December 22, 2019
Greetings:
A very busy week…perhaps the reverse of the lull before the storm as we move into the holidays.
There are FOUR new news director openings, with TWO of those openings created by NDs taking new jobs. That leaves, by my count, 32 stations looking for a new news director.
TWO of those 32 openings are featured among our THREE Paid Help Wanted Ads below.
We have an obituary for a former Phoenix and Indianapolis General Manager.
In Names in the News, a 20+ year cable news operation is shutting down, while we’ll have a look at a relatively new one in Los Angeles. There’s an interview with the man in charge of the Black News Channel which launches in a few weeks. We’ll also tell you about a new Managing Editor in San Diego and the retirement of a longtime South Carolina newsman.
And there’s a larger than usual number of GM changes this week.
Please enjoy the holidays. I plan on publishing this week, though travel and spotty internet service may make that difficult.
Newly Named News Directors:
Gray
WISC-TV, Madison, WI…SARAH GRAY is moving down I-39 to become the next ND for this NBC affiliate. She’ll be only the FIFTH news director in the last 42 years for this Morgan Murphy owned station. Sarah has spent the last two years as ND for Gray’s WSAW-TV in Wausau, WI. At WISC, she replaces COLIN BENEDICT who’s stepping down after eleven years as ND to concentrate on his duties as the company’s VP of News.
Hamilton
KGAN-TV, Cedar Rapids, IA…KRISTEN HAMILTON moves within Sinclair to become the next news director for this CBS affiliate. She is coming from Sinclair’s KHQA-TV in Quincy. Details in this memo from KGAN GM GLEN CALLANAN. Kristen spent five years in Quincy, and has also worked in Indianapolis, Peoria, Savannah, and Springfield, MO. At KGAN, she replaces BECKY LUTGEN GARDNER. We told you in August that Becky was leaving but would stay until her replacement was found.
New News Director Openings:
WSFL-TV, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL…this Scripps owned CW affiliate is looking for a news director to launch a news operation in 2021. Former news director and Scripps Director of Content Strategy BILL SIEGEL was named this week to be GM of that operation. (More on Bill’s appointment in our GM News section below.)
Samp
WOI-TV, Ames/Des Moines, IA…this Tegna owned ABC affiliate is looking for a news director to replace APRIL SAMP. April served more than five years as news director there, and she’s also been an ND in Norfolk, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, IA, and worked as an EP in Oklahoma City, and a producer in Kansas City.
KHQA-TV, Quincy, IL…we reported above that KRISTEN HAMILTON is leaving this CBS/ABC duopoly to become ND for sister Sinclair station KGAN-TV in Cedar Rapids, IA.
WSAW-TV, Wausau, WI…we also told you above that SARAH GRAY was headed to Madison to become ND for WISC-TV. She’s been ND here for just over two years and previously worked in Green Bay.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Director of Digital Content, WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV:
WOWK in Charleston, West Virginia has an immediate opening for a Digital Content Manager.
The DCM owns the overall editorial presentation of the station’s news content on our digital properties. Responsibilities include managing digital content producers, digital MMJs, digital photographers and the rest of the digital staff. Understanding newsroom workflow, task delegation and assignment abilities are paramount.
This is a key newsroom management position essential for the daily digital execution of the brand. This position reports directly to the News Director.
Daily Expectations:
- Manage content display across desktop and mobile
Be a newsroom leader
Be a fixture in the morning and afternoon editorial meetings
Contribute content to relevant events and/or stories as needed
Assist with special project/sweeps planning & execution
Work irregular/odd hours and available to work weekends and holidays
Think strategically about developing the digital audiences and online capacities of newsroom
Help develop new opportunities to expand news brand and services while utilizing new and emerging technologies
Additional responsibilities as assigned by management
Assist in managing sales content elements that have strong revenue potential and web user interest.
Live streaming knowledge
Learn more about the job and apply by clicking here.
News Director, KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA:
Here’s your chance to lead a news duopoly operation in one of the most beautiful cities in the country!
eattle, Washington’s Q13 FOX (KCPQ) and JOEtv (KZJO) are looking for a news director to manage our growing and thriving news operation. The ideal candidate will build on our culture of journalistic excellence presented through relatable, locally relevant multi-platform content.
Sports news and coverage plays a major role in our content as well. We are the official TV partner of the Seattle Seahawks, Sounders and Storm professional teams. Exclusive access and coverage will be an essential piece of how you can showcase your vision.
We produce more than 60 hours of weekly local content in addition to our live sports post games and programs. Our entire team of journalists are eager to keep moving forward. We need an experienced newsroom leader to lead the charge.
Learn more and apply for this unique opportunity by clicking here.
News Director, WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA:
WTAJ-TV has an immediate opening for a dynamic News Director with the talent and energy to lead our hard-working news team.
This is a strong news market that includes Penn State University. Applicants must have at least three years of news management experience and a proven track record of running a winning day-to-day news operation in a competitive market.
We want someone with great news judgment, superior communication skills, high expectations, innovative concepts for our multiple platforms, and a desire to always surpass the competition.
Most importantly, the right candidate will be a creative thinker who can draw an audience with new ideas.
To apply CLICK HERE.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WDVM-TV, Hagerstown, MD (listed 11/3/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 12/8/19)
WACH-TV, Columbia SC (listed 11/10/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 11/17/19)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (relisted 12/8/19)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (relisted 11/24/19)
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA (listed 11/17/19)
KNPN/KNPG/KCJO-TV, St. Joseph, MO (listed 12/15/19)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted this week)
WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, PA (listed 12/8/19)
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (listed 12/15/19)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (listed 11/10/19)
Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO (listed 11/24/19)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted this week)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 11/17/19)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (AM EP, relisted 12/1/19)
KSND-TV, San Diego, CA (PM EP, new listing this week)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted this week)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (Dayside EP, relisted 12/1/19)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (listing revised this week)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (2 openings, EP and EP/Innovation, revised this week)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 11/10/19)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 12/15/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 11/10/19)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (Digital EP, relisted 11/10/19)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 12/15/19)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (PM EP, listing revised 12/15/19)
KXXV-TV, Waco, TX (listed 11/3/19)
WJTV, Jackson, MS (listing revised 12/8/19)
WNCT-TV, Greenville, NC (listed 12/8/19)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (listed 10/27/19)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (relisted this week)
KGET-TV, Bakersfield, CA (new listing this week)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (relisted 11/17/19)
KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT (listed 12/8/19)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (listed 12/1/19)
More News Management Openings:
New Listings this week:
E. W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH (Director of News Content Strategy)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (Digital Content Manager, see ad above!)
WJET-TV, Erie, PA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 11/17/19:
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Content Manager)
Obituary:
Stough
WILLIAM (BILL) STOUGH, who worked as a general manager in several markets including Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Ft. Wayne, died November 4th at the age of 83. More details in this obituary.
Names in the News (and other items):
Several items about the world of local cable news operations to share this week.
Nexstar has pulled the plug on one of the older operations, Chicago’s CLTV which the company acquired earlier this year in the Tribune acquisition. It started in January, 1993. ROBERT FEDER has more.
Though CLTV may be shutting down, a relatively new news operation is underway in Los Angeles. Here’s a look at Spectrum’s News 1, less than a year old.
Interested in learning more about the history of local news operations? Check out this master’s thesis from ELLIOTT WISER who began Tampa’s Bay News 9 in 1997.
Wordlaw
And speaking of creating a new news operation, The Black News Channel will launch in early January in more than 33 million homes. It’s VP of News and Programming is old friend GARY WORDLAW who discussed the project with TV News Check.
ISMAEL ESTRADA joins NBC’s KNSD-TV in San Diego as Managing Editor. For the last 10 years, he’s been a field producer for CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 and earlier worked as an investigative producer for sister NBC o-and-o WMAQ-TV in Chicago.
Brown
Longtime WYFF-TV (Greenville, SC) Assistant News Director LEE BROWN is retiring from this Hearst owned NBC affiliate. His last day will be in January, 44 years to the day that he first started there as a reporter. He’s also been the Assignment Editor and Managing Editor. The station reported on his retirement…and his career…here.
And while those of you that looked at the clip probably figured it out long before now, the 70th anniversary link we offered last week was from KGO-TV in San Francisco and not KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
General Manager News and Notes:
There’s a LOT of GM news this week.
Siegel
We told you in an UPDATE earlier this week (and mentioned it above) that Scripps has named BILL SIEGEL General Manager for WSFL-TV in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, where he’s been tasked with starting a news department. Here’s the official news release. Bill’s been one of the company’s Directors of News Content Strategy. He’s a former ND in New Orleans, and worked in St. Louis, Milwaukee, and San Antonio, and Palm Springs.
Kennedy
Former CBS o-and-o (Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Miami) General Manager BRIEN KENNEDY is the new VP/GM for Nexstar’s WIVB/WNLO-TV in Buffalo.
ANDREW PERINI has big (or at least well-worn) shoes to fill as he ascends to the GM job for KTVN-TV in Reno. That’s because the man he’s replaces, LAWSON FOX, spent 28 years as GM for this Sarkes-Tarzian owned CBS affiliate. Perini has been the sales manager.
GREG McALISTER is leaving Scripps’ KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, TX. He was there about seven years.
Sinclair Broadcasting has chosen SUSAN CONNOR to be GM for KTVL-TV in Medford, OR. She’s a former GM for WHBQ-TV in Memphis.
Finally, the GM of KTVZ-TV in Bend, OR, BOB SINGER, is leaving this News Press and Gazette station to become President of the Oregon Association of Broadcasters.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, December 22, 2019:
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
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KCPQ-TV 1813 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 (see ad above!)
WSFL-TV 500 E. Broward Blvd. # 800 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394
WFTV 490 E. South St., Orlando, FL 32801
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
WTTV/WXIN-TV 6910 Network Place Indianapolis, IN 46278
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
KGTV 4600 Air Way, San Diego, CA, 92102
KVUE-TV 3201 Steck Avenue, Austin, TX 78757
WVEC-TV 613 Woodis Ave Norfolk, VA 23510
KJRH-TV 3701 S. Peoria Tulsa, OK 74105
KTHV-TV 720 S Izard St, Little Rock, AR 72201
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
WBTW-TV 101 McDonald Court Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
WTAJ-TV 5000 6th Ave # 1, Altoona, PA 16602 (see ad above!)
KLKN-TV 3240 S 10th St, Lincoln, NE 68502
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
WSAW-TV 1114 Grand Ave, Wausau, WI 54403
KTVE/KARD-TV 200 Pavilion Road West Monroe, LA 71292
KSWO/KAUZ-TV 1401 SE 60th St, Lawton, OK 73501
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WCAV-TV 999 2nd St SE, Charlottesville, VA 22902
WTVY-TV 285 N Foster St # 7, Dothan, AL 36303
KULR-TV 2045 Overland Ave. Billings, MT 59102
KHQA-TV 301 S 36th St, Quincy, IL 62301
Delta News 837 Washington Av. Greenville, MS 38701
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501
**: Spanish language station