April 8, 2018
Thursday, April 12, 2018 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Frank
The ‘soon-to-be-announced’ new job for ‘soon-to-be-former’ WBNS-TV News Director KELLY FRANK was just announced.
We told you last week that Kelly was leaving Columbus, OH, to be closer to her mother who is ill. And she’s achieved that goal with today’s news that she’ll be the next news director for Tegna’s WTSP-TV (CBS) in Tampa-St. Petersburg. Here are both the staff notice and the press release in one easy click.
Kelly’s been the ND at WBNS (Dispatch/CBS) for almost three years, worked in Atlanta at WGCL-TV and at CNN, and has worked in Washington, Phoenix, Milwaukee, and at another Columbus station, where she began her career as a producer.
At WTSP, she replaces BOB CLINKINGBEARD who resigned last October after two years as news director.
It’s been another busy week, and, as we have for more than 20 years, we’ll recap all the activity in our full report this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
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Wednesday, April 11, 2018 UPDATE:
A second large market Ohio news director in less than a week is leaving his station, in this case to pursue new projects.
Donnellan
Late this afternoon WKYC-TV in Cleveland, the Tegna owned NBC affiliate, announced that BRENNAN DONNELLAN will leave the station after the May book. General Manager MICKI BYRNES explained Brennan’s plans in this email to staff.
Brennan shared with me via email that he couldn’t talk too much about those plans but he had some ‘exciting projects’ in the works.
He was promoted to news director here in December, 2012…and spent 18 months as Managing Editor, News and Digital Content there before that. He’s a former ND in Cincinnati and Syracuse, and worked in Boston, Atlanta, Columbus, OH (two stations) and Norfolk.
Plotnik
On another matter, our schedule at NAB yesterday prevented me from alerting you to KENNY PLOTNIK’s upcoming departure from WBTS-TV, branded as NBC Boston. He oversaw the startup of the station after NBC pulled its affiliation from WHDH-TV there a little more than a year ago. The Boston Globe covered the change.
Kenny worked for 25 years at WABC-TV, the ABC o-and-o, ending a ten year run as ND in 2012. He also worked at another ABC owned station, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, and in Buffalo.
Great to see some of you at NAB. We’ll be back with our full report this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
If you’re in Las Vegas for NAB, I hope our paths cross. I will be at the annual RTDNA event at the Parasol Down bar at the Wynn Tuesday night. That event, a chance to meet fellow news directors and RTDNA leaders, features a cash bar and gets underway at 9:00 PM.
This week, there are FOUR newly named news directors, with just ONE new opening
So, our count of open ND jobs drops to 31.
ONE of those jobs is featured among our TWO paid help wanted ads.
In Names in the News, a former New Orleans news director returns to the Big Easy, and a Houston ND is honored as employee of the year by her company.
And there are THREE new GMs to tell you about, including one at a network owned station in Chicago.
All that…and more…below.
Newly Named News Directors:
Sierra
KDEN-TV, Denver, CO…GRISELLE SIERRA has been promoted to news director for this Telemundo station. Media Moves has more here. Griselle joined the station earlier this year. She’s worked in New York, San Juan, Orlando, and for CNN. She replaces ALFREDO SANCHEZ who left the station last month for a teaching job in Denver.
Zak
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL…an internal promotion within Scripps brings SARAH ZAK to this FOX affiliate as its next news director. She’s been the Assistant ND for WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. Here’s what WCPO ND CHIP MAHANEY posted on Facebook about her promotion. She’s a Tampa native and has also worked for the Scripps’ station there, WFTS-TV. She replaces ERIC MAZE who left earlier this year for a hospital PR job in his native Missouri.
Terrell
KLTV/KTRE-TV, Tyler/Lufkin/Longview, TX…longtime station employee JOE TERRELL ascends to the ND job for these Raycom Media owned stations, succeeding the late KENNY BOLES whose passing we reported in February after more than 20 years as ND. GM PAT STACEY shared the news with the staff. Joe’s also been at the station for more than 20 years and has also worked in Shreveport and Evansville.
Avery
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, Montana…CHRIS AVERY returns to his native Montana as news director for these Sinclair owned NBC affiliates which are branded as NBC Montana. Chris has been an EP for KSTU-TV in Salt Lake City for almost five years, and worked for KTVX-TV in Salt Lake for almost ten years before that. He’s also worked in Medford, OR. Chris replaces JULIE WEINDEL who left last fall after 2+ years as news director.
New News Director Opening:
Frank
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH…we first told you earlier this week that KELLY FRANK is leaving this Dispatch owned CBS affiliate for family reasons. Both her mother…and her wife, KATHERINE GREEN‘s mother, are battling serious health issues. Here’s the memo from GM JOHN CARDENAS to the staff. Kelly’s worked in Atlanta and at CNN, and has also worked in Washington, Phoenix, Milwaukee, and at another Columbus station, where she began her career as a producer.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WTVO/WQRF-TV, Rockford, IL:
WQRF/WTVO-TV in Rockford, IL, (DMA 138) is seeking a news director.
Responsibilities include managing daily on-air and on-line news content; hiring, training, and mentoring producers, reporters and anchors; overseeing special projects and executing day-to-day operations in the newsroom. Excellent time management skills, the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and working within a defined budget are key.
We are looking for someone who knows news, how to motivate and guide a combination of young reporting and producing staff and works well and directs more seasoned anchors. Must espouse a digital-first mentality. We need someone who gets and drives social media, knows the importance of marketing, community involvement, and works well with sales.
A degree in journalism, mass communications or a related field is preferred. Prior newsroom experience in producing, reporting or anchoring is required.
Please email resume and cover letter to VP/GM Kelly Lattimer at klattimer@wtvo.com
Assistant News Director, WAND-TV, Decatur, IL:
WAND-TV (DMA#88) in Decatur, IL has an immediate opening for an Assistant News Director.
We are looking for a candidate with an ardor for local news. The Assistant News Director will need to leverage the staff, stories, contacts, and resources available daily to generate informative and evocative news while making sure the individual pieces reinforce our station’s core philosophies and branding.
WAND-TV’s DMA is a tri-phenated market with dozens of vibrant communities in addition to the three major cities. It is essential to have an Assistant News Director who can communicate efficiently with staff that will often be working in communities across our DMA.
The successful candidate must also fit into the culture we have created at WAND-TV. We are looking for someone who will be a coach and a motivator. It is equally important that they can be a positive force in the newsroom while also pushing our staff to fulfill their potential.
WAND-TV is the perfect place to build a solid career. Decatur is centrally located in a tri-phenated market with the Illinois capital to the west and the world-renowned University of Illinois to the east. The cost of living is low, recently ranked 3rd most affordable city in the country. It has great schools and a low crime rate. Decatur’s central location means it’s a short drive to Chicago, St. Louis or Indianapolis.
Qualified candidates must have experience working as an Assistant News Director, Executive Producer or an equivalent position.
To apply, rush your resume to Morgan Schaab at Morgan.Schaab@wandtv.com
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
Spectrum News, Los Angeles, CA (listed 3/18/18)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 2/25/18)
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 3/25/18)
WAND-TV, Decatur, IL (listed 3/31/18, see ad above!)
KSBW-TV, Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz, CA (relisted 3/31/18)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KRIV-TV, Houston, TX (Evening EP, relisted 2/4/18)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listing revised 2/18/18)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (AM EP, listed 3/18/18)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 3/25/18)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (AM EP, listed 2/25/18)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City (AM EP, listed 3/18/18)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Nightside EP, listed 3/11/18)
WLUK-TV, Green Bay, WI (Nightside EP, listed 3/11/18)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (2 openings, AM & PM, listed 3/11/18)
Names in the News (and other items):
Slaughter
Congratulations to CHRIS SLAUGHTER who returns to his native New Orleans as the EP of Investigative for Hearst’s WDSU-TV. He had been the Assistant News Director (and, before that, Executive Producer of Investigative) for six years at WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge before his job was eliminated last December. He spent 34 years at WWL-TV in New Orleans, including three as ND.
Ramirez
SALLY RAMIREZ, news director of Tegna’s KHOU-TV in Houston, was named Tegna’s employee of the year. She…and her soon-to-be-departing general manager, SUSAN McELDOON were honored for their leadership roles during Hurricane Harvey which flooded the station, which is now operating out of temporary facilities while a new station is being built.
General Manager News and Notes:
Dalton
WBBM-TV in Chicago is getting a new general manager. DEREK DALTON heads west from Rochester, NY, where’s he’s been GM for Hubbard’s WHEC-TV. More details in this story from Chicago media writer ROBERT FEDER and this one from the Chicago Business Journal. It’s a return to Chicago for Derek, who once was national sales manager at WGN-TV. He’s also been a GM in Denver and San Diego, and replaces MARTY WILKE who announced her retirement last month.
Pimentel
We told you earlier this week that MARK PIMENTEL was named GM for KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs. Here’s the story from station owner News Press & Gazette. Mark most recently was GM for WGCL-TV in Atlanta. He’s also been a GM in St. Louis, Louisville, Richmond, Lexington, and Huntsville. Mark came up the news ranks, and was an ND in Atlanta, Baltimore. and Charleston, SC. He replaces TIM LARSON who left the station last month after eleven years as GM.
Corrente
WAFB-TV, the Raycom Media owned CBS affiliate in Baton Rouge, LA, has named RONNA CORRENTE as its next general manager. The company sent out this news release. She’s been the GM at WDKY-TV in Lexington, KY, for the past five years and worked there for 22 years. At WAFB, she replaces LEE MEREDITH who announced his retirement last month. Lee, as you know, also began in news.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, April 8 2018:
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
WBBM-TV 22 West Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602
Verizon Fios 1 News 800 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573
WFXT-TV 25 Fox Drive. Dedham, MA 02026
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
KARE-TV 8811 Olson Memorial Hwy, Golden Valley, MN 55427
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
WFSB-TV 333 Capital Blvd. Rocky Hill, CT 06067
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Drive Columbus OH 43215
KVVU-TV 25 TV 5 Dr, Henderson, NV 89014
WHAS-TV 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WVLT-TV 6450 Papermill Drive Knoxville, TN 37919
WFXR-TV 5305 Valleypark Drive, Suite 1. Roanoke, VA 24019
WNEM-TV 107 N. Franklin St. Saginaw, MI 48607
WIS-TV 1111 Bull St, Columbia, SC 29201
WLBT/WDBD-TV 715 South Jefferson Street Jackson, MS 39201
KTVB-TV 5407 West Fairview Ave. Boise, ID, 83706
KHSL/KNVN-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WAOW-TV 1908 Grand Ave. Wausau WI 54403
WTVO/WQRF-TV P.O. Box 470 Rockford, IL 61105 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Parkview Dr. Palm Desert, CA 92260
KCAU-TV 5993 Gordon Drive Sioux City, IA 51106
KPVI-TV 902 E Sherman St, Pocatello, ID 83201
KOTA-TV 2001 Skyline Dr, Rapid City, SD 57701
WETM-TV 101 E Water St, Elmira, NY 14901
WNKY-TV 325 Emmett Ave # N, Bowling Green, KY 42101
KXLF/KZBK-TV 1003 S Montana St, Butte, MT 59701
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd N. Twin Falls, ID 83301
WABG-TV 849 Washington Ave. Greenville MS 38701
**: Spanish language station