February 5, 2017
Greetings:
Welcome to your super edition of our weekly newsletter. (If I use a lower case ‘s’ in super, will I still get sued by a certain league?)
We have TWO newly named ND’s in this week’s edition, and TWO new vacancies, including one caused by the promotion of a veteran ND to GM. That brings our count of open ND jobs to 23.
There are FIVE paid help wanted ads this week, including an interesting recruiting position at a major group owner. Another group owner is searching for a Washington bureau chief, and RTDNA seeks a new executive director. Those jobs…as well as management openings in Tampa and Greensboro/High Point, are advertised below.
Only ONE item in Names in the News…a look at appearance coaches in TV. And we’ll tell you about THREE new GM appointments.
New News Director Openings:
Lanni
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI…CHRIS LANNI has left this Sinclair Broadcasting Owned NBC affiliate after six plus years as news director and more than ten at the station. More here. He was Content Brand Manager before being promoted. He’s also worked at two other Providence stations, as well as in Boston and West Palm Beach.
Joe H.
KOLD-TV, Tucson, AZ…congratulations to JOE HENGEMUEHLER who’s been promoted to general manager for this Raycom Media owned CBS affiliate. He’s been the ND there since October, 2015, and interim GM for the past few months. More in this memo to staff from VP/Television BRAD STREIT. Joe’s been an ND in Phoenix and Oklahoma City, and worked in Washington, DC and for two other Phoenix stations, and owned his own consulting firm.
Newly Named News Directors:
Godbout
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT…LIZ GREY GODBOUT scores the Hartford hat trick with her appointment as ND for this Tribune owned FOX affiliate. This article explains that she’s also been ND at two other stations in the market. Liz has also worked in New York and Miami and has a variety of jobs outside the business as detailed here. She replaces COLEEN MARREN who left the station last month after almost seven years as ND.
Ruiz
KTAB/KRBC-TV, Abilene, TX…TRAVIS RUIZ will be the next news director for this Nexstar run CBS/NBC duopoly. GM ALBERT GUTIERREZ sent this note to this station. Travis has been the Assistant ND at KVII-TV in Amarillo and has also worked in Colorado Springs. His Linkedin page has his full background. He replaces MEGAN DOBBS who’s taking a job outside of TV in Abilene.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
National Director, News Recruitment, E.W. Scripps Co.:
The E.W. Scripps Company is seeking to hire a National Director, News Recruitment. This position is responsible for leading our recruiting efforts to attract top management candidates to our newsrooms. The successful candidate will build high-trust partnerships with management and employees at the corporate level and at every Scripps television station as well as a key player with broadcast leadership.
The E.W. Scripps Company serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of television, radio and digital media brands. Scripps is one of the nation’s largest independent TV station owners, with 33 television stations in 24 markets and a reach of nearly one in five U.S. households. It also owns 34 radio stations in eight markets. Scripps also runs an expanding collection of local and national digital journalism and information businesses, including multi-platform satire and humor brand Cracked, podcast industry leader Midroll Media and over-the-top video news service Newsy. Scripps also produces television shows including “THE LIST” and “The Now,” runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and serves as the long-time steward of the nation’s largest, most successful and longest-running educational program, the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, “Give light and the people will find their own way.”
If interested, apply by clicking here.
Assistant News Director, WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL:
WFLA-TV, News Channel 8 in beautiful Tampa is seeking an Assistant News Director to manage day-to-day news coverage. We want someone who places a high value on original reporting and investigative journalism in an aggressive On Your Side brand. We want someone who pays attention to detail and is willing to hold our journalists to high standards. The Assistant News Director must possess high ethical standards and strong news judgment.
Job Skills:
This person must be an experienced news manager of at least 5 years. This position requires someone with superior news judgment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to effectively supervise staff on a daily basis, with the end-product being content that clearly and effectively illustrates our On Your Side brand. You will have a positive attitude to elevate and inspire others to continue on strong and aggressive coverage and brand development.
Minimum Education:
5 yrs. of experience. The superior candidate will have news director experience, possibly in a smaller market than Tampa. If not, this candidate will have had at least Executive Producer, Assistant News Director or other news management experience at a strong station in another market. And you must be able to work long or odd hours depending on news coverage importance.
Qualified applicants can apply online at www.nexstar.tv
EOE M/F/D/V ~ Background check and drug screen required.
Executive Producer, WGHP-TV, Greenboro/High Point, NC:
Can you help craft a “nowcast” instead of a newscast? The FOX8 Morning News is looking for the next rock star Executive Producer. You’ll be in charge of a monster morning show from 4:30am until 9am. You’ll have all the tools; producers, writers, reporters, photojournalists and web wizards to succeed, but can you make it special? You have to have the vision to use all of our story telling tools to put on an informative and entertaining news product. So if you want to join a top-notch staff of journalists, you want to use all the latest toys, and you have a good sense of humor, what are you waiting for? Apply.
Responsibilities:
Overall responsibility for newscasts, including oversight on story selection, content, and production
Step in and write, edit and produce as needed
Provide regular feedback on newscast with staff, both as a team and individually
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree
3 years previous news producing experience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work flexible schedule – nights, weekends, holidays
Qualified candidates should apply online at www.tribunemediacareers.com.
No phone calls please. EOE.
Washington Bureau Chief, Nexstar Media Group:
Nexstar Media Group is expanding its Washington, DC News Bureau and is searching for a Bureau Chief to lead a team of journalists and provide coverage of local stories for news operations across the country. The Washington news bureau will be providing local coverage to 100 markets in 47 states. Some of the markets include San Francisco, CA, Tampa, FL, Portland, OR, Indianapolis, IN, Las Vegas, NV and Nashville, TN.
The Bureau Chief should have significant experience covering government and political news in Washington, DC. We need a leader who can direct the 10 person staff and deliver local stories of interest to viewers in the markets across the group. We are not interested in covering national stories or providing generic daily reports on what happened in Washington. Our journalists must uncover stories the networks don’t offer. We care about local issues, local lawmakers and laws impacting local communities. The ability to generate these type of stories and build contacts is an essential part of the position.
If you are a proven leader, apply today by clicking here.
Executive Director, RTDNA/RTDNF:
The Radio Television Digital News Association and Foundation are seeking an Executive Director to replace our retiring ED.
He or she will be responsible for all RTDNA and RTDNF business, employees and assets, as provided by the Constitution and Bylaws of both organizations; to provide leadership and set the annual agenda for RTDNA and RTDNF; to be the chief representative of RTDNA and RTDNF; and to lead and actively participate in fundraising for RTDNA and RTDNF.
This position reports to the Association and Foundation Chairman/Chairwoman; Executive Committee and Board of Directors/Board of Trustees, as assigned.
The organizations are based in Washington, DC. The Executive Director may live elsewhere, but frequent travel to Washington, DC will be required.
Minimum qualifications: 10 years + journalism management, bachelor’s degree, working knowledge of broadcast and digital news operations.
The position is open until filled. Interviews will begin in January 2017; projected start must be no later than September 1, 2017.
Send resume, cover letter and 3-5 references to apply@rtdna.org.
For more complete details about the duties and responsibilities of the position, click here.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 1/8/17)
KXAS-TV, Ft. Worth/Dallas, TX (relisted 12/4/16)
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (listed 1/22/17)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted this week)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (relisted this week)
KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR (relisted 12/24/16)
KTUU-TV, Anchorage, AL (listed 12/18/16)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (AM EP, listed 12/24/16)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (AM & PM EPs, listing revised 1/22/17)
KMOV-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted 12/24/16)
KPTV, Portland, OR (relisted 1/22/17)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (Dayside EP, relisted this week)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Dayside EP, listing revised 1/22/17)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (PM EP, relisted 11/27/16)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (AM EP, listing modified this week)
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV (AM EP, relisted 1/8/17)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (PM EP, relisted this week, see ad above!)
WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (PM EP, listed 12/11/16)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (PM EP, relisted 1/22/17)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 1/22/17)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM EP, relisted this week)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (AM EP, relisted this week)
WOI-TV, Des Moines, IA (relisted 12/24/16)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (listed 1/8/17)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (relisted 1/22/17)
WTXL-TV, Tallahasse, FL (relisted this week)
Names in the News:
Not much to report this week…but we did come across an article you might find interesting.
It looks at the use of appearance consultants (gasp!) in local TV news.
General Manager News and Notes:
CBS has promoted BRIAN WATSON to GM of its Detroit station, WWJ/WKBD-TV (which does not air regular newscasts). He’s been the Station Manager there.
Gray Television has named new general managers at its stations in Augusta, GA, and Harrisonburg, VA.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here is my list of stations with open ND jobs, as of Sunday, February 5, 2017:
If you know of any additions/deletions/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
WNCN-TV 1205 Front St. Raleigh, N.C., 27609
KOIN-TV 222 SW Columbia St. Portland OR 97201
WSMV-TV 5700 Knob Rd, Nashville, TN 37209
KUTV 299 South Main Street, Suite 150. Salt Lake City, UT 84111
WJAR-TV 23 Kenney Dr, Cranston, RI 02920
WIVB-TV, 2077 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY 14207
KOTV 303 N. Boston Ave Tulsa, OK 74103
KSNW-TV 833 N Main St. Wichita, KS 67203
WOWK-TV 555 5th Ave, Huntington, WV 25701
KOLD-TV 7831 N Business Park Dr, Tucson, AZ 85743
WCBD-TV 210 W Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
WCTI-TV 225 Glenburnie Drive New Bern, NC 28560
WNCT-TV 3221 Evans St, Greenville, NC 27834
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323. Tyler, TX 75701
WMBD-TV 3131 N University St. Peoria, IL 61604
KADN/KLAF-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd Lafayette, LA 70506
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KX Network 1811 N 15th Street Bismarck, ND 58501
KARD/KTVE-TV 200 Pavilion Road W. Monroe, LA 71292
KBJR-TV 246 South Lake Ave. Duluth MN 55802
WGFL-TV 1703 NW 80th Blvd. Gainesville, FL 32606
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian MS 39301