Rick’s Weekly Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

June 5, 2023

Greetings:

A personal note, if you will allow.

Voting beings Tuesday for the Board of Directors for Investigative Reporters and Editors. Longtime readers know how strongly I feel about IRE.

That’s why I am running for the board. You can read my candidate statement here, and those of the other candidates here. There are seven candidates for the six seats open on the board.

Many of you are members, and many more of you work with members.

Needless to say, I would appreciate your vote or a kind word to your colleagues. Results will be announced at the IRE Convention in Orlando in late June.

We return to our normal business.

For a holiday-shortened week, we have a fair amount of changes to report.

FIVE ND jobs were filled. And THREE jobs opened up, leaving 36 open positions on our list of open ND jobs.

ONE of those new openings are highlighted in Paid Help Wanted ads just below.

There are TWO obituaries: one for a former ND who also worked for ABC News, and another for a longtime ABC newsman.

There are a handful of quick hit items in Names in the News.

And TWO former ND’s are mentioned in our GM news section: one for a promotion and one who is leaving his top 20 market GM job.

Read on!

Newly Named News Directors:

Wade

WNEP-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA…JENNIFER WADE has been promoted to news director for this Tegna owned ABC affiliate. She’s a twenty year veteran of the station who spent eight years as the Nightside EP and almost 12 years as the Assistant News Director before being elevated to the top job. She’s also worked in Harrisburg and Allentown, PA. Jennifer replaces RACHEL BONILLA who left in February after 18 months as ND.

Truett

KWCH-TV, Wichita, KS…this Gray owned CBS affiliate hired MICHAEL TRUETT as its next news director. He’s currently the ND for Sinclair’s WICS-TV (ABC) in Springfield, IL. He’s also worked in Mobile, AL, Champaign, IL, for two stations in Memphis, and in the Peace Corps. Mike replaces DENISE KILLIAN who left in March after just a few months as ND.

Crowe

WOWT-TV, Omaha, NE…another Gray station with a new news director, as CASSIE CROWE has been promoted to ND for this NBC affiliate. She’s been the assistant ND here for the last seven years, and has produced for stations in Dallas and Minneapolis. At WOWT, Cassie replaces DAVE KAPLAR who was also promoted within Gray, in his case to news director for WTVG-TV (NBC) in Toledo.

Hanson

WAOW-TV, Wausau, WI…BRAD HANSON moves from the anchor desk to the ND office as he becomes the next ND for this Allen Media owned ABC affiliate. More in this story from the station’s website. Brad joined WAOW as sports director in 2018 and moved to news anchor three years later. He’s also worked in Waterloo, IA, and as broadcast journalist in the Marine Corps. He replaces COURTNEY TERLECKI who spent two years in the job.

Hodges

KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA…KRISTIN HODGES moves within Gray to become ND for this CBS/ABC affiliate. She’s currently the EP for Gray’s WDBJ-TV (CBS) in Roanoke, VA and has a long and varied career history, both in and out of television. At KNOE, Kristin succeeds JOSH HARVISON who left last month to join Nexstar’s KNWA/KFTA-TV in Fayetteville, AR as ND. He was here about 15 months.

New News Director Openings:

Manuel

KXTV, Sacramento, CA…JILL MANUEL has left this Tegna owned ABC affiliate after four years as Director of Content. GM RISA OMEGA sent this note to the staff. Jill’s spent much of her career in Chicago, inlcuding almost four years as ND for CLTV, a now shuttered cable news operation, and in management roles for WBBM-TV and WFLD-TV. She’s also been an ND for WEWS-TV in Cleveland.

WICS-TV, Springfield, IL…as you learned above, MICHAEL TRUETT is leaving this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate to become ND for Gray’s KWCH-TV in Wichita. He was here about six years.

Anna V.

KLEW-TV, Lewiston, ID…ANNA VELASQUEZ has left this Sinclair owned CBS affiliate after eight years as news director. She also did double duty as an anchor for some of her time there. Details in this story from the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. She began her career at KLEW, and worked in Seattle, Bakersfield, and Albuquerque before returning to KLEW in 2015.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Executive Producer, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH:

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Prior news management experience preferred.

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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 at:

Please apply by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KCBS/KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, LA (listed 4/30/23)
WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 6/4/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 4/16/23)
WNCT-TV, Greenville, NC (listed 5/21/23)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 5/29/23)
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (AM/Special Projects EP, relisted 4/23/23)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (relisted 4/23/23)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (AM EP, listed 6/4/23)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, listed 6/4/23)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, ND (AM EP, listed 6/4/23)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 5/21/23)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 5/29/23)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 5/14/23)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Special Projects EP, listed 6/4/23)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 5/14/23)
KVUE-TV, Austin, TX (AM EP, listed 6/4/23)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 5/21/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (AM EP, listed 6/4/23)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (Digital EP, listed 5/29/23)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI (relisted 4/23/23)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 4/16/23)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (listed 5/13/23)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 5/14/23:

Voice of America, Washington, DC (Standards Editor)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (Assignment Manager)
WWTI-TV, Watertown, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 5/7/23:

U. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Multimedia News Manager)
U. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Technical News Producer)

Listed 4/30/23:

WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (Director of Digital Content)

Obituaries:

Longtime ABC News Washington Bureau Chief GEORGE WATSON has died at the age of 89. He also served as the White House Correspondent for ABC and worked briefly for CNN. Details in this obituary from The Hollywood Reporter.

Alpert

We’ve just learned of the death of ARTHUR ALPERT who served as a news director in Providence, RI, and Albuquerque, NM. He also worked for ABC News. Arthur died in February at the age of 89. This obituary was written by someone who apparently was with him when he passed, and this article has many more details about his very interesting career and background.

Names in the News:

Quick hits:

JOHN ROUSE, EVP of Affiliate Relations for ABC, is retiring after 33 years with the company.

RACHEL IBANEZ has been promoted to Nightside EP for KTVU-TV (FOX owned) in Oakland-San Francisco. She’s been the 10:00 PM producer there.

DEDRICK RUSSELL is returning to Gray’s WBTV in Charlotte as EP of Community Content. He left the station last year to work on the Gray recruiting team.

Veteran investigative reporter MARK GREENBLATT is joining the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School as executive editor. He’s been working for Scripps News.

General Manager News and Notes:

Vea

Congratulations to news director turned general manager turned corporate executive TANYA YEA. She’s been named President and COO of Bonneville, where she most recently has been GM of the company’s KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, where earlier in her career she was the ND. She’s also been ND for another Salt Lake City station. In her new role, she replaces DARRELL BROWN who is retiring.

Dallman

And former news director turned general manager BILL DALLMAN has resigned as VP/GM for Tegna’s KARE-TV (NBC) in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Bill sent this note to his staff. He’s a former ND for several stations, including KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities, as well as for stations in Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, and Grand Rapids, MI. Bill was the first ND for Fox Sports 1. He’s also worked in Sacramento, Austin, MN, and for a third station in Minneapolis.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, June 4, 2023:

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

WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, Georgia 30324
WZDC-TV 4001 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 **
WCCO-TV 90 S. 11th Street Minneapolis, MN 55403
WLTV 9405 NW 41st St, Doral, FL 33178 **
KXTV 400 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95818
KGTV 4600 Air Way. San Diego, CA 92102
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115
KSNV-TV 1500 Foremaster Lane Las Vegas, NV 89101
WWMT-TV 590 West Maple St. Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
KFTV 3239 W Ashlan Av. Fresno, CA 93722 **
WIVB-TV 2077 Elmwood Ave Buffalo, NY 14207
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr. Tulsa, OK 74129
WHIO-TV 1611 S Main St. Dayton, OH 45409
KITV 801 So. King St. Honolulu, HI 96813
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, Idaho 83501
WISC-TV 7025 Raymond Rd. Madison, WI 53719
WICS-TV 2680 E. Cook St. Springfield, IL 62703
WQAD-TV 3003 Park 16th Street Moline, Illinois 61265
KHGI-TV 1078 25 Road Axtell, NE 68924
WTAJ-TV 5000 Sixth Avenue Altoona, PA 16602
KIMA-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima, WA 98901
KMIZ-TV 501 Business Loop 70 E., Columbia MO 65201
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790 (see ad above!)
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa TX 79763
WBUP/WKBP-TV 1705 Ash Street Suite 5 Ishpeming, MI 49849
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
WBKO-TV 2727 Russellville Road. Bowling Green, KY 42101
KGNS-TV 120 W. Del Mar Blvd. Laredo TX 78041
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd North, Twin Falls, ID 83301
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
KNOP-TV 402. S. Dewey. North Platte NE 69101

**: Spanish language station

May 29, 2023

Friday, June 2, 2023 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Two surprising changes at Tegna stations to tell you about in today’s UPDATE, and a former news director gets the top job at a broadcast company. And if you are a betting person, you’ll find a tip on how to win a bar bet below!

Dallman

BILL DALLMAN is leaving his job as General Manager for Tegna’s KARE-TV (NBC) in Minneapolis-St. Paul two weeks from today. He’s been there just over two years. Here’s the note Bill sent his staff Wednesday. He owns the MSP hat trick (appropriate for Bill, a big hockey fan), having worked for KSTP-TV earlier in his career and later as VP/ND for Fox’s KMSP-TV from 2006-2013. He’s held several other large market news director jobs, as you will learn on his Linkedin page.

During his tenure there, KARE was honored with multiple awards, including a Peabody, Columbia DuPont, and TWO national Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Manuel

In Sacramento, JILL MANUEL has left Tegna’s KXTV (ABC) where she had been Director of Content for the last four years. Jill’s spent much of her career in Chicago, but also was the ND for WEWS-TV in Cleveland for almost six years. Here’s the short and sweet note GM RISA OMEGA sent the staff. All the ‘deets’ (as the youngsters say) on Jill’s career background can be found on her Linkedin page.

Now for some happier news.

Vea

Congratulations to former ND TANYA VEA who’s been named President & Chief Operating Officer of Bonneville International, owner of Salt Lake City’s KSL-TV (NBC) and a number of radio stations around the west. Tanya is currently GM of KSL and EVP of Content and Media Operations for Bonneville. She’s been news director there and for KUTV in Salt Lake City.

And here’s your chance to win a bar bet:

Tanya’s aunt is longtime ND and consultant JENNIFER RIGBY.

However, if you are drinking in a bar where someone would make that bet, you need more help than I can provide.

We’ll have a busy newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Our annual day-after-the-500 tradition is to honor the winner of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, which we do today.

This year’s winner is Nashville’s JOSEF NEWGARDEN. He won $3.6 million dollars from a record purse of just over $17 million.

Josef Newgarden at practice on Sunday, May 21. (photo by Rick Gevers)

On to our normal business!

For a holiday week, there were a lot of news director changes, most at network owned stations in large markets.

FOUR ND jobs were filled (including TWO at a duopoly). And ONE job opening was created by a prmotion to a new job at a CBS o-and-o, so there are now 37 stations on our list.

TWO of those new openings are highlighted in Paid Help Wanted ads just below. along with ONE new ad for an EP job in a top 20 market.

RTDNA finished its long rollout of the winners of regional Murrow Awards. We have the full list in Names in the News.

Also in Names in the News, a letter from Scripps CEO ADAM SYMSON in which he pledges $10 million as part of a project to ‘reimagine’ local news. It’s worth your time to read.

And Gray Televison announced a flurry of senior management promotions…we have those in our GM section.

Enjoy the short work week!

Newly Named News Directors:

Perelman

KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA…in one of several UPDATES we brought you during the week, you learned that MARINA PERELMAN would be the next VP/News Director for this NBC o-and-o. She’s been the Assistant ND there since 2019 and first joined NBC at the network’s San Francisco station, KNTV. She’s also worked in Phoenix and Palm Springs, CA. At KNBC, Marina replaces RENEE WASHINGTON who left in March after four years as ND.

Gaytan

KVEA-TV, Los Angeles, CA…that same UPDATE told you that MIKE GAYTAN would be the next VP/News Director for this NBC owned Telemundo station. Mike’s currently Vice President of News for Telemundo’s KUAN-TV in San Diego. He’s also worked in a number of other markets, as you’ll learn in this news release which covers BOTH his new job and Marina’s promotion.

Black

WJZ-TV Baltimore, MD…in another move we first reported in a mid-week UPDATE, TANYA BLACK was promoted to VP/News Director for this CBS o-and-o. A 30+ year veteran of the station, she’s been the Director of Community impact for a little more than a year. But she was Managing Editor for more than 20 years. Tanya replaces GAIL BENDING who left in March after almost 32 years as news director.

Castillo

KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA…DIANE CASTILLO joins this Gray Television owned NBC affiliate as news director. She’s spent the last nine years as ND for KMEG/KPTH-TV in Sioux City until Sinclair (owned of KPTH, operator of KMEG) discontinued local news earlier this year. Diane is a former news director in Laredo, TX, and replaces KIM FICKETT who is now the assignment editor after just a few months as news director.

New News Director Opening:

Patey

WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN…in yet another development in a mid-week UPDATE, KARI PATEY is moving from ND at this CBS o-and-o to a new role as VP of Producer Development for the CBS owned stations. Kari’s been ND here since 2017. She worked at WCCO earlier in her career, then moved to KSTP-TV (ABC) there before spending 12 years at WNBC-TV in New York. She was Assistant ND there when she left for Minneapolis.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Executive Producer, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH:

The #1 news station in Cincinnati is looking for its next great leader!

Prior news management experience preferred.

Click here to learn more and apply.

News Director, WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY:

WIVB-TV is seeking an ambitious News Director with a voracious appetite for news to lead and supervise all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming.

WIVB-TV is stationed between historic downtown Buffalo and beautiful Niagara Falls. To those who are unfamiliar with Western New York, Buffalo may just be another “rising” city. But to all of us at WIVB-TV, we know it’s much more than just chicken wings and beef on weck. It’s the City of Good Neighbors, the Queen City, or simply – home.

From the ever-growing Waterfront development, the changing seasons, wine country, and pro sports (with passionate fans like you’ve never seen before) and the flavorful food, it’s pretty tough to beat the unique, local feel!

Our brand is “We’re 4 Buffalo” and we live it every day with local news coverage by our enthusiastic news team. We offer factual news and locally produced programming with market-wide digital delivery on https://www.wivb.com

A qualified candidate for the News Director position will have a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience. Essential to being successful in this position is having a minimum five of years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role. Previous experience establishing long-range objectives specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them as well as experience preparing and maintaining departmental budgets are valuable attributes to achieve success in the position.

Click here to apply:

News Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY:

WBNG is looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.

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 at:

Please apply by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Multimedia News Manager, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in beautiful Gainesville, Florida, seeks a Multimedia News Manager for the Innovation News Center (INC) to teach students, produce news content, and provide innovative leadership.

News Managers of the INC must embrace our dual mission which is to prepare UF College of Journalism & Communications students for the workforce through instructional coursework and immersion experiences while serving the greater Gainesville community through high-quality news, weather, sports, and information content across existing and emerging multimedia platforms.

The ideal candidate will have effective service as a newscast Producer, Executive Producer, or News Director and experience working in a blended/multiplatform news environment, and especially experience with broadcast & digital platforms.

The INC is a 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art professional newsroom at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, which is one of the top communication programs in the country, providing hands-on learning opportunities for more than 400 students each semester. Students work alongside professionals to produce and edit content for seven media properties and companion digital platforms, including the local NPR, PBS, and ESPN affiliates, as well as the Spanish-language news operation of Noticias and the Fresh Take Florida news service.

Click here to learn more and apply:

Posting closes June 2, 2023

Technical Media Producer, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in beautiful Gainesville, Florida, seeks a Technical Media Producer for the Innovation News Center (INC) to mentor students and be directly involved in the production of daily news products.

Technical Media Producers (TMP) of the INC must embrace our dual mission which is to prepare UF College of Journalism & Communications students for the workforce through instructional coursework and immersion experiences while serving the greater Gainesville community.

TMPs direct and/or provide production support for live and pre-recorded WUFT and WRUF programs, including but not limited to news, sports, and weather, for distribution on all media platforms including WUFT-TV/FM, WRUF-TV/FM, WUFT.org, WRUF.com, FPREN, all station social media accounts, and mobile apps. Programs may be in studio or remote productions.
The ideal candidate will have effective service as a Director or Technical Director in a complex news environment and experience using Ross Overdrive automation.

Click here to learn more and apply:

Posting closes June 2, 2023.