September 5, 2021
Greetings:
I hope you are having a nice, long, Labor Day weekend, but given that it’s the news business, I suspect many of you are working.
We’re here to provide you a little reading in a spare moment.
THREE new news directors were named this week, with FOUR new openings. Our list of open ND jobs increases to 37.
ONE of those open ND jobs is among our THREE paid help wanted ads this week: the other two are for management jobs in top ten markets.
There’s an obituary for a Waco newsman who sent 45 years in the market, including time as a news director. We’ll tell you about the death of a Minnesota General Manager, and we have more details about the passing of the wife of a former Indianapolis news director.
Also: a longtime Memphis GM is retiring, cuts at NBC NewsChannel will impact the number of stories it sends out, a promotion at GMA, a new job for a former Chicago ND, and a new management hire at IRE.
All that and more below.
Newly Named News Director:
Burke
WCBS-TV, New York, NY…our Tuesday UPDATE first brought you the news of Sarah Burke’s return to this CBS o-and-o as news director. She’d been an EP here, went to CBS’s WBZ-TV in Boston as Assistant ND, and spent the last seven years as the Assistant ND for WLS-TV (ABC owned) in Chicago. She replaces DAVID FRIEND who left the station earlier this year (along with his boss, PETER DUNN) amidst charges of a hostile work environment.
Shoultz
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA…TIAIRA SHOULTZ has been promoted to news director for this Tegna owned ABC affiliate. She first joined WVEC as an executive producer in 2013, was promoted to assistant ND four years later, and assumed the ND job late last month. Tiaira replaces CHRIS GEGG who was transferred to sister Tegna station WHAS-TV (ABC) in Louisville after 18 months as ND here.
Lacombe
Spectrum News 1, Massachusettes, Worcester, MA…ANDY LACOMBE, a 20 year veteran here, has been promoted to news director for this cable news operation. Andy’s been the Assistant News Director here since 2019 and began as a sports/anchor and reporter. More details in this news release from the company.
New News Director Openings:
Dobson
WBTS-TV, Boston, MA…we reported Wednesday via an UPDATE that BEN DOBSON was leaving this NBC o-and-o after 2+ years as ND. New this edition: his farewell note. Ben spent almost ten years with NBC, moving between Boston and the company’s o-and-o in Hartford, WVIT-TV, where he joined NBC as the Managing Editor in 2011. He moved to Boston, then back to Hartford as ND, before returning to Boston in 2018.
Foley
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV…TERRI FOLEY is out after six years as news director for this Nexstar-owned CBS affiliate. She joined the station in 1986 as a newsroom coordinator and moved up, spending eight years as the Assistant ND before being promoted to ND in 2015. This unusual on-air farewell aired Friday (unusual because it sounds like it was not Terri’s decision to leave).
Hardy
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE…veteran newswoman JENNIFER HARDY has left this Standard Media owned ABC affiliate after 13 months as ND. She’s been a news director in Sarasota, Huntsville, and Reno, and held news management positions in Las Vegas (two stations), Memphis, Tulsa and Spokane. Of note: her replacement will be the fourth news director in less than two years here.
KNDO/KNDU-TV, Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick, WA…this Cowles owned NBC operation is advertising for a new news director. JANA GRAY is currently the news director here and is planning to retire last next year. Whoever is hired will work with Jana during the transition. You can learn more about this opportunity by checking out he Paid Help Wanted Ad just below.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
News Director KNDO/KNDU, Tri-Cities/Yakima, WA:
Here’s your chance to lead a special newsroom, in a place you’d be proud to call home.
The NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities/Yakima, WA market has newsrooms filled with talent! We are a family-owned media company, committed to strong journalism and community service. And our newscasts are consistently rated #1 in southcentral Washington state.
The KNDU/KNDO News Director will lead our award-winning newsroom with proven leadership skills and at least three years of leadership experience. You must be a catalyst and a leader in our digital/social efforts and set the tone every day in the newsroom. Excellent coaching and communication skills are required.
This is a beautiful part of the Pacific Northwest, consistently recognized for its incredible quality of life. Rivers, mountains, vineyards, breweries and farmers markets – it’s all here.
Responsibilities include supervision and development of news department staff, providing direction in story selection, storytelling, and coverage. You’ll coach, critique, and motivate. You’ll plan big coverage!
Digital? Glad you asked. KNDU/KNDO is on the leading edge of the content revolution. We are part of a hyper-local 24 hour news service for three states.
The News Director will hire, train, lead, and manage news department personnel, prepare operating budgets, and be involved in news department capital planning.
Applicants require a college degree in journalism, broadcasting, or related field, previous experience as a newsroom leader, and an ability to work in a high stress environment. To apply, email Cowles Director of Recruiting JEFF HITE at jeff.hite@khq.com
Executive Producer, Investigative Unit, WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA:
Passionate to uncover stories? Proactive self-starter? Meredith Corporation has an immediate opening for an Executive Producer for its Investigative Unit to manage a large numbers of ongoing projects. Requires a high-level understanding of TV strategy and tactics, visual storytelling, graphics, teases, and promotional opportunities. Will lead team in generating a large quantity of high quality investigative stories; creating and managing sweeps calendars and franchise stories; producing one-time specials.
WGCL-TV is a CBS affiliate in the # 7 television market in the United States. The station delivers over 32 hours of weekly news product. WGCL-TV & WPCH TV are owned and operated by the Meredith Local Media Group. Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP; www.meredith.com), a leading media company for nearly 120 years, produces service journalism that engages audiences with essential, inspiring, and trusted content. Meredith reaches more than 190 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including nearly 95 percent of all U.S. women, across media platforms including digital, video, print, and broadcast television.
Meredith’s Local Media Group includes 17 television stations reaching more than 10 percent of U.S. households. Meredith’s portfolio is concentrated in large, fast-growing markets, with seven stations in the nation’s Top 25 – including Atlanta, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Portland – and 14 in Top 60 markets. Meredith’s stations produce approximately 745 hours of local news and entertainment content each week and operate leading local digital destinations.
Please visit this website to learn more and apply.
Meredith Corporation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity.
Morning Executive Producer, KPRC-TV, Houston, TX:
Here’s your chance to lead the critical morning news daypart in a diverse, bustling, vibrant, affordable city! KPRC is hiring a morning news Executive Producer.
Every morning, millions of Houstonians rise and shine to get their kids to school. They head to work as doctors, nurses and support staff at the largest medical center in the world. They start unloading cargo at the busiest port on the Gulf Coast. And they head to offices, plants and refineries at the largest concentration of oil and gas companies in the world.
Our team of passionate and dedicated morning news journalists strive to connect with these viewers, through superior coverage of breaking news, severe and inconvenient weather that affects their safety, consumer investigations that impact their finances and by helping viewers navigate traffic disruptions to get them to their destinations safely.
As Executive Producer of this team, you’ll focus on a comprehensive approach to executing our winning strategy. Hiring the right people, giving them direction and guidance, coaching on-air staff to reach their full potential and ensuring the overall quality and winning attitude on one of our most important dayparts.
To learn more and apply, please visit this website:
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (listed 8/8/21)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 9/29/21)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (new listing this week)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 8/22/21)
KVEO-TV, Brownsville, TX (listed 8/22/21)
WSIL-TV, Harrisburg, IL (listed 7/4/21)
WJTV, Jackson, MS (listed 8/29/21)
KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR (relisted 7/4/21)
HOI-ABC, Peoria, IL (relisted 7/25/21)
KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN (relisted 7/11/21)
KAIT-TV, Jonesboro, AR (listed 8/8/21)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (listed 8/29/21)
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA, (Weekend AM EP, listed 8/29/21)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Morning EP, listed 8/29/21, see ad above!)
WHDH-TV, Boston, MA (EP/Investigations, relisted 7/25/21)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (2 openings, listed 8/8/21)
KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 8/29/21)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 8/1/21)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 8/15/21)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 7/25/21)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 7/4/21)
WOWK-TV, Charlestown, WV (listed 8/22/21)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted 7/4/21)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 7/4/21)
KLKN-TV, Lincoln, NE (AM EP, relisted 7/18/21)
KAAL-TV, Rochester, MN (relisted 7/11/21)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (relisted 8/29/21)
More News Management Openings:
New Listing this week:
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital Manager)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 8/15/22:
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 8/1/21:
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (Digital Content Manager)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)
Obituaries:
Bradfield
I’m sorry to report the death of RICK BRADFIELD, the managing editor for KWTX-TV (Gray/CBS) who died Thursday of an apparent heart attack. He was 66. Rick spent 45 years at the station in a variety of roles, including many years as news director. The station remembered him here, and the Waco Herald-Tribune paid him tribute in a very nice story.
Woloszyn
The GM for Gray’s KEYC-TV in Mankato, MN, ED WOLOSYZN, died Thursday after a brief fight with cancer. He joined the station in 2016 and was promoted to general manager in 2019. He’d also worked for stations in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois. More details about his life and career in this obituary.
Campbell
Finally, we have more details and a complete obituary for MARLENE CAMPBELL, wife of former Indianapolis (WTHR-TV) news director BOB CAMPBELL, We told you last week that Marlene died August 22nd from cancer. More details about her life and career are in this obituary. A kind note would reach Bob here.
Names in the News:
About two thirds of the staff at NBC NewsChannel’s Charlotte operation lost their jobs this week…about 60 people. Apparently it’s the result of a new contract between the network and its affiliates which dramatically cut funding for NewsChannel…and will result in a dramatic cutback in service. That will likely have a big impact on small and medium market stations who relied on that material to help fill newscasts.
Brouwer
More management changes at ABC’s Good Morning America this week. CHRISTINE BROUWER has been promoted to executive broadcast producer, filling the vacancy created by last week’s promotion of SIMONE SWINK to executive producer of GMA. Brouwer is a 13 year veteran of ABC. More details in this story.
Balta
HUGO BALTA has a new job. He’s now the associate editor for The Chicago Reporter. Details from Media Moves, which also has background on the Reporter. Hugo most recently was the ND for Chicago’s WTTW-TV (PBS), a job he left in February. He’s also worked for MSNBC and ESPN, is a former ND for WNJU-TV (Telemundo) in New York City. He’s also worked for two other stations in New York, one in Miami and is a two time President of NAHJ.
Lopez
Speaking of NAHJ, the two time executive director of that organization, ANNA LOPEZ, is joining IRE as Director of Partnerships. At IRE, that means she will lead IRE’s foundation, fundraising, sponsorship and partnership management and will also head IRE’s scholarship and fellowship programs. Anna’s also a former head of Unity.
General Manager News and Notes:
Walter
RON WALTER, who’s been General Manager at Nexstar’s WREG-TV (CBS) in Memphis for 17 of the 34 years he worked there, is retiring. He joined the station in a marketing role in 1987 and was promoted to GM in 2004. You’ll learn in this story that he is also very active in the community.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, September 5, 2021:
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
KRON-TV 900 Front Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
WBTS-TV 189 B St., Needham, MA 02494
KCPQ-TV 1813 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
KMSP/WTTC-TV 11358 Viking Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
KCNC-TV 1044 Lincoln, Denver, CO 80203
KGTV 4600 Air Way, San Diego, CA 92102
KUAN-TV 9680 Granite Ridge Drive San Diego, CA 92123 **
WSMV-TV 5700 Knob Road, Nashville, TN, 37209
KUTV 299 South Main St. # 150, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
KLAS-TV 3228 Channel 8 Drive Las Vegas, NV 89109
KTBC-TV 119 East 10th Street Austin TX 78701
WAVY-TV 300 WAVY Street Portsmouth, VA 23704
WOOD-TV 120 College Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
WNEP-TV 16 Montage Mountain Rd, Moosic, PA 18507
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S Franklin, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18701
KJRH-TV 3701 S. Peoria, Tulsa, OK 74105
WVLT-TV 6450 Papermill Drive; Knoxville, TN 37919
WHIO-TV 1611 S Main Street , Dayton , OH 45409
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOWK-TV 350 Quarrier St Charleston, WV 25301
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WCIA-TV 509 S. Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820
KFSM-TV 5101 S. 48th Street Springdale, AR 72762
KLKN-TV, 3240 South Tenth Street, Lincoln NE 68502
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KNDO/KNDU 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902 (see ad above!)
WWTV/WWUP-TV P.O. Box 627, Cadillac, MI 49601
KATC-TV 1808 Eraste Landry Road. Lafayette, LA 70506
KION-TV 1550 Moffett Street Salinas, CA 93905
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd.. Columbus, GA 31907
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road Rockford, IL 61103
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
WJET-TV 8455 Peach St, Erie, PA 16509
KULR-TV 2045 Overland Ave. Billings, MT 59102
KPAX-TV 1049 West Central Avenue Missoula MT 59801
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
**: Spanish language station