March 15, 2020
Greetings:
FOUR people landed new news director jobs this week, and, as far as I know, there’s just ONE new opening.
That means there are, by my count, 33 stations looking for a new news director.
We have TWO paid help wanted ads, both from a station in West Virginia.
There’s ONE obit for a longtime Texas news manager, TWO GMs on the move, and just TWO items in Names in the News…and I’m embarrassed to say one of them is a correction.
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Newly Named News Directors:
King
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA…our UPDATE Thursday told you that MATT KING would be returning to Atlanta as the next news director for this Meredith owned CBS affiliate. We shared just last week that Matt was leaving Tegna’s WCNC-TV (NBC) in Charlotte after five years as ND. He’s also worked in Tampa, Washington, and as a sports director in Chattanooga. At WGCL, he replaces STEVE DOERR who was promoted to GM for Meredith’s Springfield, MA, cluster.
Fargen
WSAW-TV, Wausau, WI…congratulations to BRIDGET FARGEN who transfers within Gray Television to become the news director at this CBS affiliate. Since 2012, Bridget has been the evening anchor at KLKN-TV KOLN-TV in Lincoln, NE. Added bonus for Bridget: she’s from Wisconsin as you’ll learn in this farewell story from the Lincoln newspaper. She replaces SARAH GRAY who left a few months ago to become ND for WISC-TV in Madison, WI.
Baxley
WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL…DAVID BAXLEY has been named news director for this Nexstar owned ABC affiliate. He’s currently teaching at Francis Marion Univeristy in Florence, SC. But he’s worked in TV markets both large and small, as his Linkedin page will attest. At WDHN, David replaces BEN STANFIELD who was both ND and anchor. Ben left in January to become the morning anchor at WTVM-TV in Columbus, GA.
Conner
WDTV, Clarksburg/Bridgeport, WV…KEITH “KC” CONNER is the new news director for this Gray Television owned CBS affiliate. KC is a former ND at WOAY-TV in Oak Hill, WV. He most recently worked as the managing editor for WNWO-TV in Toledo and has also worked in Cincinnati, Charlotte and Knoxville. He replaced JOHN EHRHART who started there last November. John’s Linkedin page now shows him as retired.
New News Director Openings:
KFDM-TV, Beaumont, TX…this Sinclair Broadcasting owned CBS affiliate has a posting on its website for a news director. I’ve reached out to several representatives of Sinclair and will hopefully have more details next week.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Assistant News Director, WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV:
Nexstar Nation is looking for an ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR at WOWK in Charleston, West Virginia.
Join the largest media group in the country, and a strong news team in Market #74. It’s an amazing opportunity that puts you steps away from the News Director chair.
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Assist with planning, staffing, training, and performance evaluations for the News Department.
Consult on decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develop news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critique newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Assign projects to staff and verifies that deadlines are being met.
Ensure achievement of viewer rating goals.
Determine programming and evaluation of equipment needs to produce quality programming.
Respond to coverage questions.
Serve as the News Director in his/her absence.
Want to learn more and/or apply? Click here:
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What do we want?
Manage content display across desktop and mobile
Be a newsroom leader
Be a fixture in the morning and afternoon editorial meetings
Contribute content to relevant events and/or stories as needed
Assist with special project/sweeps planning & execution
Work irregular/odd hours and available to work weekends and holidays
Think strategically about developing the digital audiences and online capacities of newsroom
Help develop new opportunities to expand news brand and services while utilizing new and emerging technologies
Additional responsibilities as assigned by management
Assist in managing sales content elements that have strong revenue potential and web user interest.
Live streaming knowledge
Want to take the station and #nexstarnation to the top on our digital platforms?
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Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KCPQ/KZJO-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 2/2/2020)
KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 1/26/20)
WSFL-TV, Miami, FL (listed 2/2/2020)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 3/8/20)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/9/20)
Spectrum News, Milwaukee, WI (listed 1/19/20)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI (listed 2/23/20)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 1/12/20)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (relisted 1/26/20)
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA (relisted 1/19/20)
KNPN/KNPG/KCJO-TV, St. Joseph, MO (relisted 2/16/20)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Nexstar’s News Nation, Chicago, IL (2 openings, listed 2/2/20)
Nexstar’s News Nation, Chicago, IL (Digital EP, listed 2/2/20)
WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, PA (relisted 2/16/20)
KPHO/KTVK-TV, Phoenix, AZ (EP Special Projects, listed 2/16/20)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (relisted 1/26/20)
KING/KONG-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 2/16/20)
KDVR-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP and Digital EP, listing revised 2/9/20)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/2/20)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, listing modified 1/19/20)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (listed 2/9/20)
KSND-TV, San Diego, CA (PM EP, relisted 3/1/20)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 2/16/20)
WFSB-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (AM EP, new listing this week)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (EP/Innovation, listing revised 2/23/20)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 2/23/20)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 2/16/20)
WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA (new listing this week)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 3/1/20)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 3/8/20)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (relisted 1/5/20)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (relisted 1/5/20)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (listed 3/8/20)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (AM EP, listed 2/23/20)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (relisted 2/23/20)
KARD-TV, W. Monroe, LA (listed 3/8/20)
KCAU-TV, Sioux City, IA (listed 3/8/20)
MANAGING EDITOR:
Nexstar’s News Nation, Chicago, IL (2 openings, listed 2/2/20)
WSFL-TV, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami (Investigative/Enterprise, new listing this week)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (relisted 2/9/20)
More News Management Openings:
Listed this week:
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (Digital Content Manager, see ad above!)
Listed 2/23/20:
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC (Investigative Producer)
E.W. Scripps @ WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (News Manager Apprentice)
Relisted 2/23/20:
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 2/16/20:
E. W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH (Director of News Content Strategy)
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 1/19/20:
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Senior Multiplatform Producer)
WBOC-TV/Draper Media, Salisbury, MD (Director of Digital Content)
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (Professor)
Listed 1/5/20:
WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (Assignment Desk Manager)
Obituary:
Manning
Our sympathy to the staff at Dallas’ WFAA-TV on the death of the station’s managing editor, ALLEN MANNING. Allen died suddenly Tuesday at the age of 57. He spent two years as WFAA, which produced this story on him. And he spent almost 20 years at KTVT-TV in Dallas, which remembered him here. He’d earlier worked at KDFW-TV in Dallas, in Houston, and in Midland, TX.
Names in the News (and other items):
ALBERT STICHKA joins WCPO-TV (ABC) in Cincinnati as Content Manager/EP. That’s an internal promotion for Albert, who was an EP at WTVR-TV, the Scripps station in Richmond, VA. He’s also worked in Charleston, SC, and in San Diego.
Last week’s report on MARK ZONCA‘s move from Chicago to Florida had both his wrong destination and wrong station. Mark’s actually going to Tampa’s WFTS-TV where he’s been hired as the Assistant ND at that Scripps owned ABC affiliate.. Mark’s been the morning EP for Fox’s WFLD-TV and has worked for several stations in Chicago and earlier in Tampa.
General Manager News and Notes:
Grandy
You know already from our Monday UPDATE that BYRON GRANDY is returning to Denver as GM for Nexstar’s KDVR/KWGN-TV. Details in this news release. Bryon’s spent the last three years as GM of Nexstar’s Raleigh NBC affiliate, WNCN-TV. But he’s a former GM and ND for KMGH-TV in Denver. He’s had two other ND jobs, worked as a consultant for Broadcast Image, and began as a reporter in Bryan and Amarillo, TX and Milwaukee before moving into management as an EP in Jackson, MS.
Thomas
ROBBY THOMAS is the new general manager for WTVY-TV in Dothan, AL. It’s a move within Gray Television. He’s spent the five years as marketing director for Gray’s WBTV in Charlotte and also served as marketing director for WNCN-TV in Raleigh. Robby began his career as an MMJ in Panama City, FL. He also worked outside of TV in a marketing job.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 15, 2020:
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
WNJU-TV, 2200 Fletcher Avenue Fort Lee, NJ 07024
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WEWS-TV 3001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr., Charlotte, NC 28217
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
KOAT-TV 3801 Carlisle Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87107
WGAL-TV 1300 Columbia Avenue. Lancaster, PA 17603
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman St, Harrisburg, PA 17110
WPMT-TV 2005 South Queen Street York, PA 17403
KOKI-TV 2625 S. Memorial Drive, Tulsa, OK 74129
WRGB-TV 1400 Balltown Road, Schenectady, NY 12309
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
KREM-TV 4103 S Regal St, Spokane, WA 99223
WITN-TV 275 E Arlington Blvd #275, Greenville, NC 27858
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KVAL/KMTR-TV 4575 Blanton Rd., Eugene, OR 97405
KSBW-TV 238 John Street, Salinas, CA 93901
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
KOMU-TV 5550 Old 63 S, Columbia, MO 65201
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Rd, Rockford, IL 61101
KFDM-TV 2955 I-10 East Beaumont, TX 77702
KSWO/KAUZ-TV 1401 SE 60th St, Lawton, OK 73501
KPLC-TV 20 Division Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
WTVY-TV 285 N Foster St # 7, Dothan, AL 36303
KULR-TV 2045 Overland Ave. Billings, MT 59102
KHQA-TV 301 S 36th St, Quincy, IL 62301
Delta News 837 Washington Av. Greenville, MS 38701
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501
KAVU-TV 3808 N Navarro St, Victoria, TX 77901
**: Spanish language station