Menu

February 11, 2024

Sunday Feb 11, 2024

Sunday, February 18, 2024:

Due to non-working WiFi on a (another) Southwest flight, we won’t be able to post this week’s edition until after midnight (or later) Eastern time.

Apologies.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A rare move across the street in Denver (and if you know where the stations are, it is literally across the street…from 100 E. Speer to 500 E. Speer.)

Di Santo

Making that move is LINDA KICAK DI SANTO who’s leaving Nexstar’s KDVR/KWGN-TV (FOX/CW) after almost 21 years to become the news director for Tegna’s KUSA-TV (NBC). She’s been the Assistant ND at KDVR and had earlier been the Managing Editor there . Her move leaves KDVR without a news director or Assistant ND. ND BRIAN GREGORY left in December to be a GM in Norfolk.

At KUSA, Linda replaces TIM RYAN. We told you two weeks ago that Tim would leave KUSA (after 30 years in two stints) to pursue other projects.

More in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

 

Rick Gevers

**** ***** ***

Greetings:

For the THIRD consecutive week, there are THREE new openings and THREE new news directors to tell you about.

That leaves 34 stations on our list of openings, with ONE paid ad highlighting one of those openings.

And TWO seems to be the number of the day for the rest of the newsletter.

TWO obituaries.

TWO assistant news directors making news.

TWO items about former news directors who are still writing, though in different formats.

TWO items involving former GMs.

And while there is just ONE GM move, it involves someone who is going to the same market for the SECOND time.

I’m stretching now, so I’ll quit and wish you a great week.

Newly Named News Directors:

 Eric N.

WFMZ-TV, Allentown, PA…ERIC NAZARENUS will be the next ND for this locally owned independent which is in the Philadelphia market. Eric’s been the ND for WBRE/WYOU-TV in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the last year. GM ANDREW WYATT told the staff there. Eric replaces BRAD REINHART, who’s been the ND here since 1984 and will continue as the Assistant General Manager.

Long

WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA…Tuesday’s UPDATE told you BAYLOR LONG is back as ND, after a 2 1/2 year detour to sister Hearst station WVTM-TV (NBC) in Birmingham as ND. Baylor was the AND here for 4 1/2 years and has also worked for Hearst stations in Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Winston-Salem. He replaces the retiring JIM PARSONS who worked here for 28 years, the last 7 1/2 as ND.

Gibson

WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN…BRADY GIBSON has been promoted to news director for this Circle City Broadcasting owned CW affiliate. He’ll continue to report to VP/News AL CARL. This news release has more. Brady first joined WISH in 2017 and became the Assistant ND in 2019. He’s also worked for another Indianapolis station and in Evansville.

New News Director Openings:

Hyvonen

WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH…our second UPDATE Tuesday reported STEVE HYVONEN’s upcoming departure from this Gray TV owned FOX affiliate. Here’s part of Steve’s note to me: After 8.5 amazing years in Cincinnati, I will be leaving WXIX in the next few weeks. I can’t divulge my next stop just yet, but stay tuned! Steve’s also been an ND in Cleveland, Orlando, and Birmingham. More on his Linkedin page.

WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL…our report above told you that BAYLOR LONG is returning to sister-Hearst station WTAE-TV (ABC) in Pittsburgh after 2 1/2 years as ND here.

WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre, PA…you learned above that ERIC NAZARENUS is headed east to become ND for WFMZ-TV in Allentown, PA. Eric was ND here for just about a year and spent 23 years at WGAL-TV in Lancaster, the last 18 months as ND. WBRE (NBC) is owned by Nexstar, which provides services to Mission Broadcasting’s WYOU (CBS).

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

News Diredctor, WFXG-TV, Augusta, FA:

WFXG has an immediate opening for a News Director to lead a dedicated team in beautiful Augusta, GA.

WFXG produces 30 plus hours of local television news each week and embraces a screen-agnostic approach to coverage through our website WFXG.com, two mobile apps, live streaming video, and social media platforms.

The primary responsibility of the News Director is to oversee all aspects of our news operation and ensure all WFXG journalists are timely, accurate, and unbiased in their reporting on all platforms. We seek someone who shares an expectation of excellence and can demonstrate the ability to lead strong teams.

Requirements:

  • Minimum 3 years of Assistant News Director, Executive Producer experience of increasing responsibility or equivalent news room experience
  • Four-year degree in Journalism or other applicable discipline required
  • Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
  • Highly experienced with ENPS
  • Strong broadcast and AP style writing skills
  • Strong command of journalism ethics
  • Competency with Microsoft Office applications, newsroom software, social media, camera equipment, and editing systems

About Us:

  • We’re a dynamic and progressive family-owned business
  • Medical, dental, vision, prescription, and life insurance, flexible spending account, 401(k), paid time off (vacation, personal, holidays), paid parental leave, employee assistance program.

Interested candidates can apply to:

Mark Kurtz at mkurtz@cbs19news.com

Lockwood Broadcast Group and WFXG 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.

SciLine has several expert interview opportunities over these next few weeks. With topics ranging from youth sports to invasive species, childcare costs to lead pipes, and veterinary staffing shortages to zoning and land use, SciLine has experts ready to help strengthen the science in local news stories.

Interview an expert:

Recent videos (free for download and use in your stories):

SciLine, a philanthropically funded, free service for reporters, arranges 1-on-1, broadcast-quality interview opportunities with articulate scientists. Reporters can book 15 mins with them via Zoom or request a SciLine interview clip for your use. SciLine also runs a free expert matching service that connects reporters rapidly to scientist-sources on deadline.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KNBC/KVEA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 1/7/24)
WDCW-TV, Washington, DC (listed 2/11/24)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/4/24)
KOVR/KMAX-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 2/11/24)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 1/7/24)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 1/21/24)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (listed 1/7/24)
WACH-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 1/14/24)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 1/7/24)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/14/24)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 2/11/24)
WCIV-TV, Charleston, SC (listed 1/14/24)
KBOI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 1/14/24)
WGXA-TV, Macon, GA (listed 1/14/24)
KVII-TV, Amarillo, TX (listed 1/14/24)
KBMT-TV, Beaumont, TX (relisted 1/7/24)
KTVO-TV, Kirksville, MO (also PM anchor, listed 1/14/24)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

WPIX-TV, New York, NY (Sports EP, relisted 2/11/24)
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (listed 1/21/24)
KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 1/7/24)
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (PM EP, relisted 1/14/24)
The Hill, Washington, DC (Rising Program, listed 1/21/24)
Nexstar DC Bureau, Washinton, DC (listed 12/24/23)
WSNN-TV, Sarasota, FL (listed 1/7/24)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 1/7/24)
KATU-TV, Portland, OR (2 openings, AM and Digital, modified 2/4/24)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 12/24/23)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 12/24/23)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (Supervising Producer, listed 2/4/24)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 12/17/23)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (AM EP, relisted 1/7/24)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 1/7/24)
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (relisted 1/7/24)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/4/24)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 1/14/24)
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/14/24)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 1/21/24)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, (relisted 1/7/24)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (listed 2/4/24)
WGNO-TV, New Orleans, LA (AM EP, listed 1/28/24)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (Digital EP, listed 1/21/24)
WRGB-TV, Albany, NY (listed 1/14/24)
KHON-TV, Honolulu, HI (listed 1/28/24)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 2/4/24)
KETV, Omaha, NE (listed 2/4/24)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (relisted 1/14/24)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (listed 2/4/24)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC (AM EP, listed 1/21/24)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (relisted 1/7/24)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (listed 1/14/24)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital EP, listed 12/17/23)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (listed 1/14/24)
WRDW/WAGT-TV, Augusta, GA (listed 1/14/24)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (Digital EP, listed 1/21/24)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KHON-TV, Honolulu, HI (listed 1/28/24)

More News Management Openings:

Relisted 1/7/24:

WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (Director of Digital Content)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Director of Digital Content)

Obituaries:

Vance

MARGARET VANCE, widow of long ago ND BILL VANCE, died January 22nd at the age of 87. She suffered from Alzheimer’s. Our older readers will Margaret, who regularly attended (then) RTNDA conventions with Bill, who was an ND in Dallas, Detroit, Columbus, Providence and Baton Rouge. He died in 2005 from cancer at the age of 72. Thanks to MIKE CUTLER, who worked for Bill in Columbus, who provided more on Margaret’s life.

WILLIAM “DUD” LASTRAPES, Jr, who retired as news director of Lafayette, LA’s KLFY-TV in 1970, died last Wednesday at the age of 94. He later served 12 years as Mayor of Lafayette, where flags were flown at half staff in his honor.

Names in the News:

TWO Assistant News Directors at top 25 market stations are in the news.

NELSON GARCIA, who spent 18 years at KUSA-TV in Denver, starting as a reporter and finishing as the Assistant ND, is off to sister Tegna station KARE-TV in Minneapolis. He’ll be the AND there. The move gets Nelson and his wife closer to family there. KUSA aired this tribute.

And LISA CARR, who worked for KOVR-TV in Sacramento for almost 35 years in a variety of roles, will leave the station at the end of March, She’s been a producer, managing editor, executive producer, and assistant news director. ND PETE SAIERS shared this note with his staff.

TWO former news directors are also in the news.

STEVE COHEN, who long tenure in TV ended (at least for now) when Nexstar bought Steve’s KUSI-TV in San Diego and merged operations with its FOX station there, KSWB-TV, has a new book, It’s called 50 Years in A Newsroom: A Eulogy. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. Steve’s long career included ND and GM jobs in major markets.

And longtime Des Moines news director DAVE BUSIEK is also writing, but on a shorter but more frequent basis by blogging on Substack, His latest offering looks at a former competitor in Des Moines, which is hiring (on a part-time basis) on-air talent who’d been out of TV for a while.

And we’ll continue the thread with items about TWO former GMs.

JOHN LANSING, who’s retiring as President of NPR in March, will join USC’s Annenburg Center as a Senior Fellow. Details here.

And HANK PRICE offers his thoughts on BYRON ALLEN. We told you last week that Allen was making a bid for Paramount. Hank recounts his memories of dealing with Allen when he was pitching his own syndicated shows. And he likes Allen’s belief in television.

General Manager News and Notes:

Rogala

Veteran GM RICK ROGALA is on the move again. He’s moving within Tegna, replacing the retiring JOHN CARDENAS at WBNS-TV (CBS) in Columbus, OH. It’s a return to Columbus for Rick, who earlier helmed WCMH-TV there. He’s currently GM for WATN/WLMT-TV in Memphis and has run stations in Tampa, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, MI, and Little Rock. He’s also worked in Dallas, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.

Our List of Open News Director jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 11, 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

News 12 Bronx/Brooklyn, 930 Soundview Ave. Bronx, NY 10473
KXTX-TV 4805 Amon Carter Boulevard, Ft. Worth, TX, 75155 **
KDVR/KWGN-TV 100 East Speer Blvd. Denver, CO 80203
KUSA-TV, 500 E Speer Blvd. Denver, CO 80203
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr. Charlotte, NC 28217
KUTV 299 South Main Street, #150 Salt Lake City, UT 84111
WXIX-TV 635 W 7th. Cincinnati, OH 45944
KBLR-TV 450 Fremont St STE 310. Las Vegas, NV 89101 **
WHP-TV, 2300 N Cameron St Harrisburg PA 17110
WVTM-TV 1732 Valley View Dr. Birmingham, AL 35209
WBMA-TV 800 Concourse Pkwy Ste 200. Hoover, AL 35244
WBRE/WYOU-TV, 62 S. Franklin St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
WHEC-TV 191 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14604
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WAND-TV 904 W. South Side Drive. Decatur, IL 62526
WBRZ-TV 1650 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
WFXG-TV, 3933 Washington Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (see ad above!)
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323. Tyler, TX 75701
KNDU/KNDO-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave. Yakima, WA 98902
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Avenue Medford, OR 97504
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave, Duluth, MN 55802
KXMB-TV 1811 N 15th Street Bismarck, ND 58501
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX. 79761
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KGNS-TV 120 W. Del Mar Blvd. Laredo TX 78041
KGWN-TV, 2923 E. Lincolnway. Cheyenne, WY 82001
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KQTV 4000 Faraon St. Joseph, MO 64506

**: Spanish language station

Return to Blog