Rick’s Weekly Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

April 4, 2021

Friday, April 9, 2021 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Godwin

Variety reports that KIM GODWIN, a former local news director who is currently Executive Vice President of News for CBS, is likely to be named President of ABC News.

If that happens (and the Variety story allows that the move may not), she would become the first Black woman to head a broadcast news network. (You’ll remember RASHIDA JONES was named Presdient of cable network MSNBC late last year.)

Here’s the link to the Variety story.

The timing seems awkward for CBS. Kim had recently been tasked with overseeing CBS’s owned stations news departments following the suspension, and this week’s dismissal, of DAVID FRIEND.

She first joined CBS in 2007 following a long career in local news, where she was a news director in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Cleveland, and also served as an interim news director in New York. She also worked in a number of local stations, as her CBS bio details.

More on this, and all the week’s news…in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 UPDATE #2:

Greetings:

A rare second UPDATE in the same day usually means big news, and this qualifies.

Dunn

Friend

CBS has announced that both PETER DUNN, president of the owned station’s division, and DAVID FRIEND, who oversaw the local station’s news operations, will not return to the network.

The Los Angeles Times, which first reported on allegations of racist behavior against the pair, has details on this latest development here.

The dismissal of Dunn and Friend, each of whom had held their jobs for more than a decade, came even as an outside investigation into their conduct continues.

I suspect this story will be wide covered in both trade publications and general audience news reports.

We’ll see you this weekend with our full newsletter.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Another news director change at the Meredith station in Kansas City to report this morning.

Flannigan

SCOTT FLANNIGAN has left KCTV (CBS) after less than a year on the job. He joined KCTV last July after six plus years as ND for the company’s Mobile, AL, station, WALA-TV (FOX).

Scott’s entire career background is detailed on his Linkedin page.

Speaking of six, his replacement at KCTV will be the SIXTH news director in the last EIGHT years here.

We’ll have all the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

**** ***** ****
Greetings:

Perhaps reflecting a holiday week, there’s not a lot of movement to report in this week’s edition.

We do have ONE news manager hire…that’s below. Our list of open ND jobs stands at 28.

There are TWO obituaries and lots of items in Names in the News, including stories about future plans for Scripps and the Black News Channel. And there are, as usual, a few news managers on the move.

Read on for details!

Newly Named News Directors:

Quince

Spectrum News Network, Upstate New York: ALEXANDER QUINCE has been named Senior Director, News, for this cable news operation. He most recently was an EP for WABC-TV in New York, has been a news director at KTUL-TV in Tulsa, and worked in Tampa, Atlanta, and Birmingham. More in this news release from the company.

New News Director Openings:

There are no new openings this week, to the best of my knowledge.

We do, however, have an update on the opening at WGXA-TV (Fox/Sinclair) in Macon, GA, which we first reported last week. MALLORY HUFF is leaving at the end of April.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

There are no paid help wanted ads this week.

If you want to reach the most targeted audience available to advertise your news management openings, please email me @ rick@rickgevers.com

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/21/21)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted this week)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (listed 2/21/21)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (relisted 3/28/21)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Proj./Investigations, revised 3/21/21)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 3/7/21)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (EP Investigations, relisted 1/31/21)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (listed 2/21/21)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (Digital EP, relisted 3/14/21)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 3/28/21)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (PM EP, listed 3/28/21)
WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/21/21)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Lifestyle show, listed 3/7/21)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (Digital Content EP, relisted 2/21/21)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/21/21)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, listed 3/28/21)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham, AL (Digital EP, listed 3/28/21)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 3/14/21)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted 3/14/21)
WGHP-TV, Greensboro/High Point, NC (Digital EP, listed 3/21/21)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 2/21/21)
WATN-TV Memphis TN (relisted 3/28/21)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 2/21/21)
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA (relisted 3/21/21)
WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 2/14/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 2/21/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (Digital EP, listing revised 3/28/21)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (listed 1/31/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted 3/14/21)
WTVM-TV, Columbus, GA (listed 2/28/21)
KDRV-TV, Medford, OR (relisted 2/14/21)
WVNS-TV, Ghent, WV (Digital EP, new listing this week)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 3/28/21:

WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL. (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 2/21/21:

Spectrum Networks NY1 Senior Manager, News and Content

Listed 2/14/21:

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Newscast Producer, National Desk

Obituaries:

Kuelbs

TOM KUELBS, who is credited with launching JERRY SPRINGER’s career as an anchor and commentator in Cincinnati, died last Monday (March 29) at the age of 79. He was the news director for WLWT-TV in Cincinnati when he worked with Springer, and earlier had been an ND for KHOU-TV in Houston and a producer and assistant ND for WBBM-TV in Chicago before becoming ND at WLS-TV.

Andy O.

Longtime Washington (DC) broadcaster ANDY OCKERSHAUSEN died March 17. He was 92. He was GM at WMAL-AM for 27 years before becoming the GM for Channel 50 in Washington, then known as WFTY-TV. He also worked with Home Team Sports, now known as NBC Sports Washington. More details on his life and career in this Washington Post story.

Names in the News:

Media Moves has updates on new jobs for two news managers.

Landeros

PHIL LANDEROS returns to Orlando as an executive producer for WKMG-TV (Graham Media/CBS). He formerly worked at WOFL-TV (FOX) in Orlando before moving to Atlanta as the ~~Assistant ND~~ Senior Executive Producer for WGCL-TV (Meredith/CBS). He’s also worked in Chicago, Tampa, and Milwaukee.

And EDGARDO SANABRIA joins KTDO-TV (Telemundo) in El Paso as the new Assistant News Director. He had been an EP at sister station KSTS-TV in San Francisco.

Brink

PAT BRINK returns to a television newsroom as the new assistant news director for Nexstar’s CBS affiliate, KXMB-TV, in Bismarck, ND. He most recently was the news director for KYOU-TV (FOX) in Ottumwa, IA, a job he left in 2019. Earlier in his career he worked in Minneapolis, Austin, and Rochester, MN. He’s spent much of his career outside of TV, as his Linkedin page attests.

Mark

Longtime Houston broadcaster STEVE MARK moves to Denver as news director of WeatherNationTV and America’s Voice. More from Houston blogger MIKE McGUFF. During his time in Houston, Steve has worked both as a news manager and sportscaster at several stations, including KHOU-TV, KPRC-TV, KRIV-TV and KIAH-TV. He also worked in PR for the Houston Dynamo soccer team.

Summa

Scripps has hired veteran journalist KEITH SUMMA as deputy bureau chief of its Washington bureau, where he will oversee investigations. Learn more about Keith and his new responsibilities here.

Speaking of Scripps, check out this Variety interview with CEO ADAM SYMSON about his vision for the company.

The Hollywood Reporter details the Black News Channel’s prime reboot and its plans for the future.

General Manager News and Notes:

There were no GM moves this week as far as I know.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, April 4, 2021:

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

WABC-TV 7 Lincoln Square, New York, NY 10023
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017 (see ad above!)
News Nation 2501 West Bradley Place Chicago, Illinois 60618
KNXV-TV 515 North 44th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85008
KING/KONG-TV 1501 1st Ave. South Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98134
KOMO-TV 140 4th Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
WFOR-TV 8900 NW 18th Terrace, Doral FL 33172
KTXL-TV 4655 Fruitridge Road Sacramento, CA 95820
WCCB-TV 1 Television Place Charlotte, NC 28205
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street Hartford, CT 06115
WVIT-TV 1422 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
KMPH/KFRE-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507
KAKE-TV 1500 N West St, Wichita, KS 67203 (see ad above!)
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Rd. Charleston, WV 25301
WACH-TV 1400 Pickens Street, Suite 600 Columbia, SC 29201
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Road McAllen TX 78501 **
WILX-TV 500 American Rd, Lansing, MI 48911
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Macon, GA, 31201
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi TX 78411
WKBT-TV 141 South 6th Street La Crosse, WI 54601
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KOSA-TV 4101 E 42nd St. Ste 107 Odessa, TX 79762
KTXS-TV 4420 N. Clack Abilene, TX 79602
WDAM-TV 2362 US-11, Moselle, MS 39459
KAIT-TV 472 Craighead 766. Jonesboro, AR 72401

March 28, 2021

Greetings:

Apologies for the late posting of this week’s newsletter which comes from our west coast office.

But we still have lots to share. THREE new news directors, and THREE new openings, leaving our count of open ND Jobs at 28, as we have also removed one job from the list as we’ll explain below.

Beaumont, TX, is featured in both categories, as one job was filled while another opened up. And THREE larger markets (New York, Seattle, and Hartford) account for SIX of the openings.

You can learn more about TWO of those open ND jobs in Paid Help Wanted ads below.

We have some sad news about a legendary newsman who has entered hospice care. That’s below.

There’s lots of news managers on the move. Of note: ALL five of them moved within their current companies.

And we’ll tell you about a former Illinois news director who’s running for mayor in a city where she worked for two TV stations over more than 20 years.

A Texas Tegna GM gets a promotion, and a Scripps GM moves from Colorado to Florida for his new assignment.

All that and more below.

Newly Named News Directors:

McMahan

KFDM-TV, Beaumont, TX…KEITH McMAHAN moves across Texas to become news director at this Sinclair owned CBS affiliate. He’s been the Assistant News Director for sister Sinclair station WOAI-TV (NBC) in San Antonio for the last 7+ years. He’s a former ND at KABB-TV in San Antonio. At KFDM, he replaces PAUL ALEXANDER who left the station a few weeks ago.

Terlecki

WAOW-TV, Wausau, WI…COURTNEY TERLECKI has been promoted to ND for this Quincy owned (for now, sale pending to Gray) ABC affiliate. She’s been here for almost six years, most recently as Assistant ND. Courtney replaces KEVIN CARPENTER who’s retiring after three years as news director. Kevin spent much of his career as Director of Digital Operations at WLS-TV in Chicago after beginning as a reporter in smaller markets.

KIDY/KXVA-TV, San Angelo, TX…congratulations to GABE VELA who is being promoted to news director for these Tegna owned FOX affiliates. Gabe is currently the Senior Producer for sister-Tegna station KENS-TV (CBS) in San Antonio, TX. He replaces CODY BROADWAY who left the station in December 2019.

Also, please note that we’ve removed WFMZ-TV in Allentown, PA, from the list of open ND jobs. Longtime ND BRAD RINEHART has decided to stay on.

The station has promoted JAMASYN DIEHL to assistant news director to help Brad. She’s been with WFMZ since 2003, most recently as the executive content manager.

New News Director Openings:

WGXA-TV, Macon, GA…this Sinclair owned FOX/ABC affiliate has a posting for a news director opening. I believe it is to replace JENNA HUFF who left last September to become ND for WANE-TV (Nexstar/CBS) in Ft. Wayne but several emails to a Sinclair representative for that region have not been answered.

Brown

KBMT-TV, Beaumont, TX…DANIEL BROWN will leave this Tegna owned ABC affiliate in a few months and will leave television news, as least for a bit. He’s been the news director here for about two years and previously worked at Tegna stations in Atlanta (WXIA-TV) and Charlotte (WCNC-TV), and also worked in Cleveland and Baton Rouge, LA.

Pickey

KOSA-TV, Odessa, TX…this Gray Television owned CBS affiliate is advertising for a new news director. My records show SCOTT PICKEY had been the ND here since July, 2018. He’s a former news director in Oak Hill/Beckley, WV, Wilmington, NC, El Paso, TX and Fayetteville, AR. He’s also worked in Raleigh, Richmond and Syracuse.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, WPIX-TV, New York, NY:

The search is on for the next News Director at WPIX in New York City.

Join #NexstarNation in the #1 Market in the country. Lead an award-winning team of journalists for the largest TV ownership group in the nation.

We are looking for an experienced news leader – who has a passion for enterprise reporting, issue-based political coverage, and an eye for stories that impact the local communities that make up New York City.

Must come with a love for weather coverage and sports. WPIX is the broadcast home for both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.

WPIX already produces more than 50 hours of local newscasts each week, and we are just getting started, We need a News Director who has a real passion for the industry, the desire to create new products, and the mindset to grow winning teams.

If this describes you, apply here.

News Director, KAKE-TV, Wichita, KS:

KAKE and KAKE.com, Wichita’s legacy ABC affiliate, seeks a News Director to lead a dedicated team of journalists and photojournalists in one of America’s most livable cities.

KAKE produces 40+ hours of local television news each week and embraces a screen-agnostic approach to coverage and, as a result, enjoys a leadership position in the market with digital audience engagement.

We are committed to excellence in journalism. KAKE journalists are timely, accurate, and unbiased in their reporting on all platforms. We seek someone who shares that expectation of excellence and can demonstrate their ability to lead strong teams.
Requirements:

Minimum 4 years of News Director experience
Four-year degree in Journalism, English, Mass Communications or other applicable discipline required
Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with an emphasis on collaboration, setting expectations, accountability, managing conflict, decision-making, coaching and delegation
Strong broadcast and AP style writing skills for all platforms
Strong command of the English language, journalism ethics, and the tenets of professional journalism
Competency with Microsoft Office applications, newsroom software, social media, camera equipment, and editing systems

Interested candidates can apply to:

Lori Johnson, Business Manager e-mail to: ljohnson@kake.com 

No telephone calls please

Lockwood Broadcast Group and KAKE provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Pre-employment drug test is required along with a background screen as allowed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations.