June 27, 2021
Thursday, July 1, 2021:
Greetings:
Saddened to bring you TWO more obituaries today, including one of a current news director. But we will share some good news about the hiring of a top 10 market ND as well.
Jackson
ROD JACKSON, news director for Nexstar’s WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV, lost his battle with cancer yesterday.
GM SEAN BANKS shared the sad news with his staff via email.
Rod was diagnosed in December, as he shared in this note to me last May:
As many of my friends and colleagues know the week of Christmas 2020 I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic stomach cancer. A shock, but things got worse in January when the doctors added kidney failure, congestive heart failure and COPD & emphysema to the list. 5 months later “I’m not dead yet!” and am in the office 5 days a week. Bottom line – I love parades (this photo from Saturday). Enjoy life and fight the good fight!”
Jackson
Rod took the WOWK job two years ago as it allowed hm to be closer to family. He’d been the ND for Nexstar’s WBRE/WYOU-TV. He’s a former ND in Cedar Rapids, worked as an Assistant ND in Topeka, spent 13 years with ABC’s NewsOne in Los Angeles, a managing editor in Salt Lake City, and spent 19 years as a reporter before moving into management. He was active on Linkedin as recently as four days ago, where he had updated his picture, showing how he had been impacted by cancer.
RIP, Rod.
Hinkle
STEVE HINKLE (right), a former ND in Indianapolis, Norfolk, and El Paso, a news manager in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, who had also worked in Dallas and San Diego, died this week. He most recently had worked for Avid as an project engineer. His Facebook page included this timeline of his career. I hope to have more on Steve’s passing in our full newsletter this weekend.
We’ll close with better news.
Fuchs
Congratulations to KEATON FUCHS who’s been promoted to news director for KTRK-TV, the ABC o-and-o in Houston. He has been the head of content and data strategy for the station. This news release explains his background in detail. He’s also worked in newsrooms around Texas.
At KTRK, he replaces REHAN ASLAM, who was promoted to ND at WABC-TV in New York. His boss, GM WENDY GRANATO is also a former ND at KTRK.
It’s been a busy week, with an UPDATE every day. That means a busy newsletter this weekend, which may be delayed by the holiday.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
TWO items today, and, as I hoped would be the case, both fall into the ‘good news’ category
Moreno
CHRISTY MORENO, who’s been GM of Tegna’s WHAS-TV (ABC) in Louisville since 2018, is on her way to Seattle to become GM for the company’s duopoly there, KING/KONG-TV (NBC-independent). Details in the company’s news release.
She’ll find a familiar face in the news director’s chair: JULIE WOLFE, who had been the ND at WHAS, started last week as the new ND at KING.
Christy’s a former ND at Tegna’s KUSA-TV (NBC) in Denver and WBIR-TV (NBC) in Knoxville. She’s also worked in Houston and Wichita Falls, TX.
Stephens
And congratulations to longtime news director SUE STEPHENS who has announced her retirement. More here. She’s been the news director for Hearst’s WVTM-TV (NBC) in Birmingham for the past six years and ran the news department at Hearst’s Albuquerque station, KOAT-TV (ABC) for 12 years before that. She’s also been an ND in Springfield, IL, and has worked in Atlanta, Mobile, and Charleston, SC.
Congratulations, Sue!
Looks like we’ll have another busy newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
At the risk of you not reading future UPDATES, fearing more sad news, there are TWO more obituaries today, both of California news people.
Breshears
CAROL BRESHEARS, a 30+ year plus employee of KTTV in Los Angeles, died Sunday of complications from a stroke. Friends learned in this email from former LA News Director NANCY VALENTA, which was passed along by BOB TARLAU, host of a site called Newsgeezers, for west coast news people.
In addition to her time at KTTV, Carol was a news director for KEYT-TV in Santa Barbara and worked for a Los Angeles radio station.
Of note: Carol’s daughter SUSAN BAYH died earlier this year of brain cancer at the age of 61. Susan’s husband EVAN was a two term Indiana governor and followed that with two terms as a US Senator from Indiana.
Romo
Meanwhile, staff at NBC News is mourning the loss of 42 year NBC employee RIC ROMO (right), who died Sunday at the age of 62. Ric was in charge of the network’s Los Angeles bureau. He spent more than 30 years as a producer on The Today Show, which remembered him on-air. And NBC correspondent JOE FRYER put together this brief tribute.
Hopefully our next UPDATE will contain happier news.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Monday, June 28, 2021 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Sorry to report the death of a legendary California newsman.
Zehnder
FRED ZEHNDER, who ran the newsroom at KTVU-TV in Oakland/San Fransisco for more than 20 years, died last night when an alleged drunk driver struck him as he walked in a crosswalk.
He was 87.
The station reported on his passing here.
In addition to his tenure at KTVU, he also worked at KPIX-TV and KGO-TV in San Francisco, as well as KOVR-TV in Sacramento.
KTVU posted this story on Zehnder’s role in establishing the station’s news legacy.
And MARK CURTIS, who worked with Fred for years, shared this memory:
Fred had a GREAT quote we heard often: “Winning awards is nice, but there is no bigger reward than earning the respect of your audience!” THAT’s why we were such a number one powerhouse for decades!!!
Fred left KTVU in 1999, but stayed in the news business, having founded one newspaper and later buying another.
More on this sad story in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
A few months ago I whined to you about problems with a ‘new and unimproved’ version of Constant Contact, which is how I format and distribute the emailed version of this newsletter.
Sadly, the issues are getting worse and not better, which contributed to our late posting of this week’s version. If only Constant Contact manned its help line on the weekend. 😉
Apologies for both the complaining (you get enough of that from your staff) and the delay.
But it’s another busy weekend, with FOUR new openings (including ONE in a top 30 market) and TWO newly named news directors. That leaves 38 ND openings on our list, and SIX of them are among our SEVEN Paid Help Wanted ads.
A former local ND leaves FOX News to join Nexstar’s News Nation. A former ‘interim’ ND is the new play by play announcer for an NFL team, and TWO local stations won Peabody Awards this week.
Those items are in Names in the News, and in our GM section, details about the upcoming retirement of a longtime Detroit General Manager.
Read on for details of those stories.
Newly Named News Directors:
Walton
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA…JOHN WALTON moves within Nexstar to this NBC/FOX duopoly. (Nexstar owns WGMB, and operates WVLA under a shared services agreement. John’s been the ND at KTAL-TV (NBC) for the last 5+ years. He’s also been an ND in Monroe, LA. In Baton Rouge, he replaces JOE SPADEA who moved to Nexstar’s Tyler, TX, station, KETK-TV (NBC).
Olsen
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL…ERIC OLSEN returns to his native Illinois as the next ND for this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate. Most recently, Eric was ND for WTKR-TV in Norfolk (Scripps/CBS), a job he left in May. He’s also been an ND in New Bern, NC, and has worked in Greensboro, Boston, Toledo, Louisville, Dayton, and Peoria, and began as a photographer in Decatur. He replaces MIKE MICKEL who left in April after 3+ years as ND.
New News Director Openings:
Lewis
KGTV, San Diego, CA..DORIS LEWIS has resigned after about 18 months as news director. But she’s been at this Scripps owned ABC affiliate for more than 21 years in a variety of jobs, starting as a producer in 2000,, before rising to executive producer and later assistant news director And she one of a very small number of news directors who has a law degree! Learn more about her background in her KGTV bio page.
St. Peter
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre, PA…this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate and Nexstar operated CBS station are looking for a new news director. KEITH ST. PETER has been the ND there for the past two years. You can learn more about this opportunity (at Nexstar’s FIRST station) in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA…we told you above that JOHN WALTON is moving within Nexstar and within Louisiana to become ND for the company’s WVLA/WGMB-TV in Baton Rouge.
Bagley
KFSM-TV, Ft. Smith, AR…RICH BAGLEY left this Tegna owned station about a week ago. It’s the CBS affiliate serving Ft. Smith and Fayetteville. He’s been since 2017 in his second stint as news director there. In between, he was the Nightside EP for KTRK-TV (ABC owned) in Houston. He’s also been an ND in El Paso, and has worked in San Antonio and earlier in Houston.
Rockstroh
And updating our earlier story (as you TV types love to say)…our report a few weeks ago about about BOB ROCKSTROH’s departure from WFFF/WVNY-TV in Burlington, VT…did not explain where he was going. Bob wrote this week to share that he’s following his wife to her new job as Executive Director of the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT.
Also this week…while not new openings, we do have new ads for the open ND jobs at WJAX-WFOX-TV in Jacksonville and for WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, MI.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL:
Cox Media Group in Jacksonville, FL is seeking a creative, team-oriented, and passionate journalist to lead the powerhouse WFOX/WJAX team as a News Director.
This is a rare opportunity for someone who possesses a passion for local news with network-level standards. The ideal candidate will be an expert recruiter, a visionary, a problem-solver and above all – a leader.
The Action News Jax newsroom is a well-oiled machine driven by aggressive, investigative storytelling, cutting-edge producing, the region’s best severe weather team, and a staff committed to our focused brand.
The Jacksonville market is one of the fastest growing in the nation. We’re home to Fortune 500 companies, world class beaches and outdoor sporting possibilities – and with the #1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft-a future Super Bowl contender.
You can learn more about this opportunity by checking out this link!
News Director, WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI:
What WOULD you do for the chance to run a TOP 50 legacy station as NEWS Director? WOULD you love working in a newsroom where storytelling and local news are your priorities? How WOULD you like to work for the largest TV ownership group in the country? WOULD you like to try?
WOOD-TV (NBC), WOTV (ABC) and WXSP (MyNet) located in the Grand Rapids – Kalamazoo – Battle Creek, Michigan (Market #41) have an immediate opening for a NEWS DIRECTOR.
The perfect candidate will be an experienced News Director who is an innovative and dynamic leader, possessing excellent news and ethical judgement, strong understanding of hard news and investigative brands, and has a passion to be the best in the market each and every day.
Responsibilities include managing daily news content across multiple platforms; hiring, training and mentoring producers, reporters, and anchors; overseeing special projects and daily operations in the newsroom.
If you WOULD like to be the next leader at WOOD TV- apply here:
News Director, WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre, PA:
This is the market where it all started…
Join the largest TV ownership group in the country in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Market #58) as NEWS DIRECTOR.
A lot has changed since the early days of Nexstar Media Group 25 years ago. We now own 199 stations in 116 markets… But our commitment to the original market – now with WBRE/NBC and WYOU/CBS – and the original mission – serving our communities with LOCAL NEWS – is stronger than ever.
The perfect candidate for this perfect opportunity is collaborative, creative and competitive. We are looking for someone dynamic and innovative, with a proven track record of success on broadcast and digital platforms.
We are ready to move you so you can move us. This could be where it all starts for you, too. Imagine where Nexstar could take you.
Assistant News Director, WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY:
How often do you get the chance to build a local TV newsroom from the ground up? I know you’ve dreamed about it. (I know I have!)
Now’s your chance. Join the largest TV ownership group in the country in Lexington, Kentucky (Market #63) at WDKY Fox 56 as ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR.
Be a part of a special team getting ready to change the market. Oh, and why not do it in a city on U.S. News and World Report’s Best Places to Live list.
The leader we hire will manage day-to-day operations, with an emphasis on our morning newscast. You must appreciate the role research plays in best serving our digital audience and TV viewers. We are all about LOCAL news. And- we insist you value relationships and demonstrate it by being a strong, but empathetic, communicator.
It’s a great time to be a part of #NexstarNation. “Start-up” here… with no limits in sight! Apply today by clicking here.
News Director, WEEK-TV, Peoria, IL:
WEEK Television, the NBC and ABC affiliate in Peoria, Illinois, has an immediate opening for a News Director to lead our award-winning teams.
Our News Director must be able to drive all aspects of this dual operation. WEEK-TV produces more than 50 hours of local news a week and provides continuous coverage on all digital platforms. The successful candidate must have a proven track record of journalism excellence with the ability to guide and inspire our employees.
The WEEK Television News Director oversees all daily aspects of both news operations. You must have solid news judgement, the ability to uphold our expectation of true unbiased journalism, and the ability to train and mentor our staff in a way that will strengthen our teams and motivate them to excellence. You must be able to adjust quickly and make sound decisions that best reflect our brands and the communities we serve.
The News Director will work closely with the GM and other managers to ensure continued success of both operations.
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River. Its beautiful riverfront is home to dozens of festivals and events year-round. The Peoria Civic Center hosts a variety of entertainment productions from top-selling musicians, Broadway musicals, and even Monster trucks! Sports fans are also right at home in Peoria which is home to both minor league baseball and hockey teams.
Learn why Quincy Media is recognized as one of the best in the business by visiting www.quincymediacareers.com. If you’re passionate about leading a team of creative, capable, and accomplished journalists, email your cover letter and resume to:
Jim McKernan
Vice President / General Manager, WEEK-TV
jmckernan@week.com
WEEK Television, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer
News Director, WDIO-TV, Duluth, MN:
WDIO-TV News Channel 10/13, the award-winning ABC affiliate of Hubbard Broadcasting in Duluth, MN needs an experienced News Director with a history of success in leading broadcast and multi-media news operations.
We emphasize investigative style news and original hyper-local reporting. This position requires a strong leader to help keep this station at the top of the market.
As the leader of this multi-platform operation, the News Director is responsible for leading and managing the planning, production and presentation of news, weather and sports. This position is also responsible for defining and maintaining ethical, editorial, artistic and technical standards for broadcast news programs on WDIO and content on digital and social media platforms.
The successful candidate must motivate, inspire, engage and lead both an experienced, high performing team as well as green talent. We are looking for a leader who can build off WDIO’s legacy, creating a vision for the future, and supporting our ‘with you for life’ brand.
Set on beautiful Lake Superior, Duluth is in a vast region that is an outdoor paradise surrounded by pristine nature. The community is a combination of college town, tourist mecca, shipping/manufacturing, and regional healthcare center. A safe community with low cost yet high standards of living. WDIO is proud to be part of this community and we actively support community initiatives that help create positive change.
To learn more about the day-to-day duties and qualifications for this remarkable opportunity please see the full job description here:
Any questions? Please reach out to Hubbard Broadcasting’s Recruiting Manager, Michael Hammond at mhammond@bhi.com
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (new listing this week)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 6/13/21)
KTHV-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 5/9/21)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 6/20/21)
KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR (listed 4/25/21)
HOI-ABC, Peoria, IL (listing modified 5/16/21)
KWES-TV, Midland, TX (listed 5/9/21)
KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN (listed 4/25/21)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
News Nation, Chicago, IL (listed 5/16/21)
WHDH-TV, Boston, MA (EP/Investigations, listed 5/16/21)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 5/9/12)
KDVR-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, listed 5/16/21)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (AM EP, listed 5/23/21)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listing revised 5/2/21)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 6/13/21)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (new listing this week)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 5/31/21)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Lifestyle show, relisted 5/9/21)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 6/13/21)
WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 5/31/21)
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC (EP/Digital Content, listed 5/23/21)
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 6/13/21)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (Digital EP, listed 5/23/21)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listing revised 5/9/21)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 5/31/21)
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA (listed 5/2/21)
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (listed 6/6/21)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 6/6/21)
WHNT/WHDF-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 6/13/21)
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital EP, listed 6/13/21)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 4/18/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 4/25/21)
WJTV, Jackson, MS (listed 5/2/21)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (Digital EP, relisted 6/13/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted 5/16/21)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 4/11/21)
KAAL-TV, Rochester, MN (listed 4/18/21)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (new listing this week)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted this week:
Spectrum Networks NY1 Senior Manager, News and Content
Listed 6/20/21:
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Digital Content Director)
Relisted 6/6/21:
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 5/23/21:
WKOW-TV, Madison, WI, (Content Manager)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (Digital Content Manager)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 5/16/21:
News Nation, Chicago, IL (Social Media Manager)
Names in the News:
Grzech
CHERIE GREZCH leaves Fox News to join Nexstar’s News Nation as Vice President of News, Managing Editor. She’s been at FOX since 2009, first as Senior Director of Politics and (since 2018) as Washington Bureau Chief. Cherie’s a former news director in Lansing, MI, and later worked in management positions for WRAL-TV in Raleigh and KATU-TV in Portland, OR. She began as a reporter in Augusta, GA.
Hoss
Longtime New Orleans broadcaster MIKE HOSS is the new play by play voice of the New Orleans Saints. That’s not normally the kind of item we’d share with you, but it qualified because Mike’s a two time former interim news director of WWL-TV (Tegna/CBS) in New Orleans. He started there in 1989 in the sports department, moved to news in 2000, and left the station in 2017 to launch his own production company.
Congratulations to Scripps’ KNXV-TV (ABC) in Phoenix and Tegna’s KING-TV (NBC) in Seattle on their Peabody Award wins this week. (And apologies if I missed any other local commercial stations) The complete list of winners is here. (And did you know that Phoenix is now a bigger market than Seattle?)
General Manager News and Notes:
Drutz
Longtime Detroit TV executive MARLA DRUTZ is retiring from Graham Media’s WDIV-TV (NBC) after 13 years running that NBC affiliate and 37 in the market. More from the station’s website. Appropriate in the self-proclaimed Hockeytown, Marla has the Detroit hat trick, having began her career as the marketing director at WJBK-TV and later serving as the programming director at WXYZ-TV. She’s also worked in Cleveland and will stay on the job until her replacement is on board.
Bartlett
Outgoing WMUR-TV (Hearst/ABC) GM JEFF BARTLETT was honored at a gathering at the station this week. He’s retiring after 20 years there and 40 in our industry. He’s a former GM in Ft. Smith and Fayetteville, AR, served as a news director in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Tulsa, and Tucson and worked in Miami and for AR&D. Best wishes, Jeff, on a long and happy retirement.
Vrees
As you know from our earlier reports, he will be replaced by Hearst’s Vice Presdient of News, ANDREW VREES, who earlier in his career served as news director for WMUR. Andrew moved from WMUR to become ND at Hearst’s WCVB-TV (ABC) in Boston before his promotion to the corporate role.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, June 27, 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
WCBS-TV 530 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019
KTRK-TV 3310 Bissonnet, Houston TX 77005
WCVB-TV 5 TV Place Needham, MA 02494
KMSP/WTTC-TV 11358 Viking Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
KGTV 4600 Air Way, San Diego, CA 92102
WSMV-TV 5700 Knob Road, Nashville, TN, 37209
KUTV 299 South Main St. # 150, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (see ad above!)
WHNS-TV 21 Interstate Court Greenville, SC 29615
WJAX/WFOX-TV 11700 Central Pkwy., #2 | Jacksonville, FL 32224 (see ad above!)
WAVY-TV 300 WAVY Street Portsmouth, VA 23704
WTKR-TV 720 Boush Street Norfolk VA 23510
WOOD-TV 120 College Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (see ad above!)
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S Franklin St. Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18701 (see ad above!)
WHAS-TV 520 West Chestnut Street Louisville, KY 40202
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Rd.. Charleston, WV 25301
WHAM-TV 4225 West Henrietta Rd., Rochester NY 14623
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KTAL-TV 3150 N Market St., Shreveport, LA 71137
WCIA-TV 509 S. Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820
WFFF/WVNV-TV 298 Mountain View Dr, Colchester, VT 05446
KFSM-TV 5101 S. 48th Street Springdale, AR 72762
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WEEK-TV 2907 Springfield Rd, East Peoria, IL 61611 (see ad above!)
WWTV/WWUP-TV P.O. Box 627, Cadillac Michigan 49601
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd.. Columbus, GA 31907
WRBL-TV 1350 13th Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901
WTVM-TV 1909 Wynnton Rd Columbus, GA 31906
KBJR-TV 246 South Lake Ave., Duluth MN 55802
WDIO-TV 10 Observation Rd., Duluth, MN 55811 (see ad above!)
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101
KULR-TV 2045 Overland Ave. Billings, MT 59102
WDTV 5 Television Drive. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WBKO-TV 2727 Russellville Rd., Bowling Green, KY 42101
KSAN/KSLT-TV 2800 Armstrong St., San Angelo, TX 76903
**: Spanish language station