August 7, 2022
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 UPDATE:
Greetings:
A veteran newswoman stays in California and gets her first news director’s job.
Gearhart
BOBBI GEARHART will be the next ND for Scripps’ KGTV (ABC) in San Diego. She’s currently the managing editor for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, where she’s worked for nine years, beginning as an EP in 2013. GM LEON CLARK advised the staff of its new boss via this email, in which you will learn that Bobbi was graduated from San Diego State University, so a return to San Diego for her.
She’s also worked for another San Francisco station, as well as in Denver, Austin, TX, and Palm Springs. The full story is on her Linkedin page.
Bobbi replaces TODD REED who left the station in late June after four months as ND.
We’ll see you this weekend with our full newsletter.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
Published reports estimated about 5,000 people attended this week’s combined NABJ/NAHJ convention at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. And 5,000 is about the number of steps attendees need to get TO the convention from the entrance of the hotel.
It’s the first in-person for many since 2019, and you’d hear a lot of ‘Great to see you’ comments which seemed a little more heartfelt this year. I certainly enjoyed seeing some old friends and meeting new ones.
During this last week, a hiring spree found SIX new news directors named to jobs, with just ONE new opening, bringing our list of open jobs to a lower-than-it’s-been-in-a-long-time 26!
Just one Paid Help Wanted Ad this week, for an Assistant ND job out west.
Our streak of no obituaries came to a halt, with SIX deaths to tell you about, including the sudden passing of a Tampa chief photographer and a former GM and network executive. Those are all below.
Lots of GM news from Gray, and just THREE items in Names in the News, one of which is a fun list of TV people who have run for public office.
Check that and all the news below.
Newly Named News Directors:
Bailey
WITI-TV, Milwaukee, WI…this FOX o-and-o has named BRANDICE BAILEY as next news director. She’s currently the Assistant ND for WIS-TV in Columbia, SC, but has held management positions in San Francisco, Houston, and Miami, and has worked in Las Vegas, Chattanooga, and for CNN. She replaces JIM WILSON who left in May after three years as ND (and 30 at the station). He’s now chief photographer for Scripps’ WTMJ-TV (NBC) in Milwaukee.
Betts
WIVB/WNLO-TV, Buffalo, NY…BRIANNE BETTS returns to New York as the next ND for this Nexstar owned CBS/CW duopoly. More in this note from GM JOE ABOUZEID, where you’ll learn two fun facts about her sister AND another degree she has. She’s spent the last eleven years as the Assistant ND at Nexstar’s WCMH-TV (NBC) in Columbus, OH. Brianne replaces LISA (POLSTER) POLIZZI who left in May after five years as ND and seven at the station.
Wideman
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA…another Nexstar station, another promotion within the company. KATHY WILDEMAN comes from WJBF-TV in Augusta, GA, where she was Operations Manager and Assistant ND. You’ll see in this note to me from GM DAVID HART that it was her second time at WJBF. She has big shoes to fill, replacing KEVIN BRENNAN who retired earlier this year after 22 years as ND for this NBC affiliate.
Martin
WCSC-TV, Charleston, SC…JENNIFER MARTIN will be the next ND at this Gray owned CBS affiliate. She’s been the Assistant ND here for six years (in her second time at the station). She spent 14 years as a producer and EP for WLBT-TV in Jackson, MS. Jennifer replaces JENNIFER DALE who has taken a new job as VP/Recruiting for Gray. Jennifer (Dale, not Martin) was ND here for 4 1/2 years and has also been an ND in Johnson City, TN, and has worked in Mobile, Myrtle Beach and Columbus, GA.
Babcock
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX…another Nexstar station fills an open ND job, one of FOUR. CHRIS BABCOCK advances from Digital Content Director for this NBC station, a job he’s held for the last year. His background, including a stint as editor for a local newspaper, is interesting. Chris replaces TIM GUITERREZ who left the station earlier this year after about 18 months as ND.
Hart
WJBF-TV, Augusta, GA…JOHN HART is the new Director of Digital Journalism and Content for this Nexstar owned ABC affiliate. John’s been here for 22 years, first as a sports anchor. He moved to news in 2009. He’s giving up anchoring to be ND, where he’ll replace a long time colleague, SCOTT ELLEDGE who left earlier this year after 13 years as ND. Scott’s now VP/Director of Development for Bahakel.
New News Director Openings:
Lafferty
WJET/WFXP-TV, Erie, PA…SEAN LAFFERTY, who added ND responsibilities to his plate…in addition to his anchor job…is giving up the ND part of his portfolio. The dual role lasted less than a year. He’s been at the station since 1988. He’s also worked at another station in Erie and in Akron. WJET is an ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar which provides services to Mission Broadcasting’s WFXP, a FOX affiliate.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
Assistant News Director, KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ:
KNXV, The EW Scripps ABC station based in Phoenix, Arizona is looking for an experienced leader and broadcast journalist to join our news team as Assistant News Director. If you desire to work with a great team of journalism professionals in gathering, producing, and delivering stories on multiple platforms that make a difference in our communities, we want to hear from you!
Our Assistant News Director is responsible for managing daily coverage and operations of the news team and is responsible for consistently executing strategies.
In this role, we require a person who will roll up their sleeves to get the job done, is highly organized, can successfully multi-task, and is focused on fostering creativity and coaching the team for growth and development.
Apply at scripps.com/careers.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (listed 6/19/22)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 7/10/22)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 7/31/22, see ad above!)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (listed 7/31/22)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (listed 7/10/22)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 6/5/22)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 7/17/22)
KENS-TV, San Antonio TX (relisted 7/17/22)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 7/10/22)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 7/31/22)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (relisted 6/5/22)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo NY (relisted 7/24/22)
WPRI-TV, Providence, RI (relisted 7/17/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (listed 6/5/22)
WAND-TV, Decatur, IL (relisted 6/5/22)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (relisted 7/24/22)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI (relisted 6/5/22)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTVT-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (AM EP, listed 7/10/22)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 7/10/22)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listing revised 7/31/22)
KRIV-TV, Houston, TX (listed 7/17/22)
KPHO/KTVK-TV, Phoenix, AZ (relisted 6/5/22)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 6/26/22)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (MSP EP, listed 7/10/22)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 6/12/22)
WKYC-TV, Cleveland, OH (relisted 7/17/22)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 7/17/22)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (AM EP, listed 6/12/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 6/12/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Weekend EP, revised 7/24/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 7/17/22)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 6/5/22)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 7/3/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Special Projects EP. relisted 7/17/22)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 5/30/22)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 6/12/22)
WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (PM EP, revised 7/24/22)
WAVY/WVBT-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 7/10/22)
KFOR/KAUT-TV, Oklahoma City (Overnight EP, listed 7/3/22)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 7/24/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (relisted 6/26/22)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (AM EP, listed 6/12/22)
WGHP-TV, Greensboro/High Point NC (listed 6/19/22)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 7/10/22)
WINK-TV, Fort Myers, FL (2 openings, listed 7/10/22)
WBAY-TV, Green Bay, WI (AM EP, listed 6/12/22)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (AM EP, relisted 7/24/22)
KMTV. Omaha, NE (listed 7/17/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (listed 6/5/22)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (two openings, AM & PM EP, relisted 7/17/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 7/24/22)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (2 openings, one a Digital EP, revised 7/24/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, relisted 6/5/22)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC (relisted 7/24/22)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 7/17/22)
WTVO/WQRF-TV, Rockford, IL (listed 6/26/22)
KFDX/KJTL-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (PM EP, listed 7/17/22)
WETM-TV, Elmira, NY (listed 6/26/22)
KBZK-TV, Boseman, MT (listed 7/17/22)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 6/12/22)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (relisted 7/17/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, MO (relisted 6/5/22)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 7/31/22:
Listed 7/24/22:
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (Digital Content Manager)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (Director of Digital Media)
WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (Director of Digital Media)
Relisted 7/24/22:
Spectrum News NY1 (Senior Producer & Senior Producer-Politics)
Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Supervising Producer, Documentary Journalism Center)
Listed 7/10/22:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real Time Depth)
WKYC-TV, Cleveland, OH (Digital Content Director)
Listed 7/10/22:
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (Director of Digital Content)
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA (Digital News Manager)
Listed 7/3/22:
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 6/26/22:
WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)
Listed 6/12/22:
KVEO/KGBT-TV, Rio Grande Valley, TX (Digital Content Manager)
Obituaries:
Sadly, lots of obituaries this week.
Lamison
Our sympathy to the folks at Tampa’s WFLA-TV on the sudden passing this week of chief photographer PAUL LAMISON. A 29+ year veteran of that Tegna Nexstar owned NBC affiliate, Paul died Wednesday at the age of 57 of an apparent heart attack. He was well known in the market as a part of the station’s morning team. More in this obituary. Paul is survived by a wife and daughters.
Severino
President JOHN KENNEDY (and others) said “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.” Such it is with claims to have invented Eyewitness News. One who has been called that was longtime TV executive JOHN SEVERINO, who died July 27th at 85. He ran stations in Los Angeles and Chicago, was Presdient of ABC, head of the CBS stations group, and much more. Details from The Hollywood Reporter and in this obituary.
Hogan
JACK HOGAN, a legendary Western Michigan news director who also served as President of (then) RTNDA, died Thursday. He was 89. Jack was the longtime ND for WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids and later worked for the city. One of the many people he hired was meteorologist BILL STEFFEN who years later went across town to WOOD-TV where he wrote this remembrance. Be sure to check out Jack’s references for a post retirement job.
Pritchett
STEVE PRITCHETT began at KVII-TV in Amarillo, TX, as a reporter, producer and anchor. He later became news director there for six years, during which time (according to this obituary) the station was number one. He died Tuesday at the age of 65. After leaving KVII, in 1994 he joined the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation, leaving as Vice-President after 22 years.
Hamilton
Longtime Fargo broadcaster DOUG HAMILTON lost his battle with cancer this week. He was 72. Doug was a reporter, producer, anchor and news director for two Fargo stations that are now branded as Valley News Live. This story is from that website. He most recently worked for Prairie Public Radio in Fargo. Doug was also active in the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theater.
Walorski
Indiana Congresswoman JACKIE WALORSKI, 58, was one of four people killed in a head-on collision in northern Indiana Wednesday. She was a passenger in a car driven by ZACHARY POTTS, head of the St. Joseph Country Republican Party. Potts and another aide, EMMA THOMPSON, also died, as did the driver of the other car. We tell you this because Walorksi spent four years as a reporter for WSBT-TV in South Bend earlier in her career. She was first elected to Congress in 2012.
Names in the News:
Kiss
Philadelphia’s CBS o-and-o, KYW-TV, has named RICHARD KISS as its next Assistant News Director. He comes from WCAU-TV (NBC owned) in Philadelphia where he was an executive producer. Richard is following new KYW ND KATHY GERROW who left WCAU last month to become ND at KYW. Richard’s also worked at News 12 in New York and for WDSU-TV in New Orleans
There’s a new effort to help journalists improve coverage of crime, public safety, and the courts. It includes a year long mentorship program. More from the Nieman Lab website.
Finally, a fun list thanks to the Columbia Journalism Review: a list of journalists who have run for office,. Check it out here.
General Manager News and Notes:
Ingram
TIM INGRAM‘s departure from Gray Television (reported first in this space last week) spurred a lot of changes, as the company has tagged TEN current GMs for new roles as Regional Vice Presidents/General Managers, where they will continue running their stations and overseeing others. And a GM who already had that title had a few more stations added to his portfolio. The list is too long for this space, but NOT for this Gray TV news release.
Speaking of Gray news releases, here’s a two-fer. The company promoted new general managers at two of its stations, KWCH/KCSW-TV (CBS/CW) in Wichita, and WGGB/WSHM-TV (ABC/CBS) in Springfield, MA. DAVID HERRMANN is the winner in Wichita, while Station Manager/News Director PATIENCE HETTRICK has been bumped up in Springfield. I have not yet been able to confirm if that creates an ND opening there.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, August 7, 2022:
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
KTTV 1999 S. Bundy Dr. Los Angeles CA 90025
KTVT/KTVA-TV 5233 Bridge St. Fort Worth, TX 76103
WTHR-TV 1000 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46204
KGTV 4600 Air Way. San Diego, CA 92102
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WTLV/WJXX-TV 1070 East Adams Street Jacksonville, FL 32202
WTKR-TV 720 Boush Street, Norfolk VA, 23510
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WHAM-TV 4225 W. Henrietta Rd. Rochester, NY 14623
WROC-TV 201 Humboldt Street Rochester, NY 14610
WEYI/WSMH-TV, 3463 W. Pierson Road. Flint, MI 48504
KAGS-TV 2800 South Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX 77802
KRNV/KRXI-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno, NV 89502
WPTA/WISE-TV 3401 Butler Road, Fort Wayne, IN
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KTVE/KARD-TV 200 Pavilion Rd. West Monroe, LA 71292
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
WJET-TV 8455 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
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
**: Spanish language station