September 18, 2009
Greetings:
Another busy week. FOUR new ND openings, including THREE in top 20 markets. THREE new NDs named. And LOTS of Names in the News, including interesting items about several former NDs.
Those changes bring our count of open ND jobs to 32.
We told you about several of this large market changes mid-week, both via emailed UPDATES and mid-week updates to the website.
We have two paid ads this week: one for a service that says it can save you money and increase your ratings, and the other is for an open ND job in Pennsylvania.
And we have updates on a few news management openings.
All that and more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
Andrea
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI….ANDREA PARQUET-TAYLOR is out as the ND at this ABC affiliate. She’s been the ND for this Scripps owned station since January, 2004, coming from another Scripps station, WMAR-TV in Baltimore. She’s also been a news director for WRAL-TV in Raleigh.
Suarez
WSFL-TV, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL…After less than a year on the job, JOSE SUAREZ has left this Tribune owned independent, which produces a morning program. Jose’s title was Director of Local Programming. He earlier had worked for WTVJ-TV in Miami as an EP and had been a news director at the Fox affiliate in Toledo.
Maliska
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL…GAVIN MALISKA has left this FOX o-and-o after ten months as ND. He previously had been an ND for WXIN-TV in Indianapolis, was an Assistant ND for Fox’s WJBK-TV in Detroit, and Managing Editor for yet another FOX o-and-o, WFLD-TV in Chicago. Gavin began his career in newspapers, including a stint as Assistant Business Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times. His replacement will be ND #5 in just over six years.
WWMT-TV, Kalamazoo, MI…CATHY YOUNKIN is leaving one Freedom Broadcasting-owned CBS affiliate to join another, as she’s been named ND of sister station WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach, FL. More on that below. She’s been the ND here for more than two years.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH…IKE WALKER has been promoted to Director of Digital Journalism. That’s the title station owner Media General is using to reflect changes in the media industry. Ike joined the station as Content Brand Manager last year, and previously was a news director/station manager in Topeka. He’s also worked in Tulsa and Savannah, GA. He replaces DAN BRADLEY who was promoted to GM.
Younkin
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL…as we noted above, CATHY YOUNKIN will be the next ND for this Freedom-owned CBS affiliate. She’s been the ND at sister-Freedom CBS affiliate WWMT-TV in Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo, MI, since 2007. Earlier she’d been an ND for WSTM-TV in Syracuse and worked for two Cleveland stations. Cathy replaces DAVE CHRISTOPHER who left the station last month after two years as ND.
Kessie
WLOX-TV, Biloxi, MS…congratulations to longtime WLOX employee BRAD KESSIE who has been promoted to ND at this Raycom-owned ABC affiliate. He first joined the station 21 years ago, right out of college, and has worked in a variety of roles, including reporter, weekend assignment editor, and anchor. Brad replaces long- time ND DAVE VINCENT who was promoted to GM.
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NEWS DIRECTOR, WHP/WLYH-TV, Harrisburg, PA
CBS 21 News, the CBS affiliate serving market 39: Harrisburg-Lancaster- Lebanon-York, PA, has an immediate opening for an experienced News Director to manage the efforts of the CBS 21 News team, including the 10:00 pm news on sister station CW 15.
The successful candidate will have a proven track record of leadership in all areas of news management, with emphasis on crafting compelling coverage and winning breaking news.
This position requires previous successful television news director experience, excellent communication skills as well as the responsibilities for department budgeting and resource management. A Bachelor’s degree is required.
No phone calls, please.
Email cover letter and resume to resumes@cbs21.com, fax to 717-234-7076, or via mail to:
WHP-TV/WLYH-TV
Attn: News Director Opening
3300 North Sixth Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
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OTHER NEWS MGMT. OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA (listed 7/31/09)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 8/7/09)
WSJV-TV, South Bend/Elkhart, IN (listed 9/4/09)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 9/12/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, relisted this week)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Special Projects, new listing this week)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
Northwest Cable News, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 8/7/09)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 9/4/09)
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 8/28/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 6/19/09)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (AM EP, listed 7/31/09)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (PM EP, new listing this week)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 9/4/09)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (relisted this week)
WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 8/7/09)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 7/24/09)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (PM EP, listed 9/4/09)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL listed 8/28/09)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted this week)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted this week)
WPTA/WISE, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 8/14/09)
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NAMES IN THE NEWS:
Congratulations to longtime newsie BILL LORD who assumes additional duties as Station Manager for Albritton’s WJLA-TV in Washington. Bill’s the VP/News there, joining the station seven years ago. He’s also been a news director in Los Angeles, Seattle, and in Nashville, where he consistently stole good people who were working for me when I was a news director in Toledo.
TIFFANI LUPENSKI heads north to join KCPQ-TV in Seattle as the Nightside EP. She’s been an EP at KUSA-TV in Denver for the last three years, and earlier worked for CNN, and as a reporter/anchor in Birmingham and Lake Charles, LA.
Who says you can’t go home again? Just ask GERARDO LOPEZ, who returns to KRPC-TV in Houston as the Managing Editor. Gerardo was an assignment editor for this Post-Newsweek owned NBC affiliate from 2000-2004, before beginning his own tour of Texas, working in Dallas, Austin, and back to Dallas before returning to KPRC.
WXIN-TV has named not one but TWO new executive producers. SAM JULIEN was promoted from 10:00 producer to Nightside EP. She’s worked there for six years. And OLIVIA DANGLER returns to the Midwest as Morning EP. She’s been a morning producer for KNXV-TV in Phoenix, but earlier worked in Columbus, OH, and New Bern, NC.
We have news of note about three former news directors.
JOHN BUTTE, a former ND in Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Tampa, and a former ND and GM in Cleveland, is now the Director of Teleproductions in the College of Communications and information at Kent State University. John tells me that’s the video production center for Kent State: academics, university events and promotion and the Kent State Sports Network. In addition to his ND jobs, John was the founding VP/GM of the Ohio News Network and was the creator and EP of The Crusaders. He’ll continue to work as an agent. Ironically, John’s daughter Carolina is a student at Kent State, a decision he says was independent of his new job there.
AL CARL has a new job and doesn’t have to move. He’s the new morning EP for Scripps’ KSHB-TV in Kansas City. Al was a victim of staff reductions at another KC station, WDAF-TV, a few weeks ago, where he was an EP. He’s a former ND for WAAY-TV in Hunstville, AL.
Conway
Speaking of former ND’s, MIKE CONWAY’s has penned a new book on the early innovators of TV news. It’s called The Origins of Television News in America: The Visualizers of CBS in the 1940s. You can read more about it here, and that link also includes links to interviews Mike did with some of those pioneers. Mike’s a former ND in Traverse City, MI, and Erie, PA. He also worked in Flint/Saginaw and Wichita, and is now an Assistant Professor in the Indiana University Journalism School. You can wish Mike well via email at: mtconway@indiana.edu
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, September 18, 2009. If you know of any updates, corrections, or additions to this list, please let me know via email at: rick@rickgevers.com
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd Street New York NY 10017
KNBC-TV 3000 W. Alameda Ave. Burbank CA 91523
WYIN-TV 8625 Indiana Place Merrillville IN 46410 (PBS affiliate)
KNTV 2450 North First St. San Jose CA 95131
NewsChannel 8 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA 22209
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
KXLN-TV 9440 Kirby Dr. Houston TX 77054 (Spanish Language)
WDIV-TV 550 W. Lafayette Blvd Detroit MI 48231
WXYZ-TV 20777 W. 10 Mile Road Southfield MI 48037
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Boulevard St. Petersburg FL 33702
WSFL-TV 200 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale FL 33301
WOFL-TV 35 Skyline Dr. Lake Mary FL 32746
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr. Charlotte ND 28217
WZTV-TV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville TN 37228
WOOD-TV 120 College SE Grand Rapids MI 49503
WWMT-TV 590 W. Maple St. Kalamazoo MI 49008
WHP/WLYH-TV 3300 North 6th Street Harrisburg PA 17110 (see paid ad above)
WHAS-TV 520 W. Chestnut St. Louisville KY 40203
WBRE-TV 62 S. Franklin Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
KSEE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WNYT-TV 715 N. Pearl St. Albany NY 12204
WKRG-TV 555 Broadcast Dr. Mobile AL 36606
WSAZ-TV 645 Fifth Ave. Huntington WV 25701
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur IL 62525
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
WNCT-TV 3221 S. Evans St. Greenville NC 27834
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno NV 89502
KBCI-TV 140 N. 16th St. Boise ID 83702
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
KALB-TV 605 Washington St. Alexandria LA 71301
Rick Gevers
Rick Gevers & Associates
PO Box 577
Zionsville IN 46077
317-769-7900
317-769-7910 (fax)
rick@rickgevers.com
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