March 8, 2020
Thursday, March 12, 2020 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Two items for you this morning, one of good news and the other very sad.
King
MATT KING is returning to Atlanta as news director for Meredith’s WGCL-TV (CBS). Here’s the news release.
We told you last week that Matt was leaving his previous job as ND for WCNC-TV (Tegna/NBC) in Charlotte where he’d spent the past five years. He previously worked for Tegna/Gannett stations in Washington, Atlanta, and Tampa.
At WGCL, he replaces STEVE DOERR who was promoted to GM for the company’s Springfield, MA, operation.
Manning
Sadly, today brings news of the passing of longtime Texas newsman ALLEN MANNING who died suddenly Tuesday morning. He was 57.
Allen died just two days short of his second anniversary as Managing Editor for Tegna’s WFAA-TV in Dallas. He spent more than 20 years on the desk at KDFW-TV KTVT-TV in Dallas and had also worked in Houston and Midland.
His most recent station, WFAA, paid tribute to him in a story which paid homage to Allen’s love of poetry. And his longtime home, KTVT, aired this tribute.
Kudos to both stations, which mentioned that Allen had worked at a competitor and mentioned those stations by name, as opposed to “another station in town” which, in my view, stations do far too often.
Our sympathy to Allen’s wife and his co-workers at both stations.
regards,
Rick Gevers
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Wednesday, March 11, 2020 UPDATE:
Wow.
The NAB has decided to postpone its annual April show in Las Vegas.
regards,
gevers
Monday, March 9, 2020 UPDATE:
A former Denver news director turned GM returns to Denver as GM of a Nexstar duopoly.
Grandy
BYRON GRANDY will be the next GM for KDVR-KWGN-TV, the FOX/CW duopoly in Denver. He’s spent the last three years as GM of Nexstar’s Raleigh NBC affiliate, WNCN-TV.
More in this news release.
Byron spent much of his career in Denver, first as ND and then GM of KMGH-TV (ABC). He’s a former ND in San Antonio and Augusta, GA, 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.
Barrett
In Denver, he replaces another ND turned GM, JOAN BARRETT, who is replacing Byron in the North Carolina headcount as she has taken a job as GM for Tegna’s WCNC-TV in Charlotte.
One more item: We erred in our most recent full newsletter in reporting MARK ZONCA’s new job. We told you he was leaving Chicago for Florida, which was correct. But we had the wrong destination: he’ll be the new Assistant ND for Scripps’ WFTS-TV in Tampa. Apologies to Mark and the stations involved.
More in our complete newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
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Greetings:
Welcome to your free weekly newsletter covering changes in news managers around the country.
We’ll tell you about THREE newly named NDs…and THREE new vacancies, one in a top 25 market.
That means there’s a slight increase as the number of open jobs on our list moves to 34.
For the second consecutive week, we have a new advertiser. It will appeal to any of you thinking of leaving TV but are nervous about making the jump. Former Minneapolis and Louisville news director MARIA REITAN did it, and she can help you make the decision. Check out her ad just below.
It’s a bit of a slow news week…just TWO items in Names in the News and ONE GM change.
Keep reading to learn more.
Newly Named News Directors:
Shriner
KOLD-TV, Tucson, AZ…JENELLE SHRINER moves within Gray Television to become news director for this CBS affiliate. She’s spent the last 3 1/2 years as ND for Gray’s KPLC-TV (NBC) in Lake Charles, LA. Here’s the note from KPLC GM JOHN WARE. Jenelle came to Lake Charles from Austin, TX, where she was Assistant ND (and interim ND) for KVUE-TV in her second stint there. She’s also worked in Houston, Seattle, Ft. Myers, and for two stations in Raleigh.
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA… STEVEN SHAW moves from one Nexstar station to another as he”ll be the next ND for this CBS affiliate. He’s leaving the company’s WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV, where he was the Assistant ND. Steven’s also worked in Boise. At WTAJ, he replaces KYLE FOBE who left at the end of last year to return to South Bend as ND for WBND-TV.
Harrison
WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY…JOSH HARVISON will be the next news director for this Quincy Media owned CBS station. Josh is currently the executive producer for Gray Television’s KSLA-TV (CBS) in Shreveport and earlier spent almost 12 years at KAIT-TV (ABC) in Jonesboro, AR, rising from production assistant to assistant news director. At WBNG, Josh replaces ADAM WILHELM who left last August after four months as ND.
New News Director Openings:
King
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC…MATT KING is apparently leaving this NBC affiliate since the job is posted on the Tegna website. (I reached out to Matt but did not hear back.) His departure comes as a new GM, JOAN BARRETT, is on the way. Matt’s been the ND here for about five years. He previously worked for Tegna/Gannett stations in Washington, Atlanta, and Tampa. Matt’s a former sports director in Chattanooga.
Reeves
KOMU-TV, Columbia, MO…RANDY REEVES has agreed to step down from the news director job here, but will remain at the station. (As you likely know, KOMU is an NBC affiliate owned by the University of Missouri and largely staffed by students from the School of Journalism.) Randy posted this on social media, and told me it the move will allow him to spend more time teaching. He’s worked here for 17 years in a variety of roles, the last 5 1/2 as news director. Randy also worked in Grand Rapids, MI, and Monterey/Salinas, CA.
Steve A.
Veteran news executive STEVE ACKERMANN will serve as the news director while the University search committee conducts its search. Steve has been working as a Special Projects Consultant for the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University. He’s a former VP/News for Raycom, was the founding news director for Belo’s now shuttered Texas Cable News. Steve was a news director in Cincinnati and spent more than 13 years at CBS News in a variety of roles.
KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, LA…as noted above, JENELLE SHRINER is moving to sister Gray station KOLD-TV in Tucson as ND after 3 1/2 years as ND for this NBC affiliate.
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 this week)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/9/20)
Spectrum News, Milwaukee, WI (listed 1/19/20)
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)
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)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 3/1/20)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 2/16/20)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (new listing this week)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (relisted 1/5/20)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (relisted 1/5/20)
WHB-TV, Rock Island, IL (new listing this week)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (AM EP, listed 2/23/20)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (relisted 2/23/20)
KARD-TV, W. Monroe, LA (new listing this week)
KCAU-TV, Sioux City, IA (new listing this week)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (relisted 1/26/20)
KLST-TV, San Angelo, TX (listed 2/16/20)
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 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)
Names in the News (and other items):
MARK ZONCA leaves Chicago for the sun and fun of Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Tampa where he’s been hired as the Assistant ND for Scripps’ WSFL-TV. WFTS-TV (ABC) which is starting a news operation. Mark’s been the morning EP for Fox’s WFLD-TV and has worked for several stations in Chicago and in Tampa.
Duhe
SONYA FORTE DUHE has been named Dean of the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. She’s leaving her native Louisiana where she is a director in the School of Communication and Design at Loyola University in New Orleans. Sonya’s a former anchor and reporter in Baton Rouge who earned her Ph.D at the University of Missouri. She also worked at University of South Carolina. Lots more here.
General Manager News and Notes:
Shenkan
ANDREW SHENKAN returns to Scripps’ WLEX-TV in Lexington as General Manager. He was director of sales and marketing there from 2002-2005. He’s been the vice president and general manager of Scripps’ KATC-TV in Lafayette, Louisiana, since 2006. More in this news release.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 8, 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
WGCL-TV 425 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
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
WSAW-TV 1114 Grand Ave, Wausau, WI 54403
KOMU-TV 5550 Old 63 S, Columbia, MO 65201
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Rd, Rockford, IL 61101
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