May 14, 2023
Thursday, May 18th, 2023 UPDATE:
Greetings:
There’s a new VP/ND at a Dallas o-and-o…and she doesn’t have to move.
Harris
MEAGAN HARRIS will be the next VP/ND for CBS’s KTVT-KTXA-TV in Dallas. She’s currently the news director for NBCLX and is based at NBC’s KXAS-TV in Dallas/Ft.Worth. Don’t know what that is? It’s explained in the CBS news release announcing her hire. She’s a former ND for Tegna’s WTLV/WJXX-TV (NBC) in Jacksonville, FL, and earlier worked for WFAA-TV (ABC) in Dallas. Meagan has also worked in San Antonio and Sherman, TX.
She replaces SCOTT KEENAN who left in March after just six months at the helm.
We’ll be back this weekend with our full report.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
SEVEN!
That’s how many new news directors in this week’s report.
TWO in Los Angeles.
TWO at Tegna stations.
Of the seven, THREE are at network o-and-o’s in top 15 markets.
And only TWO new openings, both created by people leaving to take one of the seven jobs that were filled this week
Those changes leave 38 stations on our list of open ND jobs.
There are THREE help wanted ads this week, including one for an ND job in Missouri, and TWO positions at the University of Florida.
After a lot of GM moves last week, to my knowledge, no changes this week.
And a few items in Names in the News: ONE local station is honored with a Peabody, a longtime San Diego independent station is sold, TWO industry veterans weigh in on Sinclair eliminating local news in multiple markets and a few news managers on the move.
All that and more below!
Newly Named News Directors:
Rodriguez
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA…there were TWO new NDs named in Los Angeles this week, including ERICA HILL-RODIGUEZ‘ move to this Nexstar owned CW affiliate. Erica most recently was ND for FOX’s KTTV in Los Angeles, a job she left last June and went unfilled until Wednesday (see below). She was at KTTV for 2 1/2 years, is a former ND at KCPQ-TV in Seattle and also worked in Chicago and Boise. She replaces PETE SAIERS who left KTLA last month after two years as ND.
Gearhart
KTTV-TV, Los Angeles, CA...the long search to replace Erica ended when BOBBI GEARHART’s was named ND for this FOX o-and-o. She’s a longtime vet of the market and rejoins GM STEVE CARLSTON: they worked together at KNBC-TV. Bobbi left KNBC and headed south to be ND at Scripps’ KGTV (ABC) in San Diego, a job she held for eight months. As mentioned, Bobbi filled a job that’s been open for almost a year.
Wilgoren
Speaking of KTTV, I was remiss last week in not reporting the departure of PETE WILGOREN who was the assistant ND there and the interim news director for eleven months after Erica left. Pete posted this note on his Twitter page which tells it all. His last day will be May 24th. Pete’s also worked for another Los Angeles station as well as in Boston.
Moore
WJBK-TV, Detroit, MI…LAURA MOORE moves up to become ND for this FOX o-and-o. A 25 year veteran of the station, she’s been the Assistant ND. Laura replaces her boss, KEVIN ROSEBOROUGH, who retired Friday. Laura joined WJBK in 1998 as a producer, moved up to an EP folks and later her current job as AND. Both Kevin’s note to the staff and GM GREG EASTERLY’s memo on Laura’s promotion are here.
Kevin R.
Kevin first joined WKBK in 1994, coming from The Detroit Free Press where he had been the night city editor and became ND in 2013. Kevin announced his retirement a week ago, citing his desire to help care for his 90 year old mother who had recently suffered (his words, not mine!) a minor heart attack. The station reported on his departure and his farewell party on Friday night.
Travis S.
KVUE-TV, Austin, TX…in the first of two items about new news directors at Tegna stations, TRAVIS SATTIEWHITE has been named ND for this ABC affiliate. Travis is currently the assistant ND for NBC’s WVIT-TV in Hartford, and has previously worked in Miami, Kansas City, Memphis, and for several stations in his native Houston. Travis replaces CHRISTINA GINN who left for a job an EP for “Banfield” on News Nation.
Waivers
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA…this Tegna owned CBS affiliate has promoted New Orleans native NICOLE WAIVERS to news director. More in this story from the station’s website. She’s been the executive producer of the 10:00 news, and earlier served as an EP for sister Tegna station WFAA-TV (ABC) in Dallas. Nicole replies KEITH ESPARROS who is retiring after eight years as news director here.
Bonfleur
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA…BRENT BONFLEUR moves within Gray to become the next ND for this CBS affiliate. For almost two years, he’s been the ND of Gray’s WDTV in Bridgeport, WV. Before that, Brent was the assistant ND at KLKN-TV in Lincoln, NE, where he began as a weekend producer and worked his way up. In Roanoke, he succeeds ERIC WALTERS who is also being promoted within Gray: to GM for KMTV/KSTV in Twin Falls, ID.
Velasco
KSBW-TV, Monterey/Salinas, CA…CASSADY VELASCO has been promoted to news director for this Hearst owned NBC affiliate. She’s been the assistant news director since 2021, was managing editor before that, and first joined the station as the 5:00 producer in 1999. She left for a brief stint as the administrative assistant to former station anchor DINA RUIZ EASTWOOD, but returned in 2008. She replaces JILLIAN O’BRIEN who is moving oversees with her new husband after three years as news director.
New News Director Openings:
Both our new opening this week were created by people leaving for new ND jobs as reported above.
KGTV, San Diego, CA…lost ND BOBBI GEARHART who returned to Los Angeles as ND for KTTV. She was at this ABC affiliate less an a year.
WDTV, Bridgeport, VA…BRENT BONFLEUR is moving with Gray to become ND for WDBJ-TV (CBS) in Roanoke, VA. He’s been here just short of two years and previously was the Assistant ND for KLKN-TV in Lincoln, NE, where he began as the weekend producer.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, KMIZ-TV, Columbia, MO:
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The ABC 17 News team is a well-oiled machine driven by an aggressive, focused brand. We invest in top tier consulting, research and talent development. The company provides the staff the support to succeed in this competitive market. We need a hands on news director who is crazy about coaching both veteran and young journalists.
Columbia offers a tremendous quality of life as a college town in the heartland. It is also a short drive from Kansas City, St. Louis and Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. There’s a terrific trail system here and tons of options for the active lifestyle. We have the draw of big-time college athletics, the popular culture of world renowned film and music festivals plus the cultural opportunities a major university provides. Dining and nightlife are top notch for a city this size.
The News-Press Gazette Company (NPG) is family-owned with a steep tradition in serving its community through various newspaper and broadcast holdings. It is a diverse company with an eye to the future that includes maintaining its portfolio of 10 television markets. It is large enough to provide its stations the latest technology the industry has to offer but small enough to offer a great degree of autonomy at its individual stations.
Please apply by clicking here.
Multimedia News Manager, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in beautiful Gainesville, Florida, seeks a Multimedia News Manager for the Innovation News Center (INC) to teach students, produce news content, and provide innovative leadership.
News Managers of the INC must embrace our dual mission which is to prepare UF College of Journalism & Communications students for the workforce through instructional coursework and immersion experiences while serving the greater Gainesville community through high-quality news, weather, sports, and information content across existing and emerging multimedia platforms.
The ideal candidate will have effective service as a newscast Producer, Executive Producer, or News Director and experience working in a blended/multiplatform news environment, and especially experience with broadcast & digital platforms.
The INC is a 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art professional newsroom at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, which is one of the top communication programs in the country, providing hands-on learning opportunities for more than 400 students each semester. Students work alongside professionals to produce and edit content for seven media properties and companion digital platforms, including the local NPR, PBS, and ESPN affiliates, as well as the Spanish-language news operation of Noticias and the Fresh Take Florida news service.
Click here to learn more and apply:
Posting closes June 2, 2023
Technical Media Producer, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in beautiful Gainesville, Florida, seeks a Technical Media Producer for the Innovation News Center (INC) to mentor students and be directly involved in the production of daily news products.
Technical Media Producers (TMP) of the INC must embrace our dual mission which is to prepare UF College of Journalism & Communications students for the workforce through instructional coursework and immersion experiences while serving the greater Gainesville community.
TMPs direct and/or provide production support for live and pre-recorded WUFT and WRUF programs, including but not limited to news, sports, and weather, for distribution on all media platforms including WUFT-TV/FM, WRUF-TV/FM, WUFT.org, WRUF.com, FPREN, all station social media accounts, and mobile apps. Programs may be in studio or remote productions.
The ideal candidate will have effective service as a Director or Technical Director in a complex news environment and experience using Ross Overdrive automation.
The INC is a 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art professional newsroom at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, which is one of the top communication programs in the country, providing hands-on learning opportunities for more than 400 students each semester. Students work alongside professionals to produce and edit content for seven media properties and companion digital platforms, including the local NPR, PBS, and ESPN affiliates, as well as the Spanish-language news operation of Noticias and the Fresh Take Florida news service.
Click here to learn more and apply:
Posting closes June 2, 2023.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KCBS/KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, LA (listed 4/30/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 4/16/23)
WJTV, Jackson, MS (listed 5/14/23)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
News 12 Long Island, Bethpage, NY (listed 1/15/23)
News 12 Edison, NJ (Spec. Projects. Prod., listed 1/15/23)
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (relisted 3/26/23)
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (AM/Special Projects EP, relisted 4/23/23)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (relisted 4/23/23)
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (Nightside EP, listed 3/26/23)
WRTV, Indianpolis, IN (relisted 3/26/23)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 3/26/23)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 5/14/23)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 3/26/23)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City (relisted 3/26/23)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 5/14/23)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
WAVY/WVBT-TV, Norfolk, VA (relisted 3/26/23)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 2/25/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC (Digital EP listed 4/23/23)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (Digital EP, relisted 3/26/23)
WFFT-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (relisted 2/19/23)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (Digital EP, listed 4/23/23)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI (relisted 4/23/23)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 2/25/23)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 4/16/23)
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (listing revised 5/13/23)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (listed 5/13/23)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 5/7/23:
WTNH-TV, Hartford, CT (News and Content Manager)
U. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Multimedia News Manager, see ad above!)
U. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Technical News Producer, see ad above!)
Listed 4/30/23:
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (Director of Digital Content)
Listed 3/12/23:
WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (Manager of Enterprise Content)
Listed 3/5/23:
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital News Manager)
Names in the News:
There’s one less family owned large market station this week after Nexstar announced plans to buy KUSI-TV in San Diego. The price? $35 million. Nexstar already owns San Diego’s FOX affiliate, KSWB-TV. Much more in this nicely detailed story from The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Congratulations to GM BILL DALLMAN, News Director STACEY NOGY, and the staff at KARE-TV (Tegna/Minneapolis-St. Paul. I believe they are the only local commercial station to be honoed with a Peabody Award. The complete list of winners can be found here.
Wheatley
We have new details on the departure of STEPHANIE WHEATLEY from her job as news director for Sinclair’s KSNV-TV (NBC) in Las Vegas. This story from the Las Vegas Review-Journal shares that Stephanie has taken a new job with Clark County as a public information officer, in part to (as her note to me that we shared last week said) spend more time with her two young sons. And the station has also grounded…temporarily, it says…its helicopter.
Speaking of Sinclair, TVNewsCheck has opinions from two veteran industry leaders on the company’s recent elimination of local news in several markets. HANK PRICE wonders if the cuts are the ‘canary in the coal mine‘ while EMILY BARR has similar thoughts and worries what happens to the industry if political money goes away.
RYAN WEBB moves from Nightside EP at Nexstar’s WKRN-TV (ABC) in Nashville to Assistant ND. He’s a former ND at Nexstar’s WBTW-TV in Myrtle Beach.
ANGIE MARTINEZ, who’s been an EP for KRGV-TV in Weslaco, TX, for the past three years, has been upped to assistnat news director. She’s been at this ABC affiliate for 13 years.
General Manager News and Notes:
As far as I know, no GM or upper management moves this week.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, May 14, 2023:
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
KNBC/KVEA-TV 100 Universal City Plaza, #2120 Universal City, CA 91608
KTVT/KTXA-TV 5233 Bridge St. Fort Worth, TX 76103
WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, Georgia 30324
WZDC-TV 4001 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 **
WLTV 9405 NW 41st St, Doral, FL 33178 **
WJZ-TV 3725 Malden Avenue Baltimore, MD 21211
KGTV 4600 Air Way. San Diego, CA 92102
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115
KSNV-TV 1500 Foremaster Lane Las Vegas, NV 89101
WWMT-TV 590 West Maple St. Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
KFTV 3239 W Ashlan Av. Fresno, CA 93722 **
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd. Moosic, PA 18507
KOKI-TV 2625 S Memorial Dr. Tulsa, OK 74129
WHIO-TV 1611 S Main St. Dayton, OH 45409
KITV 801 So. King St. Honolulu, HI 96813
KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North. Wichita, KS 67219
WISC-TV 7025 Raymond Rd. Madison, WI 53719
WOWT-TV 3555 Farnam Street, Omaha NE 68131
KNWA-TV 609 W. Dickson St. Suite 300, Fayetteville AR, 72701
WQAD-TV 3003 Park 16th Street Moline, Illinois 61265
KHGI-TV 1078 25 Road Axtell, NE 68924
KIMA-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr.Yakima, WA 98901
KMIZ-TV 501 Business Loop 70 E., Columbia MO 65201 (see ad above!)
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa TX 79763
KTIV-TV 2929 Signal Hill Dr. Sioux City, IA 51108
WBUP/WKBP-TV 1705 Ash Street Suite 5 Ishpeming, MI 49849
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
WBKO-TV 2727 Russellville Road. Bowling Green, KY 42101
KGNS-TV 120 W. Del Mar Blvd. Laredo TX 78041
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd North, Twin Falls, ID 83301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KNOP-TV 402. S. Dewey. North Platte NE 69101
**: Spanish language station