October 2, 2022
Greetings:
A two-time Houston news director is out after 20 years running newsrooms there.
Strickland
DAVE STRICKLAND, who’s been the news director for Graham Media’s KPRC-TV (NBC) since 2017, has left the station. He also spent 15 years as the news director for KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station there. Dave worked at KTRK twice, first for ten years as a sports producer and managing editor. In between his stints there, he spent five years as ND for WAVY-TV (NBC) in Norfolk.
His departure comes just five weeks after PHIL LANE was named as the new GM at KPRC. Today, Lane sent this email to the staff.
This change brings to mind our oft repeated adage:
30 days hath September, April, and any sitting ND who gets a new GM.
We’ll see you Sunday with our full newsletter.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** **** ****
Greetings:
Only ONE news director change this week, but lots of items in Names in the News, our obituary section, and the first GM change in THREE weeks.
The ONE ND change comes in San Diego, where an anchor moves from the desk to the ND office.
There are still 16 openings on our smaller-than-it’s-been-in-a-long-time list of openings, with ONE paid ad highlighting an opening at a legacy station in the Pacific Northwest.
Speaking of ads, our friends at SciLine are back with THREE opportunities for you to set up interviews with experts in a variety of topics.
We have much more on the death of AL PRIMO, a giant (as he often described others) of our industry. And we have news of the death of the wife of a longtime Atlanta and Miami news man.
There’s a new GM in San Antonio, and we have a series of quick items about current and former news managers.
We have other interesting stories, including a veteran GM and consultant who tries to answer the question: Is there too much local news?
And everyone complains about not being able to find producers, but we’ll tell you about one company’s interesting effort to develop more.
All that and more below!
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1-ON-1 INTERVIEW AVAILABILITIES:
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Oct. 12: Safe sleep for infants (Dr. Rachel Moon, University of California)
Oct. 19: Deer hunting in the U.S. on the decline (Dr. Lincoln Larson, North Carolina State University)
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Follow us on Twitter @RealSciLine.
Newly Named News Director:
Ruggiero
KTDF-TV, San Diego, CA…an unusual move at this Entravision owned station as ADRIANNA RUGGIERO moves from the anchor desk to the news director’s office. Details in this story from Media Moves. where you’ll learn she’ll oversee news operations at stations in Palm Springs El Centro and the Central Coast markets. She’s anchored at KTDF since 2020, previously anchored at a Spanish language station in Los Angeles, and worked as an attorney in her native Venezuela.
New News Director Openings:
Once again, as far as I know, there are no new ND openings this week. If I’ve missed something, please send me an email!
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
News Director, KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR:
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The News Director will oversee and provide strategic direction to the station’s news operation consisting of broadcast and digital platforms. We are looking for a strong mentor and developer of staff that considers coaching a priority.
The ability to maximize resources, develop/manage departmental budget and make contributions on a larger scale as a member of the management team are some of the keys to success at the number one news station in Central Oregon.
The ideal candidate will be a visionary coach, and an effective communicator with a passion for the news business. We are bold and creative yet remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining the principles that have earned our community’s trust.
Candidates must have a degree in Journalism, Broadcasting, Communications, or related field. In addition, a minimum of four years of newsroom or related managerial experience is a must.
Please apply online at KTVZ.com.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (relisted 10/2/22)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 8/28/22)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 9/11/22)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 8/14/22)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo NY (relisted 9/25/22)
WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI (listed 8/28/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (listed 8/14/22)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 9/11/22)
KAGS-TV, Bryan, TX (listed 9/11/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, relisted 9/5/22)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 9/18/22)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse, WI (relisted 8/28/22)
KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT (listed 8/28/22)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital EP, listed 8/14/22)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listing revised 7/31/22)
KPHO/KTVK-TV, Phoenix, AZ (relisted 8/28/22)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (MSJ EP, relisted 9/11/22)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 8/28/22)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 9/18/22)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (AM EP, relisted 9/11/22)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (AM EP, listed 9/11/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 9/5/22)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 8/28/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (relisted 8/28/22)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed corrected 9/25/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 9/18/22)
KGTV, San Diego, CA (listed 9/5/22)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 8/28/22)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City (listed 8/28/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Special Projects EP, relisted 9/18/22)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 9/25/22)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (relisted 8/28/22)
KTNV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 8/28/22)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (AM EP, listed 8/28/22)
WAVY/WVBT-TV, Norfolk, VA (relisted 9/11/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (relisted 8/28/22)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (AM EP, relisted 8/28/22)
WGHP-TV, Greensboro/High Point NC (relisted 8/28/22)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY (relisted 9/11/22)
KGUN-TV, Tucson, AZ (listed 8/28/22)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (listed 9/25/22)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (AM EP, relisted 9/25/22)
KMTV, Omaha, NE (relisted 9/18/22)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (PM EP, listing revised 9/18/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 10/2/22)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listing revised 9/18/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, relisted 9/5/22)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (Digital EP, listed 8/14/22)
WGMB/WVLA-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 8/14/22)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (relisted 9/18/22)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 9/18/22)
WTVO/WQRF-TV, Rockford, IL (relisted 8/28/22)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA(listed 8/28/22)
Florida 24 Network (based at WFTS-TV in Tampa. listed 9/5/22)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (listed 8/28/22)
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 9/5/22)
News Center Maine, Portland/Bangor (listed 8/28/22)
More News Management Openings:
Relisted 10/2/22:
Spectrum News NY1 (Senior Producer & Senior Producer-Politics)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (Director of Digital Content)
Listed 9/25/22:
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (Director of Digital Content)
Listed 9/18/22:
WPTV, West Palm, Beach, FL (Senior Manager of Investigative Content)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)
Listed 9/12/22:
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 9/5/22:
AccuWeather, State College, PA (Sr. Producer, Live Broadcast)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (Director of Digital Content)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 9/5/22:
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 8/28/22:
KTNV, Las Vegas, NV (Digital Director)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 7/31/22:
Listed 7/24/22:
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (Digital Content Manager)
Obituary:
Primo
One of the Giants (a term he liked to use about others) of our industry died Thursday, as we told you in an UPDATE. AL PRIMO was 87 and lost his short fight against cancer. Best known for being the creator of Eyewitness News which, among other things, brought more diversity into the newsroom. Learn more in his obituary, in this story from WABC-TV, where he was once ND, and in this 2018 well-worth-your-time appreciation by ANDREW HEYWARD.
Wade & Jan Hill
JAN HILL, wife of longtime (and long ago) Miami and Atlanta newsman WADE HILL died last Friday. Wade and I worked together from 1976-77 at WCKT-TV (now WSVN-TV) in Miami, where he held a variety of jobs before moving to the assignment desk. He later worked at WSB-TV in Atlanta and for American Airlines. More on Wade’s Facebook page.
Names in the News:
Quick hits about people:
At Birmingham’s WBRC-TV, ANGIE BIERLEY moves to EP from her current role as digital content manager.
JOEY PARKER, who’s been an ND a several TV stations and most recently ND for Missourinet, a statewide radio network, is moving into a new role with parent company Learfield. He’ll be affiliate relations manager, based in the company’s Jefferson City, MO, headquarters.
Pickey
Another several time ND, SCOTT PICKEY, is the new Media Coordinator for the University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts. Scott’s a Memphis native and is working on a masters degree in journalism and strategic media there.
HEATH ALLEN is retiring after a long career as a reporter at Hearst’s WDSU-TV (NBC) in New Orleans. But he makes our report as he once served as interim news director there.
Quick hits about the industry:
Veteran broadcaster HANK PRICE wonders if there is too much local news?
Everyone is looking for producers, but the owners of WISH-TV here in Indianapolis are launching a new program to develop them. Circle City Broadcasting (along with several partners) will develop a one year program at a local community college. Read all about it here.
Scripps is rebranding Newsy and all of its nationally focused news programs into a new division called Scripps News. Details in this news release.
General Manager News and Notes:
Parker
Our two week long drought of general manager movement ended this week with news of a new GM in San Antonio. ASHLEY PARKER moves into the big office at Graham Media’s KSAT-TV (ABC). She’s a 19 year veteran of the station who’s been the general sales manager there since 2013. Ashley replaces PHIL LANE who was also promoted, in his case to GM for the company’s KPRC-TV (NBC) in Houston.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 2, 2022:
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
KTTV 1999 S. Bundy Dr. Los Angeles CA 90025
KPNX-TV 200 East Van Buren Street Phoenix, AZ 85004
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WEHT/WTVW-TV, 800 Marywood Dr., Henderson, KY 42420
WKBT-TV 141 South 6th Street La Crosse, WI 54601
KTVE/KARD-TV 200 Pavilion Rd. West Monroe, LA 71292
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
WJET-TV 8455 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KTVZ-TV 62990 O.B. Riley Rd. Bend OR 97703 (see ad above!)
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
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 South Broadway, Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station