May 7, 2023
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 UPDATE:
Greetings:
For the second day in a row, we have news of a new news director in Los Angeles.
And we have more details about KEVIN ROSEBOROUGH‘s retirement from FOX’s WJBK-TV in Detroit, as well as the name of this successor.
Gearhart
BOBBI GEARHART has been named VP/News Director for KTTV, the FOX o-and-o in Los Angeles. More about Bobbi and her background in this news release. The move reunites her with General Manager STEVE CARLSTON: they worked together at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. Bobbi is currently the news director for Scripps’ KGTV (ABC) in San Diego, a job she has held since last August.
Bobbi’s hire brings to and end the LONG search for a replacement for ERICA HILL-RODRIGUEZ. We told you last night that Erica…who left KTTV last June…will be the next ND for Nexstar’s KTLA-TV (CW) in Los Angeles.
At KTLA, Erica replaces PETE SAIERS who left last month after two years as news director.
Kevin R.
And we have more on KEVIN ROSEBOROUGH‘s retirement from WJBK-TV (FOX) in Detroit. We have the memo (below) that Kevin sent to the staff last week when he announced his departure, pointing out he wants to help care for his 90 year old mother who suffered a minor (his words, not mine!) heart attack recently He’s a 29 year veteran of the station who’s been news director since 2013. Kevin’s also worked at The Detroit Free-Press as night city editor.
Moore
What we did not know last night…and can tell you now…is that WJBK GM GREG EASTERLY moved quickly to replace Kevin by promoting Assistant News Director LAURA MOORE to be VP/News Director. She’s another longtime WJBK employee who joined the station in 1998 as a producer before moving to EP and her current job as Assistant ND. As promised above, we have combined Kevin’s email AND Greg’s note announcing Laura’s promotion into one document.
I don’t anticipate any more UPDATES this week, but if I was that good at forecasting things I would have better luck in Las Vegas.
We’ll be back this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 UPDATE:
Greetings:
TWO large market news director changes in tonight’s UPDATE.
Hill-Rodriguez
ERICA HILL-RODRIGUEZ will be the next news director for Nexstar’s KTLA-TV, the CW affiliate in Los Angeles. As you’ll learn in this staff memo from General Manager JANENE DRAFS, Erica most recently was the ND for KTTV, FOX’s o-and-o in LA, a job she left last June after 2 1/2 years. (Remarkably she has still not yet been replaced there, though rumors are rampant that could happen as early as this week.)
The memo above also mentions that GM Drafs and Erica have competed against each other in two markets. Los Angeles, obviously, and Seattle, when Janene was GM at KOMO-TV and Erica was the ND at KCPQ-TV. Erica has also worked in Chicago and Boise, ID.
At KTLA, Erica replaces PETE SAIERS who left the station last month after two years as news director.
Kevin R.
And in Detroit, it appears that KEVIN ROSEBOROUGH is retiring as VP/News for FOX’s WJBK-TV. I say appears because the only report I have seen comes from this Facebook post from anchor ROOP RAJ. (I’ve emailed both Kevin and GM GREG EASTERLY for more details and will share when I can). Kevin’s a 30 year veteran of the station who’s been news director since 2013. He also worked at The Detroit Free-Press as night city editor.
Clearly that story needs more reporting and hopefully I’ll have those details this weekend, if not before.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** **** ****
Greetings:
Another busy week, with TWO new news directors and TWO stations which have new openigns this week.
42 stations: that’s the number on our list of open ND jobs. Please note that we have removed WGFL-TV in Gainesville, FL, operation from the list since it is the latest Sinclair station to drop local news.
There are FIVE ads this week, including THREE news ones for an ND job in Missouri, and TWO positions at the University of Florida. And we’re pleased to welcome WMVision back as an annual advertiser. Their ad is just below.
There’s an obituary for a Digital Content Manager for a Florida station.
FIVE items about GMs or upper management moves, including FOUR GM changes at Nexstar stations.
And in Names in the News, a new EP in Philadelphia, a new memorial honoring jounalists on the National Mall is a big step closer to happening, CBS drops its CW affiliations at EIGHT big market stations, and a new music package from Stephen Arnold Music, a longtime supporter of this newsletter.
Check it…and all this week’s items…below.
Newly Named News Directors:
Kaplar
WTVG-TV, Toledo, OH…DAVE KAPLAR moves within Gray and returns to his native Ohio as he’s been named ND for this NBC affiliate. He’s been the ND for Gray’s WOWT-TV (NBC) in Omaha. More in this news release from WTVG GM BRAD MOSES. Dave’s a former ND in Altoona, PA and Portland, ME and has worked in Boston, Dallas, and Denver. He replaces MICHAEL BALDWIN who left the station in March after barely one year as ND.
Wordlaw
WNDU-TV, South Bend, IN…our Wednesday UPDATE told you that GARY WORDLAW would be the next ND for this Gray owned NBC affiliate. Most recently with the Black News Channel, Gary’s long background includes ND jobs in Washington, Baltimore, and Baton Rouge, LA, and GM positions in Seattle, New Orleans, Syracuse, and Tallahassee. At WNDU, Gary replaces KENT HARRELL who is moving to Colorado to care for his aging parents.
New News Director Openings:
Wheatley
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV…STEPHANIE WHEATLEY is stepping down as news director for this Sinclair owned NBC affiliate, a job she’s held since 2018. She filled me on why she’s leaving. Stephanie had been the Assistant ND here for three years before the promotion and had earlier worked for KVVU-TV (FOX) in Las Vegas where she started as a tape editor and worked her way up to executive producer.
WOWT-TV, Omaha, NE…you learned above that DAVE KAPLAR is leaving this NBC affiliate to return to this native Ohio as ND for another NBC affiliate, WTVG-TV in Toledo. Both stations are owned by Gray Television.
And please note the new ad just below for the still open ND job at KMIZ-TV in Columbia, MO.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, KMIZ-TV, Columbia, MO:
KMIZ-TV, Missouri Broadcasters Association 2023 Station of the Year, has an immediate opening for a news director at its location in Columbia. This family-owned operation takes care of its employees, provides them with the resources needed to be successful on the job and still understands the value of doing local news the right way. And it’s all happening in one of the most livable cities in the Midwest.
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
Assistant News Director-Mornings, KCBS/KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, CA:
Be at the center of the biggest news expansion in Los Angeles in decades with the talent and resources to win. KCBS/KCAL is looking for a proven leader with a strong basis in content and execution to oversee the production of eight hours of morning news. The ideal candidate is a current news director in a medium or large market who can plot and execute the strategic big picture, but misses the fun of playing in the sandbox every day.
Responsibilities:
-Coordinating a team of more than three dozen in the planning, producing, newsgathering, and executing of newscasts from 4am-12pm
-Crafting a planning strategy with your team for future stories and guest segments on multiple newscasts and streaming
– Growing and developing producers, associate producers, writers, reporters, and anchors
-Lead all aspects of the aggressive coverage of breaking news while retaining focus on enterprise stories that reflect the communities we serve
-Using data, research, and gut to strategically execute the newscasts
-A champion of brand through content, culture, and community
Learn more about the great opportunity and apply by clicking here:
Assistant News Director, WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA:
WBRZ is seeking an innovative, energetic newsroom leader to join the journalism team as Assistant News Director. This position mentors and coaches young journalists and works closely with MMJs and reporters on daily assignments and investigations.
Previous experience as a reporter/MMJ or anchor is helpful.
This is a great opening for a reporter who is looking to move into a newsroom manager role. WBRZ owns investigative journalism and breaking news. This newsroom thrives on urgency. Catapult your career by joining the WBRZ News management team.
WBRZ prides itself on being authentically local and is the area’s only locally owned and operated TV news station. It has been so since signing on in 1955.
Like the cypress knees of the nearby swamps, Baton Rouge is knee-deep in history and activities to keep you busy year-round. Experience Saturday tailgating at LSU or Southern football or hike the trails in one of the 170 public parks available across the city. As a locally owned station, news and programming decisions are made in-house and with viewers and team members at the forefront of business operations.
Send resume, brief cover letter and an outline of your news philosophy to Jonathan Shelley, Director of News, jshelley@wbrz.com or mail to WBRZ-TV, P.O. Box 2906, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.
Pre-employment drug screening required. EOE.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KCBS/KCAL-TV, Los Angeles, LA (listed 4/30/23, see ad above!)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/30/23)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 4/16/23, see ad above!)
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)
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)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (relisted 3/26/23)
WAVY/WVBT-TV, Norfolk, VA (relisted 3/26/23)
WGNO-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital EP, listed 4/2/23)
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)
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)
Listed 2/5/23:
Gray Television, Remote (Producers for Magazine Program)
Obituary:
Detman
GARY DETMAN, digital content manager for Sinclair’s WPEC-TV (CBS) in West Palm Beach, FL, died in late April from what was called a ‘medical emergency’. He was 53 years old and first joined WPEC almost 20 years ago as a digital content producer. More on Gary, his life, and reaction from his co-workers in this story.
Names in the News:
MARQUES WHITE leaves Fox News to become the new EP for Nexstar’s WPHL-TV in Philadelphia. He began his career on-air before moving to management.
You may not know that CBS owns EIGHT stations that are CW affiliates. But not for long. CBS is turning the stations into independents. And those stations are in some pretty big markets (Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, and others) making up almost 14 percent of the nation’s TV households.
There’s a new memorial coming to the National Mall in Washington that will honor journalists who have died while reporting the news. You can learn more in this Washington Post story. Of note: longtime broadcaster and former RTDNA President BARBARA COCHRAN is President of the Foundation that is behind this initiative.
And congratulations to our friends (and longtime sponsors of this newsletter) at Stephen Arnold Music. They’ve introduced three new music packages. Check them out (and listen to them) by clicking here.
General Manager News and Notes:
Boling
Congratulations to former news director NEAL BOLING who’s been named President of Cowles Media Broadcast. Much more detail about Cowles, its properties, and Neal’s background in this news release. Neal first joined the company as ND for KHQ-TV in Spokane in 2010, and quickly moved up the ranks. He’s a former news director in Johnson City, TN, and has also worked in Tampa.
A flurry of GM changes at Nexstar.
First, in Sacramento, where SCOT CHASTAIN has stepped down as GM for KTXL-TV (FOX). This note from Scot to his staff was pasted on social media.
In Columbus, OH, KEN FREEDMAN is retiring as GM for WCMH-TV (NBC). He’s been the GM there for more than eight year. More from LinkedIn.
After 16+ years as general manager for WJBF-TV (ABC) in Augusta, GA, BILL STEWART is retiring. When you read his LinkedIn page, you’ll see he’s worked at WJBJ longer than that.
Lyons
And because we’re partial to former news directors turned general managers, we have a few more details about the pending retirement of WTRF-TV (Wheeling, WV) GM ROGER LYONS. He’s been a general manager, a news director in three markets, and a reporter, producer, anchor, photographer, assignment editor and assignment manager! Roger sent me this note with more and says he’ll retire at the end of July.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, May 7, 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
KTLA-TV 5800 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
KTTV 1999 S. Bundy Dr. Los Angeles CA 90025
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
WTIC-TV 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115
KVUE- TV 3201 Steck Avenue, Austin, TX 78757
KSNV-TV 1500 Foremaster Lane Las Vegas, NV 89101
WWMT-TV 590 West Maple St. Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WWL-TV 1024 N. Rampart St. New Orleans, LA 70116
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
WDBJ-TV 2807 Hershberger Road. Roanoke, VA 24017
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
KSBW-TV 238 John St. Salinas, CA 93901
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
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