December 1, 2024
Greetings:
A surprisingly busy week considering the holiday.
There are FOUR new news directors to share, with NO new openings.
That means there are still 39 stations with ND openings, with ONE of those jobs highlighted in a paid help wanted ad.
Would some extra cash help with your Christmas shopping (I’m an XL, by the way, if you have station golf shirts lying around).
Well, $25,000 is the prize in a relatively new award program with categories for both broadcast and cable reporting. Check out the ad just below.
In Names in the News, TWO stories about artificial intelligence, including a recommendation that NDs should lead the strategy discussion. And details about a news director honored for potentially saving the life of a woman in her station’s parking lot.
There’s another example of a former news director getting the GM job at his station, and we have a profile of a former ND turned GM who retired after decades at his station.
And there’s more as you will discover when you read on.
Newly Named News Directors:
Neerman
KOMO/KUNS-TV, Seattle, WA…our Tuesday holiday special UPDATE (so designated because it had BOGO) shared the news that MARK NEERMAN is returning to the ND chair and to Sinclair at this ABC/CW operation. Here’s the note from GM CHAD CONKLIN and a note Mark sent the staff. One of Mark’s earlier ND jobs was at Sinclair’s KSNV-TV (NBC) in Las Vegas. Mark’s entire work history is here. He’s replacing PHIL BRUCE who is retiring.
Trauschke
Rowles
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC…Veteran news director ED TRAUSCHKE is retiring at the end of the month from this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate, and will be replaced by DEREK ROWLES, the Assistant ND. We have emails from GM JOHNNY LEWIS about Ed’s retirement and Derek’s promotion. And we have Ed’s Linkedin page as well as Derek’s.
Darrah
WATN/WLMT-TV, Memphis, TN…the other part of Tuesday’s BOGO (buy one, get one) UPDATE told you that MIKE DARRAH is also returning to the ND chair at this Tegna owned ABC/CW duopoly. Mike’s a former ND in Honolulu, worked in Las Vegas and Orlando and has been working outside of TV news. He’s replacing DENISHA THOMAS who’s now ND at sister Tegna station WXIA-TV in Atlanta, where she reports to Director of Content CAROL FOWLER.
Greenwalt
WANE-TV, Ft. Wayne IN…after 17 years at this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate, BRIAN GREENWALT finally gets the keys to the big office. He’s been the Assistant ND for most of his time there, and earlier worked for then sister station WISH-TV in Indianapolis. At WANE, he’s replacing JENNA HUFF who left for a PR job with a local hospital. She was ND there for four years.
New News Director Openings:
No new openings this week. As always, please let me know if I missed anything. Email me at rick@rickgevers.com
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
News Director, NBC Montana:
Would you like to see mountains on your way into work, or the northern lights on the way home? Maybe run late because a herd of Elk blocked your commute?
NBC Montana is seeking an experienced, hands-on news leader with strong multi-platform skills and a bold style to lead one of the strongest local newsrooms in the country.
Our mission is to produce impact stories with a distinctive focus on accountability reporting.
Check it out and apply by clicking here.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 9/29/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/1/24)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (relisted 9/29/24)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (listed 11/3/24)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 11/10/24)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 11/10/24)
WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted 11/10/24)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 11/10/24)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 9/29/24)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, listed 10/27/24)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 11/3/24)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, listed 9/29/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 10/13/24)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 10/13/24)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/27/24)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/20/24)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 9/29/24)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 11/17/24)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/29/29)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Senior Content Producer, listed 11/10/24)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, listing modified 10/6/24)
WYFF-TV, Greenville-Spartanburg-Ashville, (listed 10/20/24)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (relisted 9/29/24)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (EP Lifestyle Show, listed 11/10/24)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (relisted 10/20/24)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem NC, (Weekend EP, relisted 10/20/24)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 10/20/24)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 10/20/24)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 9/29/24)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 11/17/24)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (listed 9/29/29)
KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT (relisted 9/2/24)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted 12/1/24:
KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 11/24/24:
KETK-TV, Tyler TX (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 11/17/24:
Spectrum News, Austin, TX (Managing Director)
Listed 11/3/24:
KGW-TV, Portland OR (Digital Director)
Listed 10/27/24:
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
Listed 10/20/24:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real Time Depth)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 9/29/24:
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital Director)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Digital Director)
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Time for another column by HANK PRICE, who says news directors need to take the lead in overseeing implementation of artificial intelligence strategies in newsrooms.
Speaking of AI, Scripps has named long-ago ND KERRY OSLUND VP of AI Strategy and appointed two others to work on that project.
Casanova
A tip of the hat to KULR-TV (Billings, MT) news director DIANE CASANOVA, honored this week by the city of Billings for her role in helping prevent a suicide by a woman who had driven to the station armed with a knife. Details in this story from The Billings Gazette. Take a moment to read it to learn about Diane’s own remarkable story, including getting her first job at KULR after she attended a job fair.
Wilson
Longtime Las Vegas newswoman TRACI WILSON is taking a job with the local newspaper, The Las Vegas Review-Journal. She’ll be the Director of Digital Broadcast and report to another former TV type, JIM PRATHER, who is the VP of Digital Strategy for the R-J. Traci has worked (twice) for KLAS-TV (CBS) in Las Vegas, and for KTNV (ABC) there, in addition to jobs in Denver and Austin, TX. She also worked for CNN.
General Manager News and Notes:
Darrel
Congratulations to former news director turned station manager…and now general manager DARREL LIEZE-ADAMS, who’s been promoted to GM for Hearst’s WBBH/WZVN-TV (NBC/ABC) in Ft. Myers, FL. Darrel first joined the station in 1997 as news director, coming from an EP job at KSTP-TV (ABC) in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He’s also worked in Cedar Rapids.
Middleton
NEIL MIDDELTON’s long career serving Eastern Kentucky came to end end late last month. We made a brief mention of it last week, but neglected to tell you he he worked for WYMT-TV in Hazard, KY, for more than 36 years (in two stints) including a long run as ND…and an even longer run as general manager. The local newspaper, The Hazard Herald, (ya gotta love the name) featured him in this profile.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, December 1, 2024:
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
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, Texas 77057
KIAH-TV 7700 Westpark Drive Houston, TX 77063
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHNS-TV 21 Interstate Court. Greenville, SC 29615
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane, Little Rock, AR 72202
KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North Wichita, KS 67219
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WOWK-TV 350 Quarrier St, Charleston, WV 25301
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave. Medford, OR 97504
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
WJET/WFXP-TV 8455 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WTRF-TV 96 16th St, Ste 2, Wheeling, WV 26003
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802 (see ad above!)
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503
KIDY-TV 5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station