May 5, 2019
Thursday May 9, 2019 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Wouldn’t it be nice to take the summer off and enjoy it with your family?
Hofmann
That’s exactly what KSHB-TV/Kansas City News Director CARRIE HOFFMAN is going to do before looking for her next new adventure.
Carrie told her staff she’s leaving a few minutes ago: here’s the note she sent explaining her reasons.
She’s been ND for this Scripps owned NBC affiliate for more than six years, and has worked in a number of other markets, including Denver, Phoenix, Charlotte and Milwaukee.
Her last day is June 2nd.
We’ll have more on her move and all the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 UPDATE:
Greetings:
A veteran news director who spent more than 20 years as news director for one station lost his battle with cancer this week.
Ed W.
ED WICKENHEISER was 80 years old when he died Monday in his hometown of Columbia, PA.
More details about Ed’s life, survivors, funeral arrangements, and memorial contributions can be found in this obituary.
What’s not mentioned in the obit…but is detailed in this 2007 profile, among other interesting items…was the fact that Ed was the first reporter at Three Mile Island in 1979 (look it up if you have to). At the time he was working as a radio reporter: six months later he moved to WGAL-TV (NBC) in Lancaster as news director, a job he held until he retired in 2000.
I’ve heard from two friends who worked for Ed who had high praise for him, both as a journalist and a leader. Our sympathy to Ed’s family and friends.
We’ll see you with our full newsletter later this weekend.
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
It’s been a relatively busy week for the first week of a rating period. We have THREE new NDs to tell you about (TWO were promoted either by their current company or current station) and TWO new ND openings (ONE created by the retirement of a veteran ND.)
My always unofficial count of openings shows 30 vacancies.
TWO of those 30 openings are featured in Paid Help Wanted ads below.
Lots of items in Names in the News, including new Assistant ND’s in Dallas, Indianapolis, and Columbus, OH. A longtime morning anchor moves back home and becomes an EP at a CBS o-and-o and the Help Wanted sign is out at SPJ Headquarters.
All that and more below!
Newly Named News Directors:
Henning
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN…ADAM HENNING will be the next ND for this Cox Media owned FOX affiliate. Details in this news release. We told you last month that Adam was leaving Sinclair’s WPEC-TV (CBS) in West Palm Beach after about three years as ND. He’s been an news director in Huntsville, AL, Gainesville, FL, Greenville and Wilmington, NC, and also worked in Mobile and Raleigh. Adam replaces PATTI McGETTIGAN who stepped down on a medical retirement last December. Sadly, Patti died in February.
Jackson
WOWK-TV, Huntington/Charleston, WV…a transfer within Nexstar sends ROD JACKSON to this CBS affiliate from ND from the company’s WBRE-WYOU-TV in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Rod tells me while it may look like a lateral move, it gets him within 45 minutes of family. 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 worked as a reporter for 19 years. He replaces GRENDEL LEVY who left in March after a year as ND.
Myers
WECT-TV, Wilmington, NC…BRAD MYERS has been promoted to news director for this Gray Television owned NBC affiliate. Here’s the news release from GM MARK MENDENHALL. Brad’s been at WECT for three years, first as AM EP, then dayside EP. He replaces SCOTT SAXTON who announced in March he would be leaving in May. Scott has purchased the local franchise for Soccer Shots, a soccer education program for children.
New News Director Openings:
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA…we told you above that Nexstar is transferring ROD JACKSON to WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV. Rod was ND here for more than three years. More on his new opportunity above.
Noel S.
KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN…longtime ND NOEL SEDERSTROM is retiring after more than 11 years as ND for this Quincy Media owned NBC affiliate. He also served as ND for WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids, MI, for seven years before returning to his native Minnesota. Learn more about Noel in his station bio. And you can learn more about this job opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad just below.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN:
Here’s your chance to lead a truly special newsroom-in a place you would be proud to call home. NBC affiliate KTTC in Rochester, MN has a newsroom loaded with talent! We are committed to strong journalism and community service and we are #1 in southeastern Minnesota.
KTTC’s next News Director will be ready to lead our award-winning newsroom with established leadership skills and at least five years of experience. You must be a catalyst and a leader in our digital and social efforts and set the tone every day in the newsroom. Excellent coaching and communication skills are required.
This could be one of the best jobs you will ever have. SE MN is a beautiful part of the country recognized again and again for its incredible quality of life. Rochester itself is known for its incredible quality of life, with Mayo Clinic and IBM among our strong corporate citizens.
KTTC-TV is proud to be a Quincy Media station. Join our team and see why Quincy has been named one of the top companies to work for in the business. Visit www.quincymediacareers.com for links to all stations and opportunities.
If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in one of America’s best cities, send your link, cover letter, resume and references to:
Jim McKernan
Regional Vice President
Quincy Media Inc.
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. EOE
News Director, WSEE/WICU-TV, Erie, PA:
Lilly Broadcasting is conducting a search for a news director to lead Erie News Now in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The successful candidate must be an outstanding journalist with at least three years of news management experience who leads, coaches and inspires team members to achieve continuous improvement.
Erie News Now produces news on NBC and CBS affiliates in Erie, multiple digital and OTT platforms and for One Caribbean Television and Lilly’s ABC and CBS affiliates in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This is an exciting opportunity to live in beautiful Northwest Pennsylvania and work for a family-owned company with a “viewers first” philosophy.
Interested candidates should reply to Brian Trauring, VP of News, Marketing & Content Development, Lilly Broadcasting at: btrauring@lillybroadcasting.com
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (new listing this week)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 3/17/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 3/3/19)
WTLV-TV, Jacksonville, FL (new listing this week)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 4/21/19)
KARK-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 4/14/19)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (new listing this week)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 4/21/19)
WBND-TV, South Bend, IN (relisted 3/10/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 3/10/19)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (listed 3/24/19)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (new listing this week)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (Dayside EP, relisted 3/31/19)
Nexstar Washington Bureau, Washington, DC (new listing this week)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 3/31/19)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (2 openings, new listings this week)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (PM EP, relisted 4/21/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted 3/10/19)
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Digital EP, listed 3/10/19)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Nightside EP, listed 3/31/19)
WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (new listing this week)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 3/31/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, new listing this week)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (AM EP, new listing this week)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (AM EP, new listing this week)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 3/31/19)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (relisted 3/10/19)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (Dayside EP, new listing this week)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 3/31/19)
KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Digital EP, relisted 3/10/19)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 4/28/19)
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL (relisted 3/24/19)
KEYT-KCOY-KKFX-TV, Santa Barbara, CA (listed 3/31/19)
WQOW-TV, Eau Claire, WI (listed 3/24/19)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth (relisted 3/31/19)
Other News Management Openings:
Relisted this week:
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV Digital Executive Producer)
Listed 4/21/19:
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer)
Listed 3/31/19:
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital Content Executive Producer)
KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 3/24/19:
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 3/10/19:
WKRG, Mobile, AL (Digital Content Manager)
KGET-TV, Bakersfield, CA (Digital Content Manager)
Names in the News (and other items):
Guyton
VALERIE BUTLER GUYTON is the new Assistant News Director for NBCs KXAS-TV in Dallas/Ft. Worth. She most recently was an EP for WXIA-TV in Atlanta. She’s also worked for another Atlanta station, two stations in Houston, and one in Nashville, as well as for the Weather Channel and CNN.
PERRY PACE returns to WTHR-TV in Indianapolis, this time as Assistant News Director. He was an EP there until 2016 when he left for three years at WVTM-TV in Birmingham as the AND there. He’s also worked for two stations in Houston.
Anderson
My longtime client and friend JOHN ANDERSON has moved behind the scenes as the new morning EP for WCCO-TV in his hometown of Minneapolis. John’s spent much of his career as a successful morning anchor in Philadelphia and Cleveland, so he knows the routine and he and his family are happy to be home.
ADRIENNE STEIN joins Scripps’ WPTV in West Pam Beach as an Executive Producer. She’s been the Assistant ND for WCSH-TV in Portland, ME, but spent most of her career on-air in Portland, Kansas City, Sarasota, Jackson, MS, and Columbia, MO.
Betts
WCMH-TV in Columbus, OH, has promoted BRIANNE BETTS to Assistant News Director. Brianne has worked for WCMH for eight years. She started as a producer, was promoted to EP in 2015, and then Senior EP in 2017. Brianne has also worked in Rochester and Syracuse, NY.
Congratulations to WNEP-TV (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) DAVE KRISANDA who’s retiring after more than 37 years as a producer and EP there. The station paid him appropriate tribute in this story.
And SPJ is looking for a new executive director. That’s because ALISON BETHEL MCKENZIE resigned this week after just 13 months on the job.
General Manager News and Notes:
Speaking of resigning (as we did in the last item above), MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ is leaving as GM for Tegna’s WTSP-TV in Tampa, the CBS affiliate there. The Tampa Bay Times has more.
Congratulations to ROBERT SARABIA who’s been named General Manager of Telemundo’s KVDA-TV in San Antonio.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, May 5, 2019:
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
Verizon Fios 1 News 800 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573
KNBC-TV 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KING-TV 1501 1st Ave. South, Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98134
KIRO-TV 2807 Third Ave., Seattle WA 98121
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KXTV 400 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95818
KSDK-TV 1000 Market St. St. Louis MO 63101
KGW-TV 1501 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR 97201
KFMB-TV 7677 Engineer Road San Diego, CA 92111
KULX-TV 314 S Redwood Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84104 **
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WSPA-TV 250 International Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303
WPEC-TV 1100 Fairfield Dr. West Palm Beach, FL 33407
KTNV-TV 3355 S. Valley View Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89102
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S. Franklin Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
WLEX-TV P.O. Box 1457 Lexington, KY 40588-1457
WROC-TV 201 Humboldt St. Rochester, NY 14610
WGME-TV 81 Northport Drive. Portland, ME 04103
WFFT-TV 3707 Hillegas RD Ft. Wayne IN 46807
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78411
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
WICU/WSEE-TV 3514 State St. Erie, PA 16508 (see ad above!)
KTTC-TV 6301 Bandel Rd. NW Rochester, MN 55901 (see ad above!)
WGFL-TV 1703 NW 80th Blvd Gainesville, FL 32606
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901
WJMN-TV 3165 Wright Street, Suite 101 Marquette, MI 49855
**: Spanish language station