January 24, 2021
Tuesday, January 26. 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Quick reaction from CBS to the reports from Sunday’s Los Angeles Times about issues in the CBS station group that we first told you about in Sunday’s newsletter.
Friend
Dunn
Both the President of the station’s division, PETER DUNN, and DAVID FRIEND, who’s the Senior VP/News for the local stations, have been placed on administrative leave. Here’s the memo from the President and CEO of the CBS Entertainment Group, GEORGE CHEEKS. And here’s the latest from the LA Times, which first broke the story. (A reminder that a subscription may be required.)
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are both headed to the Super Bowl. Read on to see how ONE of our TWO obituaries has a unique tie to the Chiefs.
In this week’s report, we have TWO new openings, both in California and both at Nexstar stations. And there are NO new NDs to tell you about.
That means we have 16 stations in our listing of stations looking for a new ND.
ONE of those 16 openings is among our THREE Paid Help Wanted ads. And that job is in the number TWO market.
In Names in the News, several interesting articles, including a two-part series from The Los Angeles Times that investigates serious charges against the CBS owned stations group. And there’s some news managers on the move, as if so often the case. 🙂
We have TWO obituaries this week and NO news about general managers.
There’s much more below, including this ad from STRINGR who will be supporting this newsletter for this next year. We thank them for their support and encourage you to click on their ad to learn more about them.
Newly Named News Directors:
To my knowledge, there were no new news directors announced this week. If I’ve missed something, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com
New News Director Openings:
Ball
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA…our UPDATE earlier this week brought the news that JASON BALL is leaving this Nexstar owned CW affiliate after more than 12 years. His station bio has more on his background. Learn more about this opportunity in the paid help wanted ad below.
To keep Jason’s 12 year run as an Los Angeles ND in perspective:
During that time:
KCBS-TV has had FIVE news directors.
KTTV (FOX) has had FIVE news directors.
KNBC-TV has had FIVE news directors.
KABC-TV has had THREE news directors.
Diaz
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA…MONIKA DIAZ has left is leaving this Nexstar owned FOX affiliate in late February after a little more than three years as news director and more than six years at the station. She joined KTXL in 2014 as managing editor, was later promoted to Assistant ND before ascending to the corner office. Monika’s a former reporter in Dallas, San Jose, and for another Sacramento station.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA:
And the Oscar goes to…
3-2-1 – the shot goes up…
The press conference is LIVE.
Dream of living in the middle of EVERYTHING? Red carpets, the big game, the even bigger breaking news?
You never know what’s going to happen…
But there are a couple of things you can count on:
The sun is always shining and KTLA is always ALL OVER IT in Los Angeles.
Nexstar Inc. has an immediate opening for a Superstar News Director at our #1 station in LA- KTLA.
KTLA is a historic news powerhouse producing more than 86 hours of live and local news each week. Lead and supervise all aspects of news, weather, sports, and local OTT content… And be a key part of the leadership team of the #1 station in the #2 market in the country.
Los Angeles is the quintessential media town – where television is part of the entertainment culture. You will find unmatched access to sports, music, entertainment, and art. Whether you enjoy hiking, skiing, or surfing, Los Angeles has it all.
We are looking for someone who has passion for the industry, the desire to create new product, and the mindset to grow winning teams.
If you are ready, apply here:
Assistant News Director, WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA:
WSLS-TV, the Graham Media Group owned – NBC station in Roanoke, VA seeks a strategic thinking and assertive Assistant News Director. The ideal candidate must be a proven newsroom leader who knows how to win breaking news and weather coverage on all platforms, a self-starter. They will oversee production of all newscasts and work closely with anchors, reporters and producers on day-to-day and special project coverage.
TOP REASONS TO JOIN WSLS:
Growth, experience, and training. At WSLS, we will work with you to help you reach your full potential through ongoing career development programs. We are also committed to ongoing training throughout your career and to hiring from within – across the GMG family of companies.
Our culture and benefits package. Our employees are our most important resource. We encourage entrepreneurship and initiative and recognize and reward achievement. Graham Media offers a generous benefits package that includes 401K and healthcare on day one!
You will live and work in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, plus you`re only a short drive to major metropolitan areas as well as beaches.
Are you ready to join the team? We encourage you to submit your resume for consideration.
Send cover letter, resume, and references to: Margaret Ashburn, WSLS 10 News Director: mashburn@wsls.com
No phone calls please
Broadcast Instructor, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS:
Oversee a student newscast in a vibrant southern college town. Teach writing/reporting courses, enjoy SEC sports, and be a part of an award-winning team. MSU features a brand-new digital media center with a new television studio and control room.
The successful candidate will be responsible for teaching courses related to the production of news in both broadcast and digital forms. Chief among these will be the broadcast capstone course, which mimics an active newsroom for one full day per week culminating in a live newscast.
A Master’s degree with coursework related to communication is preferred but a bachelor’s degree will be considered if there is substantial professional experience in the broadcast industry.
If interested, apply asap by clicking here. Review of applications will begin in early February.
Mississippi State University, with enrollment growth each of the last six years, features a nationally and internationally diverse student body. Restaurants, shopping along with the fun festivals, sporting action, and friendly residents make Starkville: Mississippi’s College Town!
The Department of Communication: www.comm.msstate.edu
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
More News Management Openings:
Listed 1/10/21:
Spectrum News: Senior Director of News, New York
Obituaries:
Suhonen
We’re sorry to report the sudden death of longtime newsman ALAN SUHONEN, who died January 14th at the age of 67. He’s a former general manager of Network News Service (NNS), the news cooperative formed by CBS, ABC, and Fox, and also worked CBS Newspath, Belo, and in Peoria. More on his life and career in this obituary.
Mack
A man who served as the Kansas City Chief’s’ public address announcer for the teams’ first 15 years…and also as a news director and anchor for KCMO-TV (now KCTV there)…has died. HAROLD MACK (legal name: HAROLD GROVE) passed January 14th at the age of 96. More in this obituary which includes links to some early KCTV broadcasts.
Names in the News:
We have some articles that you might find interesting.
The Los Angeles Times published a two part series looking into the management of the CBS owned stations division. Both part one and part two are likely to raise your eyebrows, as they feature serious allegations from former CBS o-and-o general managers and news directors. Note: The Times offers only a few free articles so a subscription may be required.
Variety magazine reports the pandemic may have increased the appetite for local news consumption among younger viewers.
Ackermann
And veteran newsman STEVEN ACKERMANN has four questions your newsroom should be asking on a national story, from his perspective as the news director of KOMU-TV, the nation’s only teaching laboratory inside a commercial network-affiliated TV station.
BRITTANY FURROW will assume a new role as Managing Editor for WSLS-TV in Roanoke on February 15th. She is currently the special projects-planning producer for this Graham Media owned NBC affiliate after starting at the station as a producer six years ago.
KBMT-TV in Beaumont has promoted LAUREN HENSLEY to Assistant News Director. She’s been an anchor/reporter for this Tegna owned NBC affiliate since October, 2018, and previously worked in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
At KFSM-TV in Ft. Smith, AR, ANDREW ALTENBERN is the new Assistant News Director. He’s worked in Denver, Kansas City, and Waterloo, IA.
General Manager News and Notes:
I’m not aware of any new GM’s this week.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, January 24, 2021:
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
KTLA-TV 5800 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (see ad above!
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WFOR-TV 8900 NW 18th Terrace, Doral FL 33172
KTXL-TV 4655 Fruitridge Road Sacramento, CA 95820
WTMJ-TV 720 E Capitol Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53212
KAKW-TV 2233 W. North Loop Austin,TX 78756 **
KMPH/KFRE-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave.Fresno, CA 93727
WNYT-TV 715 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12204
KTLM-TV 200 S 10th St. Fl 2 McAllen, TX 78501 **
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Road McAllen TX 78501 **
WCTI-TV 225 Glenburnie Dr, New Bern, NC 28560
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KADN/KLAF-TV 1500 Eraste Landry, Lafayette, LA 70506
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi TX 78411
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903 ***
**: Spanish language station
***: News Director and Anchor