March 26, 2023

Friday, March 31, 2023 UPDATE:

THREE!

Saiers

That’s how many news director openings there are in Los Angeles (the number TWO market) with the announcement a few minutes ago that PETE SAIERS is leaving Nexstar’s KTLA-TV (CW). He’s been there for two years and sent this short note to his staff.

Before KTLA, Pete was ND for almost two years at Tegna’s KING-TV (NBC) in Seattle. But he’s spent most of his career in California (well, there was some time in Beirut) as his Linkedin page details.

KTLA now joins NBC’s KNBC-TV/KVEA-TV and Fox’s KTTV with ND openings, KTTV’s since JUNE, 2022.

With severe weather forecast for much of the country, please stay safe this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Monday, March 27, 2023 UPDATE:

Greetings:

We have TWO top 50 market ND openings to tell you about, both at Tegna stations.

Esparros

KEITH ESPARROS, who’s been the executive news director for WWL-TV (CBS) in New Orleans since 2015, has announced his retirement. He’s also been an ND for WVUE-TV in New Orleans, and worked for several stations in Los Angeles and San Diego, as well as a stint as a producer for WWL earlier in his career. Check out his career history here.

RW III

And in Hartford/New Haven, CT, RICHARD WASHINGTON III is leaving WTIC-TV, Tegna’s Fox affiliate there. He’s been the ND there since June 2021, and has worked in a number of other large markets, as his Linkedin profile will describe.

We’ll have more in our full edition this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

It’s a slow week. Maybe everyone was watching basketball. Or on spring break. Or readying for the start of baseball later this week.

Just ONE new news director named this week with ONE new opening. Those figures do not include some management changes at WNBC-TV in New York which we do detail below.

All that means our list of open ND jobs stays at 40.

ONE of those open jobs remains our only paid ad this week…for the FOX station in Tulsa.

Our streak of several issues without an obituary ends with TWO this week: the deaths of a longtime WABC-TV photographer whose father was an ND and GM. And we’ll also share news of the death of a longtime Montana broadcaster.

No GM changes this week.

In Names in the News, a new Assistant ND in West Virginia, a Michigan station resumes newscasts after an outbreak of illness among its staff, more reports of big cutbacks at Sinclair stations, and we’ll share a Sports Illustrated article on the demise of the local sportscaster. It’s an interesting read.

Have a great week.

Newly Named News Director:

Harvey

WMBD/WYZZ-TV, Peoria, IL…ANDREW HARVEY has been promoted to news director for this duopoly. He’s an eight year veteran of the station, beginning as a part-time associate producer up through the ranks and eventually to assistant ND, a job he’s held for the last two years. He replaces LAWTON DODD who left earlier this month after one year as ND. Nexstar owns WMBD (CBS) and operates WYZZ (FOX).

Our Wednesday UPDATE brought news of management promotions at WNBC-TV in New York, where ND AMY MORRIS was promoted to Senior VP of News. She’ll oversee both WNBC and Telemundo’s WNJU-TV. DAVID MANNEY was promoted from Assistant ND to ND for WNBC, while ALEXA RODRIGUEZ was upped to ND for WNJU from Assistant ND.

New News Director Opening:

Bending

WJZ-TV, Baltimore, MD…a remarkable 32 years as news director for this CBS o-and-o ended this week with the departure of GAIL BENDING. My inquiry to Gail’s station email was not returned…it’s possible she didn’t got it. The only public comment I’ve seen from is this post from Gail’s Facebook page, in which she said she was ‘saddened to have to leave my WJZ family.’

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WTVD-TV, Durham, NC (listed 1/29/23)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 1/15/23)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, relisted 2/19/23)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

News 12 Long Island, Bethpage, NY (listed 1/15/23)
News 12 Edison, NJ (Spec. Projects. Prod., listed 1/15/23)
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 3/26/23)
WPHL-TV, Philadelphia, PA (Morning EP, listed 3/19/23)
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (AM/Special Projects EP, listed 2/19/23)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (listed 1/29/23)
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (Nightside EP, listed 3/26/23)
WTTG-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/5/22)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 2/12/23)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (Morning EP, listed 3/19/23)
WTVD-TV, Durham, NC (listed 1/29/23)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 1/22/23)
WRTV, Indianpolis, IN (relisted 3/26/23)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 3/26/23)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 3/26/23)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City (relisted 3/26/23)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City (listed 2/25/23)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 1/15/23)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
WAVY/WVBT-TV, Norfolk, VA (relisted 3/26/23)
WNYT-TV, Albany, NY (listed 2/12/23)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 2/25/23)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 2/19/23)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, relisted 2/19/23)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (relisted 2/19/23)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (Digital EP, relisted 3/26/23)
WFFT-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (relisted 2/19/23)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI (listed 1/29/23)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 2/25/23)
WTVO/WQRF-TV, Rockford, IL (relisted 3/26/23)
KFDX/KJTL-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (relisted 3/26/23)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 3/26/23:

KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Assignment Desk Manager)

Listed 3/12/23:

WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (Manager of Enterprise Content)

Listed 3/5/23:

WINK-TV, Ft. Meyers, FL (Digital News Director)
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital News Manager)

Listed 2/5/23:

Gray Television, Remote (Producers for Magazine Program)

Obituaries:

Pierce

TODD PIERCE, a 20 plus year photojournalist for WABC-TV in New York, died Friday, March 17, of cancer believed to have been caused by toxins ingested while he was covering 911. Todd was 57 years old. The station aired this lengthy and very well produced tribute to him. Todd is survived by his wife, daughter, and his father, longtime news director and general manager MARK PIERCE. Friends can send a note to Mark by clicking here.

Fetviet

Longtime Montana broadcaster STEVE FETVIET died Wednesday, March 22nd, at the age of 72. His career took him across many if not most Montana markets, with a brief incursion into Oregon. Details in this obituary.

Names in the News:

Bailey B.

Congratulations to BAILEY BRAUTIGAN who has been promoted to Assistant News Director for Nexstar’s WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV. She’s been the Digital Content Manager for this CBS affiliate since January, 2021. Her work background is varied and interesting, as you can see by checking out her Linkedin page.

While I have seen no other reporting online, I continue to hear about cutbacks and layoffs at Sinclair stations, include significant cuts at WPMI-TV (NBC) in Mobile which eliminated weekend and mornings newscasts.

WBKB-TV in Alpena, MI, has resumed its local newscasts after an outbreak of illness among its staff that shut the newscasts down last week.

Sports Illustrated has a lengthy look at the demise of the local sportscast and the fall from prestige of the local sports anchor.

General Manager News and Notes:

I’m not aware of any GM changes this week. If I’ve missed something, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 26, 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

KNBC-TV 100 Universal City Plaza, Bldg 2120 Universal City, CA 91608
KTTV 1999 S. Bundy Dr. Los Angeles CA 90025
WMAQ/WSNS-TV 454 N. Columbus Dr. Chicago, IL 60611
KTVT/KTXA-TV 5233 Bridge St. Fort Worth, TX 76103
WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, Georgia 30324
WZDC-TV 4001 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 **
KIRO-TV 2807 3rd Ave. Seattle, WA 98121
KMGH-TV 123 E. Speer Blvd. Denver, CO 80203
WLTV 9405 NW 41st St, Doral, FL 33178 **
WJZ-TV 3725 Malden Avenue Baltimore, MD 21211
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr. Columbus, OH 43215
KVUE- TV 3201 Steck Avenue, Austin, TX 78757
WWMT-TV 590 West Maple St. Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WAVY-TV 300 WAVY Street Portsmouth, VA 23704
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
KFTV 3239 W Ashlan Av. Fresno, CA 93722 **
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd. Moosic, PA 18507
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr. Tulsa, OK 74129 (see ad above!)
KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North. Wichita, KS 67219
WISC-TV 7025 Raymond Rd. Madison, WI 53719
WTVG-TV 4247 Dorr St. Toledo, OH 43607
WJCL-TV 1375 Chatham Pkwy., 3rd floor Savannah, GA 31405
KNWA-TV 609 W. Dickson St. Suite 300, Fayetteville AR, 72701
WQAD-TV 3003 Park 16th Street Moline, Illinois 61265
KHGI-TV 1078 25 Road Axtell, NE 68924
KMIZ-TV 501 Business Loop 70 E., Columbia MO 65201
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa TX 79763
WJET-TV 8455 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509
WGFL/WNBW/WMYG-TV 1703 NW 80th Blvd. Gainesville, FL 32606
WBUP/WKBP-TV 1705 Ash Street Suite 5 Ishpeming, MI 49849
WGEM-TV 513 Hampshire. Quincy, IL 62301
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
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

March 19, 2023

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 UPDATE:

Greetings:

One of America’s longest tenured major market news directors is leaving her station, just a few days after her 32nd anniversary as news director.

Bending

GAIL BENDING, who’s been the ND for CBS owned WJZ-TV in Baltimore since 1991, posted this note to Facebook. It does NOT address the circumstances behind her departure, but does say she is ‘saddened to have to leave’. I’ve emailed Gail asking for more details and will include her response in the next report.

Her station biography is, as of this writing, still on the WJZ.com website.

While I do not have definitive records, her tenure of 32 years as a major market news director, to my recollection, is second only to the 35 year tenure of WISH-TV (Indianapolis) news director LEE GILES who retired in 2003 after a total of 40 years at the station.

Also today, some management promotions at WNBC-TV in New York, where ND AMY MORRIS was promoted to Senior VP of News, overseeing both WNBC and Telemundo’s WNJU-TV. DAVID MANNEY was promoted from Assistant ND to news director for WNBC, while ALEXA RODRIGUEZ was also upped to ND for WNJU from Assistant ND.

Much more on these changes in this NBC news release.

We’ll have more in our full edition this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Know that you are not alone…there are NO perfect brackets left in this year’s basketball tournament.

But there is a lot of news in this week’s newsletter, with TWO new news directors named this week with FIVE new openings.

That takes our list of open ND jobs to 40!

ONE of those open jobs is our only paid ad this week…for the FOX station in Tulsa.

And we welcome Octopus Newsroom as a new advertiser. Check out its ad below…and visit their booth at NAB next month. Octopus develops solutions for modern newsrooms worldwide that streamlines the entire news production workflow.

ONE new GM to tell you about.

And lots of items in Names in the News, including the retirement of a longtime Louisiana newsman (and one time New Orleans ND), a belated report on a new director for Kneeland, and a few items you might have missed: reports of cuts at Sinclair stations, and a small market station suspending its newscasts because of staff illness.

All that…and more…below.

SciLine, a philanthropically funded, free service for reporters, arranges 1-on-1, broadcast-quality interview opportunities with articulate scientists. Reporters can book 15 mins with these via Zoom at the links above, or request a SciLine interview clip for your use.

CLIMATE EXPERTS: Available for interviews ahead of Earth Day 4/22

April 6: Rising seas threaten U.S. coastlines & cities (Dr. Gary Griggs, UC Santa Cruz)

April 12: Public attitudes about climate change (Dr. Jonathon Schuldt, Cornell U.)

April 20: Colorado River drought crisis (Dr. Jack Schmidt, Utah State U.)

Check out SciLine’s other free services for reporters and follow @RealSciLine on Twitter.

Newly Named News Director:

Morgan

KCTV, Kansas City, MO…JOSH MORGAN moves from sister Gray CBS affiliate WANF-TV in Atlanta to become the next news director here. He’s currently the managing editor there, and joined a year ago as Director of Digital Media. He is a former GM and ND for WREX-TV in Rockford, IL. Josh becomes the 10th ND in 13 years here and replaces KATE GLOVER who left last month after one year as ND.

Dillard

WYFF-TV, Greenville, SC…in another inter-company move, WILL DILLARD moves to this Hearst NBC affiliate from WJCL-TV (ABC) in Savannah, GA. He had been the Assistant ND there before being promoted to ND in 2020. He also worked at Hearst’s WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach and in Miami. Will replaces AKILI FRANKLIN who was promoted to a corporate news management recruitment job for Hearst.

New News Director Openings:

Keenan

KTVT/KTXA-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX…our Thursday update also reported SCOTT KEENAN’s departure from this CBS duopoly after six months as VP/News. Here’s the note from GM RAQUEL AMPERO. It was Scott’s second time at KTVT: he was the Ass’t ND here from 2004-2006 and had been the SW Bureau Chief for CBS News before taking the VP/News job. He’s also worked for CBS in Chicago (WBBM-TV & the bureau) and in Miami.

Belilty

WLTV, Miami, FL…SAMUEL BELILTY has left this Univision owned station after six years as news director. A company spokesman issued a short statement, reprinted in this item from Media Moves. Samuel has also run Univision newsrooms in Dallas, San Antonio, and Fresno, where he began as the creative services director before becoming news director.

WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA…as noted above, WILL DILLARD is off to sister Hearst station WYFF-TV in Greenville, SC after two plus years as ND for this ABC affiliate.

Chaverri

KFTV, Fresno, CA…ISIS CHAVERRI has left this Univision station after just over one year as news director. She’s returning to the American Red Cross, this time as a regional communications director in Indianapolis. She had spent more than three years in a similar role for the Red Cross in Chicago where she had once been ND of the Univision station there. Her complete work history is here.

Baker

WQAD-TV, Moline, IL…after more than 13 years as news director, ALAN BAKER is leaving this Tegna owned ABC affiliate. Here’s the note he sent to his staff this week. Alan began as a photographer, working in Ft. Myers, Columbus, OH, Nashville, and San Jose/San Francisco. He returned home to WQAD in 2002, beginning as a photographer before moving to the assignment desk, then Assistant ND before replacing BILL CAREY as ND.

Paid Help Wanted Ad: