June 16, 2024
Friday, June 21, 2024 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Hello from the annual IRE conference in Anaheim, which has been terrific. A few things have happened while I was here that I wanted to share in an UPDATE.
Ashgar
We’ll start in New York, where EMAD ASHGAR has been promoted to Vice President/News Director for Fox’s WNYW-WWOR-TV. He first joined the station 16 years ago as EP for Good Day New York, became Managing Editor and has been the Assistant News Director since 2011. More details on Emad in this release from the station. He replaces BYRON HARMON who left earlier this year after about ten years as ND.
While one job filled, another opened up today.
Waggoner
MATT WAGGONER, who’s been news director (and more recently, ND and Station Manager) at Scripps’ KSHB-TV (NBC) in Kansas City, is leaving the station for an opportunity outside of television. Matt joined the station in 2019 as ND, coming from WTTV/WXIN-TV (CBS/Fox) in Indianapolis. He added station manager duties last year. More in this note from KSHB General Manager (and Regional VP) KATHLEEN CHOAL.
We’ll see you Sunday with a full report.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Monday, June 17, 2024 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Big news today from Tegna, where DAVE LOUGEE will retire next month and be replaced by what some might call a non-traditional hire.
Steib
MICHAEL STEIB will be the next President and CEO of Tegna beginning August 17. He is currently CEO of Artsy, which the news release describes as ‘the world’s largest online platform for discovering and collecting art.’ And before that he was the CEO of the parent company of The Knot, a wedding planning website. Here’s the full news release.
Earlier in Steib’s career, he spent ten years with NBC and Google developing ad supported businesses.
Many of you know Lougee, who came up the news side of broadcasting.
I’m sure you’ll see much more on this in the next few days.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** **** ****
Greetings:
It was nice to see a few of you this week in Milwaukee for RTDNA. I expect to see more of you this week in Anaheim for this year’s IRE conference.
A little action this week on the newsletter front: TWO new NDs and TWO new openings, with means 42 stations are still looking for news directors.
Our friends at Sciline have an interview opportunity tomorrow on an important topic: check out the ad below.
A change in oversight of Florida’s FOX owned stations which results in the retirement of a former photographer turned ND turned GM.
And some interesting tidbits in Names in the News.
See you in Anaheim, I hope!
Newly Named News Directors:
Oder
WTOC-TV, Savannah, GA…MICHAEL ODER transfers within Gray to this CBS affiliate. Here’s the memo from VP/GM MARSHA FOGARTY. Since early 2022, Michael’s been the ND at Gray’s KTTC-TV in Rochester, MN. He was the assistant ND for KBTX-TV in Bryan, TX, and reported in Birmingham. At WTOC, he replaces BARI SOASH who left in February after 5 1/2 years as ND here.
Gallardo
KGNS-TV, Laredo, TX…YOCELIN GALLARDO has been promoted to news director for this Gray Television owned NBC and ABC affiliate. She’s been the executive producer and evening anchor and has worked here for almost five years. She’s also worked in Bryan, TX and Fresno. Yocelin replaces JERRY GARZA who left the station (and television) in late December after more than six years here.
New News Director Openings:
KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN…you learned above that MICHAEL ODER is transferring from this Gray owned NBC affiliate to sister station WTOC-TV in Savannah, GA. Michael was here a little less than 18 months.
KREX-TV, Grand Junction, CO…TERRI CHAPPELL-PAXSON has left this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate after about 2 1/2 years as news director.
Interview an expert:
Rise of hospital-acquired infections
with Dr. Nasia Safdar (U. of Wisconsin-Madison)
Monday, June 17 (2-4 p.m. EDT) – Zoom
Rates of hospital-acquired infections (also called healthcare-associated infections) that are resistant to multiple antibiotics are significantly higher now than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Book a 15-minute Zoom interview slot with Dr. Nasia Safdar to learn more. She can discuss:
- Why infections, particularly antibiotic-resistant ones, can easily spread in hospitals and other healthcare settings;
- The latest on C. auris, a deadly fungal infection that accounted for fewer than 500 cases nationwide in 2019 but nearly 2,400 in 2022;
- Her research on how health systems can prevent the spread of infections using prebiotics or other tools to manipulate the gut microbiome; and
- What patients or their families can do to reduce their odds of hospital infections.
Crash course:
Stats essentials for math-averse reporters
Tuesday, June 25 (2-3 p.m. EDT) – Zoom
Many journalists lack confidence when including numbers in their reporting, or they fear misrepresenting the data when it comes to covering facts and figures, studies, or technical reports. This free, one-hour “crash course”—designed for reporters who cover science, health, or environment issues but lack statistics or data training—aims to take the stress out of reporting on the numbers that could be crucial to your next story.
SciLine, a philanthropically funded, free service for reporters, also runs a free expert matching service that connects reporters rapidly to scientist-sources on deadline.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 4/14/24)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 4/21/24)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (listed 4/14/24)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 5/19/24)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (relisted 6/16/24)
WCYB-TV, Tri-Cities, TN & VA (listed 4/28/24)
KWES-TV, Midland, TX (listed 4/7/24)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 4/14/24)
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP/Special Projects, listed 6/16/24)
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 5/19/24)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (relisted 5/19/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 5/5/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (Executive Digital Producer, listed 6/16/24)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (AM EP, relisted 5/19/24)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 5/19/24)
KATU-TV, Portland, OR (Digital EP, listing modified 4/21/24)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (listed 5/12/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 6/16/24)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, relisted 5/19/24)
KTVX/KUCW-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 5/27/24)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (listed 5/5/24)
KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 6/2/24)
WTNH-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 5/5/24)
WSPA/WYCW-TV, Spartanburg, SC (Lifestyle EP, listed 5/12/24)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, (relisted 6/2/24)
KRQE-TV, Albuquerque, NM (Nightside EP, listed 4/21/24)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 5/19/24)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (two openings, listing modified 6/2/24)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 6/9/24)
KVEO/KGBT-TV, Harlingen, TX (relisted 5/5/24)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Digital EP, relisted 4/28/24)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (Digital EP, listed 6/16/24)
KSBY-TV, San Luis Obispo, CA (listed 6/9/24)
WKBT-TV, LaCrosse/Eau Claire, WI (listed 4/7/24)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WJYZ-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 6/2/24)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 6/9/24)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted 6/2/24;
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (Digital Director)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Director of Digital Content)
Listed 5/5/24:
WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH (News Assignments Manager)
Listed 4/28/24:
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (Digital Director)
Names in the News (and other stuff):
An attorney for former KTBS-TV (Shreveport, LA) anchor and news director BILL LUNN released a statement on his client’s behalf, vehemently denying that he had been involved in explicit online contact with a minor. The investigation was apparently done by private individuals, and two of them were arrested on charges of assaulting another man they believed to be a pedophile.
Two former news managers at Nexstar’s WOOD-TV (NBC) in Grand Rapids, MI, have filed a federal lawsuit against the company claiming defamation. News Director STANTON TANG and assistant ND AMY FOX were dismissed in 2022 after a memo to the staff about coverage of Pride events.
The union representing The Balitmore Sun’s journalists are unhappy with new owner DAVID SMITH who bought the paper earlier this year. Smith, of course also owns Sinclair Broadcasting. They say the paper is now reprinting stories from Sinclair’s WBFF-TV in Baltimore, and that those stories do not meet the Sun’s standards. The Washington Post has more.
Schecter
CBS News and Stations has created a new Crime and Public Safety unit and tabbed ANNA SCHECTER as senior coordinating producer. She’s spent the last 13 years at NBC News.
URIEL POSADO joins KHOU-TV (Tegna/CBS) as an Executive Producer. He had been working at ABC’s KTRK-TV in Houston.
General Manager News and Notes:
Maloney
Changes at FOX’s Florida owned stations. JEFF MALONEY, who’s run Fox’s WTVT-TV in Tampa since 2010, has been named Senior VP and Regional GM. He will now oversee Fox’s WOFL-TV in Orlando, replacing MIKE McCLAIN who announced his retirement the same day the change was made public. Mike began as a photographer in Birmingham, became ND there and later in Tampa and Atlanta and served as a GM in Charlotte before taking over WOFL five years ago.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, June 16, 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
WFLD-TV 205 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60601
WLS-TV 190 N State St. Chicago, IL, 60601
WFXT-TV 25 Fox Dr. Dedham, MA 02026
WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, GA 30324
KPRC-TV 8181 Southwest Freeway Houston, TX 77074
WRC-TV 4001 Nebraska Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016
KGW-TV 1501 SW Jefferson Street Portland, OR 97201
KTVI/KPLR-TV 2250 Ball Drive St. Louis, MO 63146
WZTV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville, TN 37228
Spectrum News Texas (based in Austin, TX)
WDAF-TV 3030 Summit Kansas City, MO 64108
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street Hartford, CT 06115
WTKR-TV 720 Boush Street Norfolk VA 23510
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
WHAS-TV 520 W. Chestnut St. Louisville, KY 40202
KITV 801 South King Street | Honolulu, HI 96813
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323. Tyler, TX 75701
KNDU/KNDO-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave. Yakima, WA 98902
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave. Medford, OR 97504
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KXMB-TV 1811 N 15th St. Bismarck, ND 58501
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX. 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX, 79765
KTTC-TV 6301 Bandel Road NW Rochester, MN 55901
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WTVY-TV 285 North Foster St., Dothan, AL 36303
WGEM-TV 513 Hampshire Quincy, IL 62301
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd. N. Twin Falls, ID 83301
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