January 21, 2011
January 27, 2011 UPDATE:
Funeral services will be held this weekend for GREG KOELFGEN whose passing we note below.
Visitation wil be held Friday, January 28, from 5:00-9:00 PM at the Zoeller Funeral Home in New Braunfels, TX, with a funeral service set for Saturday, January 29th, at 2:00 at First United Methodist Church in New Braunfels.
A college scholarship fund has been set up for Greg’s youngest daughter, Hayley, at the Broadway Bank. The address I have is:
Koelfgen Memorial Scholarship Fund
Broadway Bank
2219 Common St.
New Braunfels TX 78130
January 25, 2011 UPDATE:
Greg Koelfgen
I’m very sorry to report the passing of GREG KOELFGEN, the longtime News Director for KABB-TV, the FOX affiliate in San Antonio.
Greg died suddenly on Monday, January 24, at the age of 53. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Donna, and their two daughters, Quinn and Hayley.
Greg was promoted to news director in 2002, but had worked at the station for more than 12 years. He also worked at another San Antonio station, as well as in Reno earlier in his career.
Funeral arrangements are still pending. I’ll update this site when that information is available.
Please join me in extending sympathy to Greg’s family and co-workers.
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Greetings:
We have actual breaking news today…with the story of a new News Director for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis named this afternoon. That move is the only new ND this week, while we have TWO new openings, one of which created a second opportunity in the same top ten market.
My always unofficial count of open ND jobs stands at 23. We expect at least one of those to be filled early next week.
Also this week, we have a new ad for an ND job in the Northeast, and a repeat of an ad for a morning EP in Shreveport.
In Names in the News, details about the retirement of a former ND turned GM (at the same station for 27 years!), a new Assistant ND in the Windy City, and the passing of NPR’s first news director.
But first, this week’s changes:
Newly Named News Directors:
Caputa
WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN…as teased above, congratulations to longtime WCCO-TV newsman MIKE CAPUTA who was named ND for this CBS o-and-o late this afternoon. Mike’s been the Acting ND since SCOTT LIBIN left the station last October after three years as ND there. Mike had been the Assistant ND there who first joined the station in 2002 as Managing Editor. He’s a Twin Cities native who previously worked for KSTP-TV in the Twin Cities.
New News Director Openings:
McFarland
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX…we told you earlier this week that RICK McFARLAND is returning to his previous job as Assistant ND for this Post-Newsweek owned NBC affiliate. Rick’s been ND there about two years, spent ten years before that as the Assistant ND, and has worked for the station for 30 years, first as a sports photographer. Rick’s also worked at KHOU-TV in Houston, and in Columbus, OH, Syracuse, and Columbia, MO. (Full disclosure: we were classmates at the University of Missouri.) Rick will replace KATHY WILLIAMS as the Assistant ND. She is leaving the station for a new opportunity to be announced soon.
Crabtree
WVLT-TV, Knoxville, TN…longtime news director STEVE CRABTREE will be leaving this Gray Television owned CBS affiliate when his successor is named. He’s been ND here for more than ten years, and has also been a news director in Erie, PA, Jackson, TN, Bowling Green, KY, and Lexington, KY. He also worked as Director of News Research and Planning for Gray Communications.
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HELP WANTED ADS:
News Director, WTNH/WCTX-TV, New Haven, CT
WTNH News 8 and WCTX MyTV 9 is seeking an experienced and creative leader in the position of News Director. The position of News director will be accountable for budgets, strategic planning, brand building, and talent contracts. The ideal News Director will have experience in unions with a broad portfolio of experience in news operations, be instantaneous decision-making; able to fluidly move between strategic and tactical activities; able to influence and engage multiple internal and external audiences; and accomplished in building and developing a highly skilled, empowered, passionate news room staff.
Incumbents in this role will have strong business and financial acumen, demonstrating the ability to build and manage a budget. The News Director must possess and drive the highest code of ethical conduct, taking ownership for protecting the station and the license. College degree in journalism/mass communications plus previous News Director experience is required. WTNH/WCTX-TV is an EOE employer.
Applicants should forward a copy of their resume and a brief statement of news philosophy with salary requirements preferably via email to jobs@wtnh.com or via regular mail to:
Human Resources
WTNH/WCTX Television
8 Elm Street
New Haven, CT 06510
No phone calls, we will contact you for additional information if necessary.
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Morning Executive Producer, KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA
KSLA NEWS 12 seeks a solid and experienced producer to manage our morning newscasts and multi-platform news product.
Applicant should have at least three years television news producing experience. Strong leadership and team-building skills are a must. Applicant must be a strong writer, have solid news judgment skills, produce energetic and compelling newscasts, adjust quickly and efficiently to breaking news situations, and use graphics effectively.
Responsibilities also include posting text, pictures, and video to the web. New media literacy is essential in reaching our viewers on all platforms. Executive Producer will produce, supervise, and manage direction for all of our morning newscasts. These qualifications apply to our multi-platform news product.
Send your resume’ and a DVD of newscasts you have produced to:
Jayne Ruben
KSLA News 12
1812 Fairfield Avenue
Shreveport LA 71101
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Other News Management Openings:
Assistant News Director:
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 11/28/10)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 12/10/10)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 12/10/10)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 1/1/11)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 12/10/10)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 1/1/11)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (relisted 1/1/11)
KHBS/KHOG, Ft. Smith/Fayetteville, AR (listed 12/10/10)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (relisted 1/14/11)
Executive News Producer:
KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 12/18/10)
WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (listed 1/9/11)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (PM EP, listed 1/1/11)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 12/10/10)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Morning EP, listed 12/18/10)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Special Projects EP, listing revised 1/14/11)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 1/14/11)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Morning EP, new listing this week)
KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA (listed 12/3/10)
KOKI-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM EP, relisted 12/3/10)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 1/1/11)
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (Morning EP, relisted 1/14/11, see ad above!)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (relisted 1/14/11)
Special Projects Producer:
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 10/10/10)
Managing Editor:
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (relisted 1/14/11)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (relisted 1/14/11)
Assignment Manager:
WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (listed 1/9/11)
KHBS/KHOG, Ft. Smith/Fayetteville, AR (listed 12/10/10)
Digital Media Manager:
KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA (relisted 12/10/10)
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Names in the News:
Klinsky
Congratulations to one-time news director and long time General Manager ARNOLD KLINSKY on his upcoming retirement. He’s been GM for Hubbard’s WHEC-TV in Rochester, NY, since 1983! (That’s more than 27 years for those with limited math skills.) He’d earlier served as ND for WVIT-TV in Hartford, CT, and WICD-TV in Champaign, IL. Sandwiched between those jobs were stints at KTVI-TV in St. Louis and WOC-TV (now KWQC-TV) in the Quad Cities of Iowa. Arnold tells me he looking for the next step in his life. If you know what that is…or just want to wish him well, his email is: aklinsky@whec.com
KAREN RARIDEN returns to Chicago as the new Assistant ND for WBBM-TV. Karen comes from another CBS o-and-o, KYW-TV in Philadelphia, where she was the EP. Earlier in her career Karen worked at WGN-TV in Chicago as the morning EP, and also spent two years as ND for Tribune’s WXIN-TV in Indianapolis.
While we don’t often report on radio news managers, we did want to mention the passing of CLEVE MATTHEWS, the first news director for National Public Radio. Mr. Matthews died last Friday, January 14, of esophageal cancer. Cleve was 84. He also spent many years teaching journalism at Syracuse and Wichita State, among other places.
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The Full List:
To the best of my knowledge, here is the list of stations with open news director jobs, as of Friday, January 21, 2011.
If you know of any additions/deletions/changes/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com
KMEX-TV 5999 Center Dr. Los Angeles CA 90045 **
KHOU-TV 1945 Allen Parkway Houston TX 77019
KPRC-TV 8181 SW Freeway Houston TX 77074
KTVW-TV 6006 South 30th St. Phoenix AZ 85040 **
KOIN-TV 222 SW Columbia St. Portland OR 97201
WTNH/WCTX-TV 8 Elm St. New Haven CT 06510
News 8 Austin 1708 Colorado St. Austin TX 78701
WWL-TV 1024 N. Rampart St. New Orleans LA 70116
WTEN-TV 341 Northern Blvd. Albany NY 12204
WVLT-TV 6516 Papermill Dr. Knoxville TN 37919
KMSB-TV 1855 N. 6th Ave. Tucson AZ 85705
KVOA-TV 209 W. Elm St. Tucson AZ 85705
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
KTAL-TV 3150 N. Market Shreveport LA 71107
KVEO-TV 349 N. Expressway Brownsville TX 78521
WJAC-TV 49 Old Hickory Lane Johnstown PA 15905
WSHM-TV One Monarch Place #300 Springfield MA 01144
KVAL-TV 4575 Blanton Road Eugene OR 97405
KTKA-TV 2121 SW Chelsea Dr. Topeka KS 66614
KIMT-TV 112 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Mason City IA 50401
KTEN-TV 10 High Point Circle Denison TX 75020
KGNS-TV 120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KFBB-TV 3012 Highwoods Blvd. Great Falls MT 59403