November 15, 2020
November 20, 2020 UPDATE:
A veteran newswoman has been named VP/News Director of KCBS-KCAL-TV in Los Angeles.
Parquet-Taylor
ANDREA PARQUET-TAYLOR becomes the fourth news director in the last five years at this CBS owned duopoly. She’s currently Station Manager for CBS’s KTVT-TV in Dallas, where she had earlier been the news director. She’s also been an ND in Detroit, Baltimore and two stations in Raleigh.
More in this news release.
Andrea replaces TARA FINESTONE who left in October to return to Seattle as ND for Cox Media’s KIRO-TV (CBS). Tara was ND at KCBS/KCAL for about 2 1/2 years.
We’ll have a number of other ND hires…and news of the retirement of 30 year ND… in our full report this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
We have a lot of news this week in Names in the News, along with ONE new ND opening and ONE newly named news director (technically Managing Director of New).
That takes our list of open ND jobs to 20, still a relatively low number if you look at the history of two decades we’ve been publishing.
There are TWO obituaries, one of a veteran GM who ran stations in several large markets, including THREE in Ohio. And the other obit is for a former ND and anchor who ran an Alabama newsroom during the Civil Rights era.
In Names in the News, we’ll tell you about a large market Assistant ND who’s blogging about his cancer battle. There’s a new EP in Wisconsin, job cutbacks at a cable news operation. and we’ve got honors and awards. Finally, interesting news from two former NDs, one with an interesting new job, and one who’s retiring from his interesting post-TV job.
Speaking of post-TV jobs, if that’s something you’re considering. check out the ad just below from a former ND who can help you make that jump.
Newly Named News Directors:
Speight
Spectrum News Charlotte, Charlotte, NC…KERWIN SPEIGHT is the new Managing Director for this 24 hour cable news operation. It’s a return to North Carolina for Kerwin, who worked at WRAL-TV earlier in his career. He’s been the EP for WPIX-TV in New York for the past 18 months. His entire career history is found here.
New News Director Openings:
Campbell
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN…JEREMY CAMPBELL left this Tegna owned NBC affiliate on Friday after about 14 months as news director. He’s also worked for Tegna’s WXIA-TV in Atlanta as a reporter. Jeremy has also worked in Tampa, Birmingham, and Lafayette, LA.
Also, the ND opening at Tegna’s KIDY-TV in San Angelo, TX, is now listed as a news director/anchor opening.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
There are no paid help wanted ads this week. If you and your station want to reach a targeted audience better than any other website, send me an email for details.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 8/30/20)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 9/27/20)
WATN/WLMT-TV, Memphis, TN (new listing this week)
KXXV-TV, Waco, TX (listed 11/1/20)
KFSM-TV, Ft. Smith, AR (relisted this week)
WTXL, Tallahassee, FL (listed 10/4/20)
WFFT-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listing revised this week)
KBMT-TV, Beaumont, TX (new listing this week)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Entertainment EP, listed 10/11/20)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 9/6/20)
KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, relisted 11/8/20)
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL (Dayside EP, listed 10/25/20)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (Nightside EP, new listing this week)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (Nightside EP, new listing this week)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (Digital EP, listed 11/1/20)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted this week)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (Digital Content EP, listed 10/25/20)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (Listed 9/27/20)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (AM EP, relisted this week)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (listed 11/8/20)
WATN-TV Memphis TN (listed 9/6/20)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (Digital EP, relisted 10/11/20)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (AM EP, listed 10/4/11)
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA (Digital EP, listed 10/25/20)
WLUK-TV, Green Bay, WI (PM EP, listed 10/4/11)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 9/27/20)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital EP, listed 11/8/20)
WNEM-TV, Flint/Saginaw, MI (listed 9/27/20)
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (listed 9/20/20)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (listed 10/25/20)
WBTW-TV, Florence/Myrtle Beach, SC (Digital EP, relisted 10/25/20)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (PM EP, relisted 10/25/20)
WSYM-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 10/18/20)
WMAZ-TV, Macon, GA (listed 9/6/20)
KATC-TV, Lafayette, LA (new listing this week)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (relisted this week)
KDRV-TV, Medford, OR (relisted 10/11/20)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 10/25/20)
More News Management Openings:
New Listing this Week:
KTXV, Sacramento, CA (News Content Manager)
Listed 11/1/20:
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Content Manager)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (Content Manager)
Listed 10/25/20:
Vice President/News, Altice USA’s News 12- New York
Relisted 10/25/20:
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 10/4/20:
WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI (Digital Content Director)
Listed 9/6/20
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (Content Manager)
Relisted 9/6/20
KOKI-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM Content Manager)
Obituaries:
Robinson
GARLAND ‘GARY’ ROBINSON, who worked as a general manager at several larger market stations, died last Sunday, November 8th, at the age of 79. This detailed obituary provides an accounting of the many markets where he worked, but seems to have a few details wrong, (i.e. referring to WCMH-TV as News Channel 5 in Columbus, OH).
Caton
CHARLES “SKIP” CATON also died Sunday at the age of 81. He was a news director and anchor at Montgomery’s WSFA-TV for about ten years during the Civil Rights Era. He earlier and worked at WIS-TV in Columbia, SC. WSFA remembers him in this obituary which includes some historic photos.
Names in the News (and other items):
Wilgoren
Please join me in wishing the Assistant ND for Los Angeles’s FOX o-and-o, KTTV, PETER WILGOREN well in his fight against bladder cancer. He’s been telling his story in this blog. Like many illnesses, early detection is a key as you’ll learn. Peter’s also worked for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles and for WBZ-TV in Boston.
Spectrum, which operates cable news channels in a number of markets, is cutting some jobs and consolidating others in some of its New York state markets. Details here.
If my math is correct, EIGHT local commercial TV stations are among the finalists for the 2021 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards. It’s the first time finalists have been named.
RTDNA has named the winners of two of its biggest awards. ABC’s BYRON PITTS and PBS’s YAMICHE ALCINDOR will be honored with the Paul White Award and the John Hogan awards, respectively.
ANDREA AZZO joins WLUK-TV (Fox/Sinclair) in Green Bay, WI, as an executive producer. She’s been working as a producer for WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo, and has also worked in Austin, Rockford, IL, and for another Green Bay station.
Akins
A multi time news director has been elected Mayor of Ashland, OR. JULIE AKINS, who’s been on the City Council there, won by about 600 votes, defeating another city council member. Julie’s a former news director for two stations in Medford, OR, as well as working as a news director in both Las Vegas and Fresno. She also worked in San Francisco.
Lewis
Former News Director PAUL LEWIS, who ran newsrooms in Hartford (WTIC-TV) and Albany, NY, (WNYT-TV) before leaving our business in 2009, is retiring. In this note he sent me, he outlines the interesting job he’s held since then, and reflects on his career. Old friends can reach out to him via his email contained in his note.
General Manager News and Notes:
Hanson
MERRI HANSON is being promoted to General Manager for Scripps’ KIVI-TV in Boise, ID at the start of 2021. She’s currently the station manager at this ABC affiliate, and will replace KEN RITCHIE who’s retiring after 40 years at the station.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, November 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
KCBS-TV 4200 Radford Ave, Studio City, CA 91604
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WCAU-TV 1800 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd. Houston TX 77057
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WTMO-TV 1650 Sand Lake Rd. # 340 Orlando, FL 32809 **
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
WTVD-TV 411 Liberty St Durham, NC 27701
KAKW-TV 2233 W. North Loop Austin,TX 78756 **
WDSU-TV 846 Howard Ave New Orleans, LA 70113
WNYT-TV 715 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12204
WBIR-TV 1513 Hutchinson Avenue Knoxville, TN 37917
WFXR-TV 5305 Valleypark Dr. #1, Roanoke, VA 24019
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KION-TV 1550 Moffett St. Salinas, CA 93905
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WCBI-TV, 201 5th Street South, Columbus, MS 39701
KOMU-TV 5550 Old 63 S, Columbia, MO 65201
WTVO/WGRF-TV P.O. Box 470. Rockford, IL 61105
KMID-TV 1550 West I-20. Odessa, TX 79763
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903 ***
**: Spanish language station
***: News Director and Anchor