Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

December 8, 2024

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 UPDATE:

Greetings:

One of the largest market news director openings has been filled by a veteran newswoman.

Bonfield

KATHRYN BONFIELD will be the next news director for Tegna’s KHOU-TV (CBS) in Houston. She most recently spent 13 years as ND for Graham Media’s independent station in Jacksonville, WJXT-TV, a job she left earlier this summer. Longtime Houston media blogger MIKE McGUFF has more on Kathryn’s appointment. Her complete career history is here.

At KHOU, she replaces LIZ ROLDAN who left in October after more than three years as ND.

We’ll see you this weekend with our full newsletter, hopefully closer to our normal publishing schedule.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Apologies for our very late post.

But it’s another busy week.

There are THREE new news directors to share, with THREE new openings, TWO in top 20 markets.

That means there are now 40 stations with ND openings by my count.

Sciline is back with some interesting interview opportunities.

There’s ONE new GM to share, and a 45 years career with Magid comes to an end this week.

Those stories and more as you read on.

Newly Named News Directors:

Taylor

Campagna

WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY…JIM CAMPAGNA spent 35 years at this Nexstar owned ABC affiliate, the last 15 as news director. He began there as a reporter but is retiring this Wednesday. He’ll be replaced by ROB TAYLOR, who joined the station earlier this year as the assistant news director. Much more about both here.

Allen

KIVI-TV, Boise, ID…NATALEE ALLEN returns to this Scripps owned ABC affiliate as news director. Earlier in her career, she was the morning anchor/reporter before moving across town to KTVB-TV as the assistant ND. Station Manager LAURIE ASIN told the staff via this memo. At KIVI, Natalee replaces KEITH ST. PETER who’s going to become Scripps’ Director of Newsroom Artificial Intelligence.

Brautigan

WJET/WFXP-TV, Erie, PA…BAILEY BRAUTIGAN moves within Nexstar to become the next ND for this ABC/FOX opeation. She’s been the Assistant ND at WOWK-TV in Charleston-Huntington, WV, for the past four years. Her Linkedin page has more. She replaces COREY MORRIS who left after 18 months as ND. Nexstar owns WJET and operates WFXP which is owned by Mission Broadcasting.

New News Director Openings:

WPHL-TV, Philadelphia, PA…MARQUES WHITE says he will leave this Nexxtar owned CW affiliate in a few months, He wants to return to New York City. He joined the station in May 2023.

Hoffman

WTVT-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL…our Tuesday UPDATE first told you that JOHN HOFFMAN is retiring after 37 years at what is now a FOX o-and-o. He’s been the news director here since 2010 and first joined what was then a CBS affiliate in 1987 as a producer/writer, and moved up the ranks, including ten years as the Assistant News Director.

Wideman

WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA…KATHY WIDEMAN is leaving this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate after just over two years as ND. She’s taking a job outside of television.. Kathy earlier spent ten years as the Assistant ND at Nexstar’s WJBF-TV in Augusta, GA.

Interview an Expert

Zoom – All SciLine events are free

Wednesday, December 11 (1-3 p.m. EDT)

Seventeen states have some form of fetal personhood law—and the potential implications of such laws gained international attention in Alabama last year, when that state’s supreme court ruled that frozen embryos had the same rights as children, resulting in IVF clinics pausing their services.

Book a 15-minute, 1-on-1 Zoom interview with Dr. Emily S. Jungheim (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine).

She can discuss:

How in vitro fertilization works—and why it typically involves the production of extra embryos;
Fertility patients’ options for these extra embryos, including donating them (for scientific research purposes, or to another family), destroying them, or keeping them frozen indefinitely;
The effects of fetal personhood laws on fertility medicine practitioners and patients; and more.

BOOK NOW

Wednesday, December 11 (3-5 p.m. EDT)

Nearly 100 million households display a Christmas tree, according to industry research.

Book a 15-minute, 1-on-1 Zoom interview with Dr. Justin Whitehill (NC State).

He can discuss:

Current work on breeding Christmas trees that don’t drop their needles, and are more resilient to climate change, resistant to pests, and have other desirable attributes;
How climate change is affecting Christmas tree farming;
The effect of Hurricane Helene’s landfall in North Carolina on the national tree supply; and more.

BOOK NOW

SciLine, a philanthropically funded, free service for reporters, also runs a free expert matching service that connects reporters rapidly to scientist-sources on deadline.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

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

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 9/29/24)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 12/8/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/1/24)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (relisted 9/29/24)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (listed 11/3/24)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 11/10/24)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 11/10/24)
WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted 11/10/24)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 11/10/24)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 9/29/24)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, listed 10/27/24)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 11/3/24)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, listed 9/29/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 10/13/24)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 10/13/24)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/27/24)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/20/24)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 9/29/24)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 11/17/24)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/29/29)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Senior Content Producer, listed 11/10/24)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, listing modified 10/6/24)
WYFF-TV, Greenville-Spartanburg-Ashville, (listed 10/20/24)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (relisted 9/29/24)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (EP Lifestyle Show, listed 11/10/24)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (relisted 10/20/24)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem NC, (Weekend EP, relisted 10/20/24)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 10/20/24)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 10/20/24)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 9/29/24)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 11/17/24)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (listed 9/29/29)
KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT (relisted 9/2/24)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 12/8/24:

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

Relisted 12/1/24:

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

Listed 11/24/24:

KETK-TV, Tyler TX (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 11/17/24:

Spectrum News, Austin, TX (Managing Director)

Listed 11/3/24:

KGW-TV, Portland OR (Digital Director)

Listed 10/27/24:

WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)

Listed 10/20/24:

WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real Time Depth)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)

Names in the News (and other stuff):

Haynes

After a long career with Frank N. Magid Associates, DICK HAYNES’ last day was last Friday. That brings a 45 year career to an end. Dick points out that when he began in 1979, the consumer had, on average, FIVE TV channels to choose from. Now that number is 180. Check out this news release for a list of Dick’s career highlights, and friends can find his email address there, as well.

General Manager News and Notes:

DEREK ROGERS leaves WCBI-TV in Columbus, MS, where he was the GM to become the next GM for Gray’s KXII-TV in Sherman, TX.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, December 8, 2024:

It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, Texas 77057
KIAH-TV 7700 Westpark Drive Houston, TX 77063
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHNS-TV 21 Interstate Court. Greenville, SC 29615
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North Wichita, KS 67219
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WOWK-TV 350 Quarrier St, Charleston, WV 25301
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
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave. Medford, OR 97504
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
WTRF-TV 96 16th St, Ste 2, Wheeling, WV 26003
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
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station

December 1, 2024

Tuesday, December 3, 2024 UPDATE:

Greetings:

An almost 40 year career at one station will come to an end early next year when a Florida news director retires.

Hoffman

JOHN HOFFMAN, who’s been the news director for Fox’s WTVT-TV in Tampa since 2010, is retiring in February. John interned at the station while in college, spent two years at WTOG-TV in Tampa, before starting at WTVT (then a CBS affiliate) in 1987 as an associate producer/writer. He was promoted to a number of jobs, including ten years as the assistant ND, before moving to ND. Much more (including quotes from John and his boss, Regional GM JEFF MALONEY), can be found here.

We’ll see you this weekend with our full newsletter, or earlier if something UPDATE worthy crosses my desk. 🙂

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

A surprisingly busy week considering the holiday.

There are FOUR new news directors to share, with NO new openings.

That means there are still 39 stations with ND openings, with ONE of those jobs highlighted in a paid help wanted ad.

Would some extra cash help with your Christmas shopping (I’m an XL, by the way, if you have station golf shirts lying around).

Well, $25,000 is the prize in a relatively new award program with categories for both broadcast and cable reporting. Check out the ad just below.

In Names in the News, TWO stories about artificial intelligence, including a recommendation that NDs should lead the strategy discussion. And details about a news director honored for potentially saving the life of a woman in her station’s parking lot.

There’s another example of a former news director getting the GM job at his station, and we have a profile of a former ND turned GM who retired after decades at his station.

And there’s more as you will discover when you read on.

Newly Named News Directors:

Neerman

KOMO/KUNS-TV, Seattle, WA…our Tuesday holiday special UPDATE (so designated because it had BOGO) shared the news that MARK NEERMAN is returning to the ND chair and to Sinclair at this ABC/CW operation. Here’s the note from GM CHAD CONKLIN and a note Mark sent the staff. One of Mark’s earlier ND jobs was at Sinclair’s KSNV-TV (NBC) in Las Vegas. Mark’s entire work history is here. He’s replacing PHIL BRUCE who is retiring.

Trauschke

Rowles

WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC…Veteran news director ED TRAUSCHKE is retiring at the end of the month from this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate, and will be replaced by DEREK ROWLES, the Assistant ND. We have emails from GM JOHNNY LEWIS about Ed’s retirement and Derek’s promotion. And we have Ed’s Linkedin page as well as Derek’s.

Darrah

WATN/WLMT-TV, Memphis, TN…the other part of Tuesday’s BOGO (buy one, get one) UPDATE told you that MIKE DARRAH is also returning to the ND chair at this Tegna owned ABC/CW duopoly. Mike’s a former ND in Honolulu, worked in Las Vegas and Orlando and has been working outside of TV news. He’s replacing DENISHA THOMAS who’s now ND at sister Tegna station WXIA-TV in Atlanta, where she reports to Director of Content CAROL FOWLER.

Greenwalt

WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne IN…after 17 years at this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate, BRIAN GREENWALT finally gets the keys to the big office. He’s been the Assistant ND for most of his time there, and earlier worked for then sister station WISH-TV in Indianapolis. At WANE, he’s replacing JENNA HUFF who left for a PR job with a local hospital. She was ND there for four years.

New News Director Openings:

No new openings this week. As always, please let me know if I missed anything. Email me at rick@rickgevers.com

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

News Director, NBC Montana:

Would you like to see mountains on your way into work, or the northern lights on the way home? Maybe run late because a herd of Elk blocked your commute?

NBC Montana is seeking an experienced, hands-on news leader with strong multi-platform skills and a bold style to lead one of the strongest local newsrooms in the country.

Our mission is to produce impact stories with a distinctive focus on accountability reporting.

Check it out and apply by clicking here.