Rick’s Weekly Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

May 10, 2015

Friday, May 15, 2015 UPDATE:

Schiller

SUSAN SCHILLER, who’s been the News Director for CBS’s KYW-TV in Philadelphia for 14 years, will leave the station in the next few weeks. A memo sent to the other CBS o-and-o news directors says she wants to ‘smell the roses’.

She’s spent almost 40 years working for CBS in a wide variety of roles, ranging from positions at several CBS o-and-o’s to jobs as a producer at the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. Her complete bio can be found here, posted when she was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame last year.

We’ll have more on this story…and all the week’s news…in our full newsletter over the weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Greetings:

Scolatti

We have more details on the double-murder-suicide which took the life of KTMF/KWYB-TV (Missoula, MT) News Director KALEE SCOLATTI, a family friend, T.J. DUPRAS, and her estranged husband, earlier this week.

Click here for the details.

That story also tells you about funds set up for Kalee’s three daughters and T.J.’s two sons.

Our sympathy to all involved, including the staff at KTMF/KWYB.

Turning to our normal subjects, there are THREE new ND’s to tell you about this week, along with THREE new ND openings. Those changes leave our count of open ND jobs at 27.

We have ONE paid ad this week, for an Assistant ND position in Milwaukee…an opening created by a promotion that filled one of the above-mentioned ND jobs.

There are lots of items in Names in the News, including job changes for a former CBS News executive and a one-time Boston News Director.

All that…and more…below.

New News Director Openings:

WTVD-TV, Durham, NC…as we told you earlier this week, ROB ELMORE is being promoted to ND of sister ABC o-and-o KABC-TV in Los Angeles. More on that below. Rob spent 17 years as ND here!

Curtis

WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL…after more than 30 years in the business, KEN CURTIS has left this Nexstar-owned ABC affiliate. He’s been the News Director here for 26 years. Click here for a story the station posted on its website.

Delgado

KGNS-TV, Laredo, TX…DAN DELGADO has left this NBC affiliate after about a year and a half as news director. Dan’s previously spent six years as an ND in Tyler, TX. KGNS is owned by Gray Television.

Newly Named News Directors:

Elmore

KABC-TV, Los Angeles, CA…we told you earlier this week that ROB ELMORE has been named ND for this ABC o-and-o. Rob’s spent the last 17 years as the ND for sister ABC o-and-o WTVD-TV in Raleigh/Durham, NC. He’s also been an ND in Rochester, NY, where he worked at two different stations. Rob spent three years as a producer in Nashville. At KABC, he’ll replace…and report to…CHERYL FAIR, who was promoted from ND to GM earlier this year. Cheryl was ND here for 20 years.

D’Astoli

Central Florida News 13, Orlando, FL…SUSAN D’ASTOLI is on the job as the new ND for this cable news operation. She most recently was the ND for KJRH-TV, the Scripps owned NBC affiliate in Tulsa. Susan also worked for Scripps in Tampa and Phoenix, and spent 12 years at WSB-TV in Atlanta. In Orlando. she is replacing TIM GERAGHTY who left this operation in January after almost three years.

Davis

WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI…TRACY DAVIS has been promoted to news director for this Weigel Broadcasting owned CBS affiliate. She’s been the Assistant ND here for almost two years, and the interim ND since GENIE GARNER left the station earlier this year. More in this post, including the memo to the staff. Tracy spent two years as ND for WFFF/WVNY-TV in Burlington, VT, and worked there for four years as a News Manager before being promoted. She’s also worked in Lafayette, IN. Genie was ND here for about 2 1/2 years.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Assistant News Director, WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI:

CBS-58 News seeks an Assistant News Director ready to take a creative multi-platform driven approach to managing and leading the day to day operation of our newsroom.

Must bring a passion for advocacy and enterprise journalism, a desire to win breaking news and a clear understanding of how stories, technology and people come together. Individual needs 3-5 years of professional journalism experience with at least 3 years in a progressive management capacity with experience managing in a multiplatform environment.

Candidate must have excellent news judgment and a clear understanding of journalistic ethics and laws that impact all of our platforms for delivering news to our viewers and users. Must also have high standards for quality work, the ability to problem solve, to communicate and to work well under pressure. Must have demonstrated strong communication skills and a commitment to serving diverse audiences.

Email resume to ccamps@cbs58.com or mail to:

CBS-58
HR-AND
809 S. 60th St.,
Milwaukee, WI 53214;

or fax to: 414-607-8189

EOE

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WBZ-TV, Boston, MA (relisted 3/22/15)
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 4/5/15)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (listed 4/12/15)
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (new listing this week)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (new listing this week, see ad above!)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 4/12/15)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 3/29/15)
KRCR-TV, Redding, CA (listed 4/19/15)
KECI/KCFW/KTVM, Bozeman, MT (listed 4/26/15)

EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:

WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, PA (relisted 3/22/15)
KXAS-TV, Ft. Worth/Dallas, TX (listed 3/1/15)
WFXT-TV, Boston, MA (2 jobs, Inv/Spec. Projects & show EP, revised 5/3/15)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (relisted 3/22/15)
KOVR-TV, Sacramento, CA (PM EP, relisted 3/14/15)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (2 openings, relisted 3/14/15)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (PM EP, listed 4/12/15)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (PM EP, listed 5/3/15)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Dayside EP, new listing this week)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Special Projects EP, listed 3/29/15)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (2 openings, AM & Dayside, listed 3/29/15)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 4/19/12)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (relisted 4/12/15)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (PM EP, listed 4/26/15)
WMTW-TV, Portland, ME (AM EP, relisted 3/22/15)
WCYB-TV, Tri-Cities, TN (relisted 3/22/15)

ASSIGNMENT MANAGER:

WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 4/26/15)
Central Florida News 13, Orlando, FL (relisted 3/29/15)
WPBF-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (new listing this week)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL (listed 4/12/15)

NEWS OPERATIONS MANAGER:

WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, PA: (relisted 3/22/15)

Situations Wanted:

We offer a free situations wanted ad to news managers who are out of work and looking for a new opportunity. If you’d like to state your case to a well targeted audience, email me an item (max. 150 words). You may include a link to a website, an email address, and a photo. You must include your name. I’ll run it for one week. I don’t represent or endorse those listed, but merely trying to help.

Names in the News…and other things:

Two management changes at Media General’s WTNH-TV in Hartford/New Haven. LAURA REYNOLDS has been promoted to EP for this ABC affiliate. She has been the 5:00 producer there. And NANCY LYNCH has been hired as Managing Editor. She most recently held the same title at aol.com, and previously worked for many years at WHDH-TV in Boston.

MATT McCLAIN returns to his first TV station, WFRV-TV in Green Bay, as Executive Producer. He began his career there as a producer. In between, he’s worked in South Bend, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.

WDTN-TV in Dayton has promoted PAUL RODZINKA to be the station’s new Digital Executive Producer. He’s been a photojournalist for this Media General owned NBC affiliate.

McGinnis

MARCY McGINNIS has left Al Jazeera America after about two years there. Her departure comes during a time of some turmoil for the network. More here. Many of you know Marcy from her many years with CBS News.

Longtime newsman AL PRIMO recently was interviewed on a program airing on WTNH-TV in New Haven, and talked about his role in founding Eyewitness News. Here’s a link.

Brown

One time WBZ-TV (Boston) News Director PETER BROWN has launched his own company, Peter Brown Communications. Peter spent 22 years at WBZ, the last ten as ND before leaving in 2004 for a job as an executive with a local hospital. He also worked in Philadelphia and Providence.

General Manager News:

Harris

RIC HARRIS is moving up with NBC. He’s been named the next General Manager for WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. Ric is currently the GM of NBC’s WVIT-TV in Hartford. Earlier in his career he was the GM for WEWS-TV in Cleveland, and he’s also served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media and Strategic Marketing for NBC Owned Television Stations.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here is my list of stations with open ND jobs, as of Sunday, May 10, 2015.

If you know of any additions/deletions/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com

KWHY-TV 4975 W. Pico Blvd Los Angeles,CA 90019 *
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul MN 55114
WLTV 9405 NW 41st St. Miami FL 33178
KCEC-TV 777 Grant St. #110 Denver CO 80203 *
WTVD-TV 411 Liberty St. Durham NC 27701
WSMV-TV 5700 Knob Rd. Nashville TN 37209
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Drive Columbus OH 43215
KUTV 299 S. Main St. #150 Salt Lake City UT 84111
KTNV-TV 3355 S. Valley View Blvd. Las Vegas NV 89102
WWL-TV 1024 North Rampart St. New Orleans LA 70116
WTEN-TV 341 Northern Blvd. Albany NY 12204
KJRH-TV 3701 South Peoria Avenue Tulsa OK 74105
WOWK-TV 555 Fifth Ave. Huntington WV 25701
WFXR-TV 2618 Colonial Ave. S.W. Roanoke VA 24015
WACH-TV 1400 Pickens St. Columbia SC 29201
WTOC-TV 11 News Place Savannah GA 31405
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno, NV 89502
WFFT-TV 3707 Hillegas Rd. Ft. Wayne IN 46807
WPTA/WISE-TV 3401 Butler Rd Ft. Wayne, IN 46808
KION-TV 1550 Moffett St. Salinas, CA 93905
KMIZ-TV 501 Business Loop 70 East Columbia MO 65201
KTVL-TV 1440 Rossanley Dr. Medford OR 97501
WDHN-TV 5274 E. State Highway 52 East Dothan AL 36376
WHSV-TV 50 North Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22802
KGNS-TV 120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KMVT/KSVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd. North Twin Falls, ID 83301
WBUP/WBKP-TV 1705 Ash Street Ishpeming MI 49849

* Spanish language station

May 3, 2015

Thursday, May 7, 2015 UPDATE #2

Kalee Scolatti

KALEE SCOLATTI, the news director for KTMF/KWYB-TV, the ABC/FOX duopoly in Missoula, MT, was shot and killed last night in her home in Missoula. She was 34. Kalee appears to be one of the victims of a double murder and attempted suicide

Details are sketchy, but here’s an article (updated Thursday night May 7, 2015) from The Missoulian, the local newspaper, and here’s the story from her station’s website. I’m sure both sites will update their stories so I’d advise you to check back to those sites.

Kalee had been news director for six months. Her Linkedin page says she had been the News Production/Promotion Manager for more than nine years before her promotion to ND last December. Tomorrow would have marked her tenth anniversary at the station.

Our sympathy to her family, co-workers, and friends.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Thursday, May 7, 2015 UPDATE:

Elmore

Breaking news from the number two market, where ROB ELMORE has been named News director for KABC-TV, which you know is the ABC o-and-o there. He’s spent the last 17 years as ND for another ABC o-and-o, WTVD-TV in Raleigh/Durham, NC.

Earlier, he’d been an ND and Assistant News Director for WHEC-TV in Rochester, NY, and also worked in Nashville and for another Rochester station. Here’s his linkedin page which tells the whole story.

At KABC, he replaces CHERYL FAIR who was promoted to be GM of the station last February after 20 years as news director.

We’ll have more on this in our full newsletter later this week.

And other one item…we now have this link to an obituary for longtime news director HARVEY COX. A memorial service is being held today for Harvey. We told last week that Harvey died suddenly last Saturday at the age of 70.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Tuesday, May 5, 2015 UPDATE:

Cox

Funeral services for HARVEY COX will be held Thursday in Jonesboro, AR. Here’s the link to the obituary. Harvey was 70 years old when he died suddenly on Saturday afternoon while doing yard work.

Our sympathy to his widow, MARIE COX, their six children, and 14 grandchildren.

(There are more details in our Obituary section below.)

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Monday, May 4, 2015 UPDATE:

As promised, we have an update on the passing of longtime news director HARVEY COX. I’m told that Harvey died of an apparent heart attack Saturday afternoon while doing yard work at his home. His son went outside to tell Harvey, an ardent fan, that the Mets game was about to start. His son and wife performed CPR without success.

Harvey will be laid to rest on Thursday in Arkansas. Final details are still being worked on, and I’ll post the here when they are finalized. He is survived by his wife of 44 years and six children.

One addendum to the item below. Harvey also worked as a news director for WCPX-TV (now WKMG-TV) in Orlando.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Just as we were finalizing this week’s newsletter, we were saddened to learn about the death of veteran news director HARVEY COX. We don’t have many details: the ones we do have are in our obituary section below. But I will update this page when I learn more.

Otherwise, just ONE new ND opening this week, with ONE new ND opening, leaving our count of open ND jobs at 27 stations.

TWO of those openings are featured in help wanted ads below, along with an ad for a new corporate news job at one of the largest broadcast companies.

We have several news managers on the move in our Names in the News section, and please be sure to check out the VERY unusual move by a Cleveland GM unhappy with his station’s landlord.

Read on…

New News Director Openings:

Smith

WTOC-TV, Savannah, GA…JAN SMITH has left this Raycom owned CBS affiliate after ten years, the last five as news director. She’s also been an ND in Bangor, ME. Jan began her career in Bangor (at another station) as a production assistant and worked her way up to reporter and fill-in anchor. She later worked in El Paso, TX, before returning to Bangor.

Newly Named News Directors:

Waldman

WPIX-TV, New York, NY…we reported to you earlier this week that AMY WALDMAN had been promoted to ND for this Tribune owned CW affiliate. She’s been the Senior Executive Producer for the last year of her eight year stint at the station. She’s also worked at Court TV, CNBC, and Fox News Channel, as well as in Buffalo and Erie, PA. Amy’s been the interim ND since MARK EFFRON left last year. Here’s the news release from GM RICH GRAZIANO.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Director of News Content and Operations, Sinclair Broadcast Group:

Sinclair Broadcast Group has a great opportunity for you! We are looking for an experienced news leader to assist the corporate Vice President of News in managing the day-to-day operations of our corporate news department and our more than 60 local newsrooms across the country. This Director will work closely with and report directly to the corporate VP, News, and will be based at our corporate headquarters in Hunt Valley, MD.

Job duties:

Manage day-to-day operations of stations from corporate level, including serving as point of contact for content, legal, and HR issues
Reinforce corporate strategy and newsroom initiatives
Manage resources appropriately to ensure top editorial priorities are handled effectively
Approve key hires and talent development
Help coordinate, develop, and execute strategy for news dissemination via multiple screens now and in future applications
Work with existing Group News Directors, Managers and collaborate with Corporate VP’s to ensure operational excellence of team, including our local news operation and bureau

Required Experience:

Must have a proven track record of news leadership, with demonstrable growth in ratings and revenue
Excellent editorial, legal and ethics knowledge
More than 10 years of industry experience in local or cable television news is required and experience managing multiple operations preferred
Thorough understanding of needs of large and small market operations
Prefer experience in a corporate broadcast, network or cable news environment.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug Free Workplace!

Apply online at www.sbgi.net

Questions? employment@sbgtv.com

News Director, WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH:

WBNS-TV, Central Ohio’s News Leader, is seeking a news director to lead this extraordinary team.

We are a dominant station, nationally recognized, award-winning, and locally owned station seeking a dynamic visionary leader. Must be able to foster a culture of enterprise reporting and produce compelling and distinctive content on all multi-media platforms. Must demonstrate a passion for the product with strong oversight and consistent communication and feedback.

Quality drives our success and we’re eager to have a leader join us and lead us on this quest. Looking for long term players who love the quality of the Midwest and who would be proud to call Ohio home. Minimum 7 years experience in news management and proven track record in enterprising content and ratings success.

Please include your news philosophy along with your resume and cover letter when applying online at www.10TV.com.

Wfxr Logos

News Director, WFXR/WWCW-TV, Roanoke, VA:

WFXR-TV/WWCW-TV in beautiful Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA is seeking an experienced News Director who is an innovative leader possessing excellent news judgement, strong digital news initiative and a passion to be the best. This is a great opportunity to build your own team and hire multiple journalists as we expand our news product in a BRAND NEW state of the art facility.

Southwest Virginia is home to numerous universities and colleges, including Virginia Tech and their highly acclaimed NCAA Division I athletics program. The picturesque communities are situated in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and near several major metropolitan areas, including Washington, DC and Charlotte, NC.

WFXR is home to the region’s only 10:00 pm newscast and the only local newscast from 7:00 to 9:00 am. Now we are ready to expand and serve the viewers of Southwest Virginias like never before. This is a once in a career opportunity to re-launch an established and award winning news operation. We have a new building and new gear is on the way. Now we need an experienced local journalist to lead our operation into this exciting expansion period.

For more information and to apply, go to: http://nexstar.hirecentric.com/jobs/80663.html

WFXR-TV/WWCW-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Assistant News Director, NBC Montana, Bozeman, MT:

NBC Montana – KECI/KCFW/KTVM, the NBC stations in Missoula, Kalispell and Butte-Bozeman, MT — is seeking an Assistant News Director/Executive Producer for its Bozeman, MT station. This opportunity is unique and especially challenging because you will be a key member of a news management team that produces over 25 hours of live news each week on two stations in two DMAs across spectacular Western Montana, a coverage area larger than New England.

We are looking for an aggressive hands on newsroom leader who embraces coaching and training newsroom personnel and promotes a collaborative work environment in concert with our company’s Culture of Excellence, while adhering to the highest journalistic standards. Preference will be given to candidates who have at least three years of experience in the production of live local TV news. Qualified candidates should also be savvy with web posting and social media. Must be a self-starter with ability to work and coordinate efforts with News Director and staff of the other news stations and bureaus within the NBC Montana station group.

Bozeman is a thriving community of about forty thousand and is home to Montana State University. You can enjoy year round outdoor activity at nearby Big Sky Resort and Yellowstone National Park.

Qualified candidates please send cover letter, resume and references to News Director Julie Wendell via email to jweindel@keci.com.

No phone calls please.
Eagle Communications, Inc. dba NBC Montana is owned by Bonten Media Group. EEOC