND.

Oder

KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN…MICHAEL ODER gets his first ND job at this Gray owned NBC affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND at Gray’s KBTX-TV in Bryan TX for the last five years, in his second stint there. He also reported in Birmingham. Here’s the note from KTTC GM STEPHANIE HEDRICK. Michael replaces MICHELE GORS who was promoted to GM for Gray’s KEYC-TV in Mankato, MN, late last year.

KBTX is looking for Michael’s replacement. You can learn more in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.

New News Director Openings:

Hogensen

WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL…NICOLE HOGENSEN is leaving this Scripps owned NBC affiliate after eleven years there, the last six as news director. Here’s the staff email from GM LARRY OLEVITCH. Nicole told me she’ll announce her next job soon, promised to share that news with me, and when she does…I’ll share it with you. No charge. She’s also worked in Cleveland, Columbus, OH, Richmond, VA, and Erie, PA.

Ruiz

KTAB/KRBC-TV, Abilene, TX…TRAVIS RUIZ is joining the Nexstar recruiting team and thus leaving this sister Nexstar operation (Nexstar owns KTAB/CBS and operates KRBC-NBC). He’s been ND here for five years, worked for KVII-TV in Amarillo twice, and also worked in Colorado Springs for KXRM-TV.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:

KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.

You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.

This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.

KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.

You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.

To learn more or apply now, click here.

News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:

NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.

The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.

Specific Job Duties:
Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.

Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.

Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

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 by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS:

WLBT is Mississippi’s flagship station and the dominant #1 local TV and digital media in Central Mississippi. We are a Gray Television NBC affiliate that consistently produces award-winning local news coverage. Jackson, MS is market #97 serving a 24 county region. WLBT produces 55 hours of news each week, including newscasts for WDBD Fox 40. The Jackson metro is the economic hub of Mississippi and a great place to work, live, and raise a family.

General Responsibilities:

– Five years of previous experience in newsroom leadership is required, as well as strong communication and organizational skills
– A degree in Journalism or Mass Communications is preferred
– Ability to work closely with other station department heads and managers within the company
– Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks

Qualifications:

• Utilize required software and systems (ENPS, Edius, Microsoft Teams, Excel). Strong computer knowledge preferred.
• A self-starter with a proven record of success in leadership, production, and distribution of local news, and development of talent.
• Strong leadership skills and excellent news judgment.
• A successful track record utilizing multi-media digital assets maximizing how news is covered and distributed.
• A passion for production and storytelling, combined with an unwavering commitment to journalistic ethics and standards.
• A community-minded spirit and vision to expand the station’s outreach and impact.
• Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks.

Interested applicants can click here to learn more and apply.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, relisted 1/16/22)
KCNC-TV, Denver, CO (listed 1/23/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 2/27/22)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 1/30/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 2/27/22)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (listed 2/20/22)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 2/6/22)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 2/27/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 1/9/22)
KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX (listed 2/27/22, see ad above!)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC (listed 2/13/22)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (listed 2/20/22)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WDCW-TV, Washington, DC (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 2/13/22)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 1/9/22)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/30/22)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 1/30/22)
KMOV-TV. St. Louis, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 2/27/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/9/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Streaming EP, relisted 2/27/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/13/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (listed 2/20/22)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans (EP Special Projects, revised 2/27/22)
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA (relisted 1/9/22)
KMTV, Omaha, NE (listed 2/13/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 2/27/22)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (relisted 1/9/22)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 1/2/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, listed 1/16/22)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/23/22)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 1/30/22)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, relisted 2/13/22)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 2/27/22)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (listed 1/9/22)

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Listed 12/19/21:

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Director of Innovation News Center

Names in the News:

Certainly the two biggest stories of the week were the sale of Tegna and the pending appointment of a new head of CNN. We brought you early word of both those developments in emailed UPDATES and included links to provide more details.

I did see some new articles of interest.

Poynter’s AL TOMPKINS looks at what the deal means for the stations involved.

TV Newscheck’s HARRY JESSELL wonders if  journalism may suffer because of the huge debt load.

And Broadcasting and Cable interviewed Standard General’s SOO KIM on why he found the Tegna group attractive.

Licht

Saturday’s update on CHRIS LICHT‘s apparent promotion (though not officially announced yet) to President of CNN is getting lots of coverage in mainstream media of course. Yesterday’s UPDATE brought you links from CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

If you missed those stories, here they are again:

CNN:

The NY Times:

The Wall Street Journal:

Licht has a news background as a former EP for CBS This Morning and was the founding EP for ‘Morning Joe’ on MSNBC. He also worked for NBC owned stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco. His CBS bio has more.

He also survived a cerebral hemorrhage in 2010 and wrote a book about the experience, “What I Learned when I Almost Died.”

Pena

NAHJ has named DAVID PENA, Jr. as its next executive director. He’s a veteran non-profit executive who has run many different organizations, as you’ll learn in the news release.

Congratulation to KNXV-TV (Scripps/ABC) in Phoenix which, I believe was the only local TV station to win a George Polk Award. The full list is here.

Payne

A move within Nexstar sends CHRIS PAYNE to WNCN-TV (CBS) in Raleigh as Assistant News Director. It’s a return to Raleigh for Chris, who’s currently the Assistant ND for Nexstar’s WRIC-TV in Richmond and has also worked in Charlottesville and Memphis. Of note: he worked at WMC-TV in Memphis where his boss was TAMMY PHILLIPS, now Nexstar’s Director of Talent Acquisition.

Nguyen

THUY LAN NGUYEN moves from reporting to management as she has joined Tegna’s WBIR-TV (NBC) in Knoxville as its next assistant news director. She moves from Tegna’s WTSP-TV (CBS) in Tampa-St. Petersburg where she has been a multi skilled journalist (aka one man band) for the last 2+ years.. Thuy’s complete work history is here.

Amato

WKBN/WYTV/WYFX-TV in Youngstown, OH, has promoted KATELYN AMATO to nightside executive producer. Here’s the news release. She’s been a producer for this Nexstar operation and has also worked in Columbus, OH, and as an associate producer for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.

General Manager News and Notes:

Kennedy

BRIEN KENNEDY becomes the fourth Buffalo GM to leave a station in the last eight months as he’s announced his retirement from WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS). More here. He’s been here two years, and previously was the GM for three CBS owned stations, KYW-TV (Philadelphia), WCCO-TV (Minneapolis) and WFOR-TV (Miami).

After leaving KYW, Kennedy filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission claiming he was fired for cooperating into a probe of misconduct against former o-and-o division president PETER DUNN and his top lieutenant, o-and-o news head DAVID FRIEND.

KAPP/KVEW-TV in Yakima/Kennewick, WA, has named JAMES LOFTUS as its next general manager. He joins this Morgan Murphy Media operation from KOLD-TV in Tucson where he was sales director.

Our report last week on management changes at WGGB-WHSM-TV in Springfield, MA, omitted a key fact. We told you ND PATIENCE HETTRICK was assuming additional duties as Station Manager, reporting to DANA NEVES, GM for sister Gray (formerly Meredith) station WFSB-TV in Hartford.

Doerr

What we didn’t know was the fate of former WGGB/WHSM GM STEVE DOERR. We’ve learned he quietly left as part of Gray’s reorganization of its stations in the northeast. Many of you know Steve, a former GM, ND, and network executive.

Quick items:

Sinclair has named ROB WEISBORD COO and President of Broadcasting.

And Sinclair promoted TODD BERNSTEIN to station manager of its Washington station, WJLA-TV (ABC). He was Director of Sales there.

And speaking of Washington, Gray Television has promoted LISA ALLEN to be General Manager of its Washington operations.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 27, 2022.

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

KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WSYX-TV 1261 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY 14202
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WDTN-TV 4595 S. Dixie Dr. Dayton OH 45439
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr. Carterville, IL 62918
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur, IL 62521
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201 (see ad above!)
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WITN-TV 275 East Arlington Blvd. Greenville, NC 27858
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KCBD-TV 5600 Avenue A Lubbock, TX 79404
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
KTAB/KRBC-TV 4510 South 14th St. Abilene TX 79605
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
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

**: Spanish language station

February 21, 2022

Saturday, February 26, 2022 UPDATE:

Greetings:

One item today, but it’s a big one.

CNN has apparently decided on a successor to JEFF ZUCKER who left the network earlier this month.

Licht

It’s CHRIS LICHT, currently the EP of the Late Show with Steven Colbert, who will take over once the sale to Discovery is complete.

These stories for you:

CNN:

The NY Times:

The Wall Street Journal:

While he may now be overseeing a comedy show, he’s a former EP for CBS This Morning and was the founding EP for ‘Morning Joe’ on MSNBC. He also worked for NBC owned stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco. More here.

And he wrote a book about a cerebral hemorrhage he suffered in 2010 entitled “What I Learned when I Almost Died.”

More in our full newsletter sometime Sunday.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Tuesday, February 22, 2022 UPDATE:

Greetings:

One item today.

After months of rumors, Tegna is selling to Standard General, with a few spinoffs, notably some big stations in Texas which will go to Cox.

Details here.

More in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

We actually saw a small drop in the number of news director openings this week, as FIVE new ND’s were named, with just THREE new openings.

So our list of open ND jobs drops to 43. Still, that’s higher than usual.

SIX of those open jobs are featured in Paid Help Wanted ads.

In this week’s edition, there’s an obituary for a former Louisiana General Manager.

Also this week, we clear up a mystery that we described in last week’s edition.

News about TWO former CBS o-and-o GM’s, as ONE lands a new job while a current one is shown the door.

And a promotion for a Massachusettes ND…though she will still keep her day job.

The year is off to a busy start…we’ll have the latest in our full report for you next weekend.

Newly Named News Directors:

News 12 Long Island, New York, NY…ROBERT RIVAS has been named Senior News Director for the Altice owned hyper local cable news channel. Here’s the note from Altice SVP JACQUES NATZ. Robert’s spent most of his career at NBC News and the last eight months as an EP for Alongi Media. Robert replaces JIM WHITEMAN who retired last year after 35 years at News 12, where he was part of the original launch team.

KIAH-TV, Houston, TX…ANGEL COVARRUBIAS will be the next news director for this Nexstar owned CW affiliate. He’s been a regional news director for Entravision in some of its Texas markets and has also worked on air in San Antonio, Austin, and Brownsville. At KIAH, he replaces SCOTT FITZGERALD (whose title was Director of Operations) who left earlier this year for a sales job with Newtek.

WDRB-TV, Louisville, KY…JENNIFER KEENEY ascends to news director at this Block owned FOX affiliate. Details here. She’s a 24 year veteran of the station, most recently serving as the assistant news director. Jennifer has also worked in Philadelphia and San Francisco. She replaces BARRY FULMER who left to become ND for Scripps’ WCPO-TV in Cincinnati.

KOLD-TV, Tucson, AZ…JESSICA BOBULA continues her tour through Gray TV as she returns to this CBS affiliate as ND. You’ll learn in this memo from GM MICHAEL HORNFECK she was an EP here earlier. She’s currently ND for WITN-TV (NBC) in Greenville, NC and also worked at WIS-TV (NBC) in Columbia, SC. Jessica replaces JENELLE SHRINER who moved to Gray’s WAVE-TV (NBC) in Louisville as ND.

KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA…this Scripps station has promoted VERONICA PLACENCIA to news director. She’s been the Assistant ND since she joined this ABC affiliate in 2019, and the interim ND since SUZANNE RODRIGUEZ left way back in September after two years as ND and four at the station. Veronica has been an ND for KTSM-TV in El Paso, TX before moving to Bakersfield.

New News Director Openings:

WITN-TV, Greenville, NC…you learned above that JESSICA BOBULA is returning to KOLD-TV as news director after two years here. Both stations are owned by Gray.

KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA…BRIT STACK has left this Allen Media Broadcasting owned Fox/NBC duopoly after just about a year as the news director. She’s also worked in New Orleans and for two stations Johnson City, TN. You can learn more about this opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad just below.

KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, LA….and speaking of NBC affiliates along I-10 in Southern Louisiana, this NBC affiliate is also looking for a new ND to replace GREG DeBROSSE. Greg is leaving to become Director of Live Storytelling for The Weather Channel. Be sure to check out this note he sent me describing his time at KPLC. He’s been the ND here since August, 2018. His complete career history is here.

An update on an ND change we reported last week. We told you that J BATES was leaving KIVI-TV in Boise to join the Scripps recruiting team. I mentioned that I did not know what…if anything…the J stood for.

J kindly reached out and explained:

It actually is just J. In the 1800s the men in my family went from John to J according to Ancestry.com. We aren’t sure why, probably someone didn’t learn to write. But it’s been a family tradition ever since for the first born son. My grandfather, father and now my son all have just the letter J in our names.

Thanks for the shout out.

And thanks to J for the explanation!

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:

NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.

The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.

Specific Job Duties:
Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.

Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.

Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, KTVX, Salt Lake City, UT:

Nexstar Inc., America’s largest local broadcasting company, is seeking a dynamic and collaborative News Director for one of the fastest growing, and largest geographic DMAs in the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah (Market #29.) The KTVX/ABC4 News Director will lead a staff of committed journalists, and will supervises all aspects of news, news content, weather, and sports programming production.

Work in one of the top “relocation” and “move-in” states in the country. Utah enjoys some of the best outdoor activities in the world, with unique natural wonders and topography, including amazing National and State Parks, and some of the best ski-resorts as well as world class hiking, climbing and biking trails.

Utah is home to many colleges and universities, and has the youngest-age population in the United States. The state is also one of the most business-friendly states in the country. It has become a magnet for SMB entrepreneurs, and digital and tech start-ups. Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, and Ogden rank as top 10 cities for tech start-ups and starting SMB’s.

ABC4 & CW30 produce 10 hours of news and local content a day, with additional hours on the weekend. The station has the most accurate weather forecasting team (11 years in row) and airs the only weekly political program in the market, Inside Utah Politics. ABC4 is the most highly regarded news station for local, state, and federal political reporting in Utah, including our coverage of candidate debates.

Apply here!

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 by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS:

WLBT is Mississippi’s flagship station and the dominant #1 local TV and digital media in Central Mississippi. We are a Gray Television NBC affiliate that consistently produces award-winning local news coverage. Jackson, MS is market #97 serving a 24 county region. WLBT produces 55 hours of news each week, including newscasts for WDBD Fox 40. The Jackson metro is the economic hub of Mississippi and a great place to work, live, and raise a family.

General Responsibilities:

– Five years of previous experience in newsroom leadership is required, as well as strong communication and organizational skills
– A degree in Journalism or Mass Communications is preferred
– Ability to work closely with other station department heads and managers within the company
– Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks

Qualifications:

• Utilize required software and systems (ENPS, Edius, Microsoft Teams, Excel). Strong computer knowledge preferred.
• A self-starter with a proven record of success in leadership, production, and distribution of local news, and development of talent.
• Strong leadership skills and excellent news judgment.
• A successful track record utilizing multi-media digital assets maximizing how news is covered and distributed.
• A passion for production and storytelling, combined with an unwavering commitment to journalistic ethics and standards.
• A community-minded spirit and vision to expand the station’s outreach and impact.
• Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks.

Interested applicants can click here to learn more and apply.

 

News Director, KBJR-TV, Duluth, MN:

Are you ready to lead an award-winning News Department? Are you ready to maintain our news staff’s reputation as the market leader? Are you ready to ensure that our staff of journalists remains relevant to our viewers? Do you have a vision for how local news will be shaped in the future? Are you a guide, a coach, a teacher, a mentor, a recruiter, and a trusted colleague?

If you fit that description, then the Gray Television station serving northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin has an opportunity for you!

Located on the shores of the greatest of Great Lakes, Lake Superior in Duluth Minnesota, you will find KBJR Inc. situated in a state-of-the-art broadcast facility with resources generally found in larger markets.

If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you can consider our area paradise with the splendor of natural resources. If you are looking to grow your career professionally and personally, Gray Television excels at providing you with the resources to do so. In Duluth, the winters can be cold, but the hearts are warm, and the spring, summers and fall are a well-kept secret.

So, if you grow to call Duluth home, or merely consider it a step in your career journey, you will not regret your time spent here. If you’re ready to lead, what are you waiting for? Apply now!:

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, relisted 1/16/22)
KCNC-TV, Denver, CO (listed 1/23/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 12/26/21)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 1/30/22)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 1/23/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 12/26/21)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (listed 2/20/22)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 2/6/22)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (relisted 12/26/21)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 1/9/22)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC (listed 2/13/22)
KATC-TV, Lafayette, LA (listed 1/23/22)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (listed 2/20/22)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WDCW-TV, Washington, DC (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 2/13/22)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 1/9/22)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/30/22)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 1/30/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/9/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Streaming EP, listed 12/19/21)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 1/23/22)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/13/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (listed 2/20/22)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (relisted 1/30/22)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans (2 jobs, EP Spec. Proj., revised 2/13/22)
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA (relisted 1/9/22)
KMTV, Omaha, NE (listed 2/13/22)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (relisted 1/9/22)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 1/2/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, listed 1/16/22)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted 1/30/22)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/23/22)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 1/30/22)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (Digital EP, listing modified 12/26/21)
WKBN-TV, Youngstown, OH (listed 2/6/22)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, relisted 2/13/22)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 12/12/21)
KATC-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 1/23/22)
KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (listed 1/9/22)

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Listed 12/19/21:

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Director of Innovation News Center

Obituary:

GARY HARDESTY, a one time GM and part owner of Lake Charles KVHP-TV (FOX) died February 11 at the age of 76. More details about his life and career in this obituary.

Names in the News:

Congratulations to PATIENCE HETTRICK, news director for Gray’s WGGB-TV and WHSM-TV. Patience will assume additional duties as station manager for this ABC/CBS duopoly. More details in this news release. She’s been the news director here since 2015, and previously worked at sister stations WFSB-TV in Hartford. The ND at WFSB when she was there was DANA NEVES. Dana’s now the GM there, and Patience will report to her.

General Manager News and Notes:

JAY HOWELL will be the next GM for Nexstar’s KLAS-TV (CBS) in Las Vegas. More here. He most recently spent FOUR years as GM for THREE CBS owned stations, most recently KCBS/KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. He was GM for KOVR/KMAX-TV in Sacramento (one year) and KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh (13 months).

And another CBS owned station has a GM opening, as AUDRA SWAIN has left WJZ-TV in Baltimore. She’s been there about 4 1/2 years and is the latest of the GM’s named by ousted stations division president PETER DUNN to leave her post. ADRIENNE ROARK, one of the Presidents of the station’s division, will serve as interim GM.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 20, 2022.

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

KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104 (see ad above!)
WSYX-TV 1261 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY 14202
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WDTN-TV 4595 S. Dixie Dr. Dayton OH 45439 (see ad above!)
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr. Carterville, IL 62918
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur, IL 62521
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201 (see ad above!)
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WITN-TV 275 East Arlington Blvd. Greenville, NC 27858
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN/KLAF-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KCBD-TV 5600 Avenue A Lubbock, TX 79404
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KTTC-TV 6301 Bandel Road NW Rochester, MN 55901
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790 (see ad above!)
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
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

**: Spanish language station

February 13, 2022

Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 UPDATE:

A new ND in market #1 and two interesting GM moves in today’s UPDATE.

Rivas

The largest market opening on our list of open jobs was filled today. News 12 Long Island named ROBERT RIVAS as its senior news director. Here’s the memo from News 12’s SVP and GM JACQUES NATZ. Robert’s an 18 year veteran of NBC News, where he held many jobs, and has spent the last eight months as an EP for Alongi Media. Robert replaces JIM WHITEMAN who retired late last year after 35 years at the hyper local cable network.

Howell

A former KCBS-TV (Los Angeles) GM has a new job. JAY HOWELL, who left that o-and-o last July, has landed at Nexstar’s KLAS-TV (CBS) in Las Vegas. Details here. Jay had a whirlwind tour of the CBS o-and-o’s, having run THREE of them in FOUR years, starting at KOVR/KMAX-TV in Sacramento (one year) and KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh (13 months). Many of our older readers will remember Jay’s father, JOHN HOWELL, who was a longtime GM at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh and an ND in several markets.

Swain

Jay left KCBS the same day DEREK DALTON was dismissed from CBS’s Chicago station, WBBM-TV, as part of what some have called a purge of GM’s from the PETER DUNN era. And that ‘purge’ continued today as another of those GMs, AUDREY SWAIN, left CBS’s WJZ-TV in Baltimore after 4+ years. Broadcasting & Cable has more on her departure. ADRIENNE ROARK, who is one of the Presidents of the CBS stations group, will serve as interim GM at WJZ. She’s a former ND and GM.

It’s shaping up as another busy week, which we’ll recap in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Another week with a lot of news director changes, but the number of stations with an ND opening remains at 45.

That’s after FIVE new news directors and FIVE new openings this week. FIVE of those open jobs make up our FIVE paid help wanted ads.

ONE obituary for the former President of an Illinois station.

Congratulations to NINE local stations who were either winners or finalists for DuPont Columbia Awards. We’ll give you the list AND a chance to watch the honorees.

And there are a handful of new news managers to report in our Names in the News section.

Have a great week!

Newly Named News Directors:

Dello Stritto

KCBS/KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, CA…we told you in a Tuesday UPDATE that MIKE DELLO STRITTO is being promoted to VP/News Director for this CBS owned duopoly. He’s been ND for CBS’s Sacramento duopoly, KOVR/KMAX-TV for about four years. He’s also been an ND in Las Vegas, worked as Managing Editor at KPIX-TV (CBS owned) in San Francisco and started as a reporter. At KCBS, he replaces ANDREA PARQUET-TAYLOR who becomes VP, CW and independent stations ND, based at CBS’s KTVT-TV in Dallas.

Reed

KGTV, San Diego, CA…our Wednesday UPDATE brought first word of TODD REED’s appointment as news director for this Scripps owned ABC station. New this edition: the staff note from GM LEON CLARK. Todd’s been in SLC for 2 1/2 years and has an interesting background. At KGTV, he succeeds DORIS LEWIS who left in June after 18 months as ND.

Cihock

KXAN-TV, Austin, TX…we had a lot of news in that Wednesday UPDATE. That’s where we told you that HALEY CIHOCK was being promoted to news director for this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate. She’s a 22 year veteran of the station who most recently was the Assistant ND. Haley replaces CHAD CROSS who is moving to Dallas as VP/Content Development for the CBS stations group. Chad was ND here for 10 years.

Wheeler

WETM-TV, Elmira, NY…ZACH WHEELER is adding additional duties as news director at this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate. He’s been at WETM 15 years, and has been the main anchor and managing editor for the last 3 1/2. He’s also worked in West Virginia. At WETM, he replaces STONE GRISSOM who left in December after one year as ND. Stone’s Linkedin page says he is now an assistant news director for a Gray station in Texas.

Harvison

KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA…JOSH HARVISON returns to Louisiana as the next ND for this Gray owned CBS/ABC operation. Josh posted this to his Linkedin account. He’s been the news director at sister Gray station WBNG-TV (CBS) in Binghamton, NY for the last two years. Earlier he worked in Shreveport, LA and Jonesboro, AR. He replaces BRAD GINSBURG. We told you last week that Brad was returning to Texas as ND for KVEO/KGBT-TV in Harlingen, TX.

New News Director Openings:

KOVR/KMAX-TV, Sacramento, CA…you learned above that MIKE DELLO STRITTO is moving within CBS to become ND for its Los Angeles duopoly, KCBS/KCAL-TV. Mike’s been ND here since 2018.

KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT...you also learned above that TODD REED is also headed to sunny southern California. He’ll be the next ND for Scripps’ KGTV (ABC) in San Diego after 2 1/2 years as ND for this Nexstar owned ABC affiliate. Learn more about this opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.

Blandford

WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH…LONI BLANDFORD is giving up the ND chair here to move to the Nexstar recruiting team. Here’s how GM JOE ABOUZEID told the staff. Loni’s been there ND here for 4 1/2 years, coming from then-Nexstar owned WISH-TV in Indianapolis, where she was Managing Editor and EP investigations. She’s also worked in Las Vegas, Nashville, and Greenville, NC. Learn more about this opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.

Bates

KIVI-TV, Boise, ID…J BATES (not a typo nor do I know what…if anything…the J stands for) is leaving this Scripps ABC affiliate to join the Scripps recruiting team. He’s been the news director here for about four years, moving from the digital director position. J started his career on air as a sports anchor and reporter.

WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY…another move you learned about in our New News Director section above finds JOSH HARVISON returning to Louisiana as ND for sister Gray station KNOE-TV. Learn more about this opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted Ad below.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KTVX, Salt Lake City, UT:

Nexstar Inc., America’s largest local broadcasting company, is seeking a dynamic and collaborative News Director for one of the fastest growing, and largest geographic DMAs in the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah (Market #29.) The KTVX/ABC4 News Director will lead a staff of committed journalists, and will supervises all aspects of news, news content, weather, and sports programming production.

Work in one of the top “relocation” and “move-in” states in the country. Utah enjoys some of the best outdoor activities in the world, with unique natural wonders and topography, including amazing National and State Parks, and some of the best ski-resorts as well as world class hiking, climbing and biking trails.

Utah is home to many colleges and universities, and has the youngest-age population in the United States. The state is also one of the most business-friendly states in the country. It has become a magnet for SMB entrepreneurs, and digital and tech start-ups. Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, and Ogden rank as top 10 cities for tech start-ups and starting SMB’s.

ABC4 & CW30 produce 10 hours of news and local content a day, with additional hours on the weekend. The station has the most accurate weather forecasting team (11 years in row) and airs the only weekly political program in the market, Inside Utah Politics. ABC4 is the most highly regarded news station for local, state, and federal political reporting in Utah, including our coverage of candidate debates.

Apply here!

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 by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS:

WLBT is Mississippi’s flagship station and the dominant #1 local TV and digital media in Central Mississippi. We are a Gray Television NBC affiliate that consistently produces award-winning local news coverage. Jackson, MS is market #97 serving a 24 county region. WLBT produces 55 hours of news each week, including newscasts for WDBD Fox 40. The Jackson metro is the economic hub of Mississippi and a great place to work, live, and raise a family.

General Responsibilities:

– Five years of previous experience in newsroom leadership is required, as well as strong communication and organizational skills
– A degree in Journalism or Mass Communications is preferred
– Ability to work closely with other station department heads and managers within the company
– Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks

Qualifications:

• Utilize required software and systems (ENPS, Edius, Microsoft Teams, Excel). Strong computer knowledge preferred.
• A self-starter with a proven record of success in leadership, production, and distribution of local news, and development of talent.
• Strong leadership skills and excellent news judgment.
• A successful track record utilizing multi-media digital assets maximizing how news is covered and distributed.
• A passion for production and storytelling, combined with an unwavering commitment to journalistic ethics and standards.
• A community-minded spirit and vision to expand the station’s outreach and impact.
• Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks.

Interested applicants can click here to learn more and apply.

 

News Director, KBJR-TV, Duluth, MN:

Are you ready to lead an award-winning News Department? Are you ready to maintain our news staff’s reputation as the market leader? Are you ready to ensure that our staff of journalists remains relevant to our viewers? Do you have a vision for how local news will be shaped in the future? Are you a guide, a coach, a teacher, a mentor, a recruiter, and a trusted colleague?

If you fit that description, then the Gray Television station serving northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin has an opportunity for you!

Located on the shores of the greatest of Great Lakes, Lake Superior in Duluth Minnesota, you will find KBJR Inc. situated in a state-of-the-art broadcast facility with resources generally found in larger markets.

If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you can consider our area paradise with the splendor of natural resources. If you are looking to grow your career professionally and personally, Gray Television excels at providing you with the resources to do so. In Duluth, the winters can be cold, but the hearts are warm, and the spring, summers and fall are a well-kept secret.

So, if you grow to call Duluth home, or merely consider it a step in your career journey, you will not regret your time spent here. If you’re ready to lead, what are you waiting for? Apply now!:

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Listed 12/19/21:

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Director of Innovation News Center

Obituary:

DENNIS WEST, who was President of WIFR-TV in Rockford, died January 28th at the age of 77. More details about his life and career in this obituary.

Names in the News:

The DuPont Columbia Awards were announced this week, and, if my count is correct FOUR local commercial stations were winners. Congrats to KNTV (NBC owned-San Francisco/San Jose), KNXV-TV (ABC/Scripps/Phoenix), KARE-TV (NBC-Tegna-Minneapolis) and KXTV (ABC-Tegna-Sacramento). And THREE stations were finalists: WBBM-TV (CBS owned-Chicago), KUSA-TV (NBC-Tegna-Denver) and WVUE-TV (Fox-Gray-New Orleans). You can watch all the winners and finalists here.

Capriolo

WDJT-TV in Milwaukee has hired TONY CAPRIOLO as its new assistant news director. Here’s the memo from WDJT news director JESSIE GARCIA. Tony joins the Weigel owned CBS affiliate from WMAQ-TV (NBC) in Chicago, where he was (deep breath) Daypart Manager, Afternoon Newscasts-Special Projects. He’s a 17 year veteran of WMAQ and also worked in Green Bay.

At another Scripps station, KERO-TV in Bakersfield, LIARDA YOAKUM has been promoted to executive producer. Liarda had been a morning producer at this ABC station.

Some new managers at Nexstar stations:

JANICE O’SHEA moves down I-65 to become the dayside EP for WXIN-WTTV (FOX/CBS) in Indianapolis. She’s been the EP and Assignment Manager at WLFI-TV (CBS) in Lafayette, LA IN, and was there seven years in her second stint.

JAKE TACKEBERRY moves to KNWA-TV in Fayetteville/Fort Smith, AR, as assistant ND. He’s been working for KOAM-TV (CBS) in Pittsburg, KS-Joplin, MO.

General Manager News and Notes:

To my knowledge, no GM changes this week. I do expect one job to be filled next week with a well known name. Watch this space! 🙂

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 13, 2022:

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