June 23, 2024
Sunday, June 30, 2024 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Due to travel, this week’s newsletter will be delayed. I hope to have it posted by early afternoon (Eastern time) on Monday.
But there’s lots of movement in it, so it will be newsworthy.
Thanks for your understanding.
Rick Gevers
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Greetings:
Regular readers know I always enjoy the IRE Conference, which was held this week in Anaheim. I don’t have a final attendance number but at last word it was close to 1,600 journalists from all over the world. And thanks to those broadcasters who recruited there: CBS, Scripps, Tegna, Nexstar, Gray, and Talent Dynamics.
Mark your calendar for next year’s conference in New Orleans, June 19-22.
On to our regular business.
TWO new NDs named this week, including ONE in the number ONE market. And just ONE new ND opening, leaving our count of open ND jobs at 42.
THREE GM changes, including TWO in Baton Rouge.
And changes in the executive ranks at Tegna and Gray, along with a salute to an out going Chicago GM and a big honor for a longtime Missouri ND and educator.
All that and more as you read on.
Newly Named News Directors:
Ashgar
WNYW/WWOR-TV, New York, NY…Friday’s UPDATE told you that EMAD ASHGAR would be the next news director for this FOX o-and-o. The FOX news release has more. Emad has been the Assistant ND here since 2011 and first joined 16 years ago as the EP for Good Day New York. He’ll replaces BYRON HARMON who left in April after about ten years as the ND.
Stocksdale
KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID…congratulations to ADAM STOCKSDALE who gets his first ND job at this Gray Television owned CBS affiliate. GM ERIC WALTERS shared this news in this email. Adam’s been the Assistant ND for Tegna’s KTHV-TV in Little Rock and has worked in Phoenix, Milwaukee, and Palm Springs, CA. He replaces JOE MARTIN who’s been pulling double duty as both ND and anchor.
New News Director Opening:
Waggoner
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO…MATT WAGGONER is leaving this Scripps owned NBC affiliate for job outside of TV. KSBH GM KATHLEEN CHOAL (who’s also a regional GM and will oversee the newsroom during the search) sent this memo out. Matt’s been the ND here since 2019 and added station manager duties last year. He’s also been an ND in Indianapolis. His Linkedin page has more.
Interview an expert:
Outdoor air quality and wildfire smoke
(U. of Wisconsin-Madison)
Thursday, June 27 (2-4 p.m. EDT) – Zoom
The U.S. wildfire season is getting longer and fires are getting more intense, exposing Americans to record-breaking amounts of wildfire-related smoke.
Book a 15-minute, 1-on-1 Zoom interview with Dr. Tracey Holloway (U. of Wisconsin-Madison). She can discuss:
- How to stay informed about local air quality—including what “AQI” means, and how it is determined;
- Health effects of wildfire smoke and other air pollutants, and how to protect yourself and your family from unhealthy air;
- Why wildfire smoke is worsening; and
- Strategies to improve the nation’s air quality, including what is happening already, and what could be next.
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)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (listed 6/2/24)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (listed 6/23/24)
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)
KAZT-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 6/23/24)
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)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, listed 6/23/24)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 5/19/24)
WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 6/23/24)
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, relisted 6/23/24)
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)
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):
Steib
Monday’s UPDATE told you about a change at Tegna. DAVE LOUGEE is retiring next month and will be replaced as CEO by MICHAEL STEIB. He is currently CEO of Artsy, which the news release describes as ‘the world’s largest online platform for discovering and collecting art.’ Before that he was the CEO of the parent company of The Knot, a wedding planning website. Earlier Steib’s spent ten years with NBC and Google developing ad supported businesses.
Zurik
Gray Television promoted THREE people to new roles, including LEE ZURIK who is now Senior VP/News Strategy and Innovation. Lee’s a busy fellow…he anchors at Gray’s WVUE-TV in New Orleans and also co-hosts the company’s weekday program, InvestigateTV+, in addition to serving as Gray’s VP of Investigations. Click here for more details on Lee’s new role…and the other two who were promoted.
Graves
Another week, another on-air tribute to a retiring news director. This time it’s JENNIFER GRAVES who’s leaving ABC’s WLS-TV in Chicago after a remarkable 23 years as ND and 32 years at the station. Here’s the link to the well-deserved on-air tribute. Jennnifer also worked in St. Louis at KSDK-TV and for KOMU-TV in Columbia, MO, where she graduated from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism,
Woelfel
Speaking of Missouri, congratulations to longtime faculty member STACEY WOELFEL who is (deep breath!) the 2024 Edward L. Bliss Award winner for Distinguished Broadcast Journalism Education, awarded by AEJMC in early August at the conference in Philadelphia. He’s the longest serving ND at Missouri’s KOMU-TV and was the founding director of the school’s Murray Center for Documentary Journalism.
General Manager News and Notes:
Shenkan
TWO new General Managers are headed to Baton Rouge, LA.
And for one of them it’s a return as ANDREW SHENKAN is coming back to Manship’s WBRZ-TV (ABC). He’s a former sales executive there and is currently the GM for Scripps’ WLEX-TV in Lexington, KY. Andrew’s also served as a GM in Lafayette, LA. More details about his new job at WBRZ in this news release.
Ingram
Also taking a GM job in Baton Rouge this week was veteran manager TIM INGRAM. He’s joining Nexstar’s WGMB-TV (FOX) there as you’ll learn here. Tim most recently was a Senior VP for Gray following a long run as GM for WVUE-TV (FOX) in New Orleans. He’ll also oversee NBC affiliate WVLA-TV which Nexstar operates for White Knight Broadcasting.
Pylant
STAN PYLANT is retiring as general manager of Nexstar’s WHNT-TV (CBS) in Huntsville, AL. Stan’s been the GM there for 17 years and worked at WHNT for a total of 27. More details in his post on Facebook.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, June 23, 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)
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak Street Kansas City, MO 64112
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
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