October 18, 2026
Greetings:
It’s a busy news week, with THREE new news directors, including ONE in a top 20 market.
For the second consecutive week, I’m not aware of any new openings, so our list of open ND jobs drops to 24.
But LOTS of news. Lots.
- Northwestern/Medill have a new report on the State of Local News.
- We have a response from Nexstar to the jury award to two former news managers.
- Tegna…quiet for a while…has a flurry of new executive moves, though no word on any developments on the Nexstar acquisition.
- A woman charged with shooting…TWICE…into a California TV station.
- A fire at a different California station disrupts the morning news.
- There’s an obituary for a former ND who later turned to academia.
- And a former news manager, GM and consultant is not doing well.
And there’s much more, but you’ll have to read on to find it!
Newly Named News Directors:
Roldan
WLTV, Miami, FL…LIZ ROLDAN returns to Miami and this Univision station where she began as an intern. Now she’s the ND. Details in this news release . Liz has been the ND at Nexstar’s KIAH-TV (CW) in Houston since January, 2025, and has also been an ND at KHOU-TV (CBS) in Houston and WFOR-TV (CBS) in Miami. She also worked for 13 years at WTVJ-TV (NBC) there. Liz replaces YOLANDA ZUGASTI who left in August just shy of three years as ND.
Townley
KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA…JENNIFER TOWNLEY will be the next ND for this Gray media owned CBS/ABC operation. Her somewhat sparse linkedin page tells us that she’s been working for Scripps’ KJRH-TV in Tulsa, apparently has a producer. She earlier worked at KOKI-TV in Tulsa. At KNOE, she replaces KRISTIN HODGES who left in July after just over three years as ND.
Baker
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA…BRETT BAKER returns to Gray Media as ND for this NBC affiliate. He shared the news on his Linkedin page. Brett worked for Straight Arrow News, earlier worked at KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln, NE, for more than 12 years at KSAT-TV in San Antonio, and as a broadcaster for more than eight years in the Air Force. He replaces LAWTON DODD who left last month after less than seven months as ND.
New News Director Openings:
Again, I am not aware of any news openings this week. If I’ve missed something, please let me know via email: rick@rickgevers.com
Help Wanted Ads:
No ads this week, but if you have a news management opening, there’s no better place to advertise it. Email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WUPA-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 8/30/26)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (Morning AND, listing revised 9/27/26)
WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 9/13/26)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (listed 8/9/26)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 10/4/26)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (Digital EP, relisted 9/13/26)
WSB-TV, Atlanta, GA (Digital EP, listed 9/27/26)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 9/13/26)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 8/9/26)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 9/13/26)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 9/13/26)
WFTV, Orlando, FL (relisted 9/27/26)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (Digital EP, relisted 10/4/26)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 9/13/26)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (Digital EP, listed 8/30/26)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 9/13/26)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 9/13/26)
KTVX/KUCW-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (relisted 9/20/26)
KVUE-TV, Austin, TX (listed 9/13/26)
WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 9/13/26)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (AM EP, listed 9/13/26)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (Senior EP, listed 9/13/26)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 7/26/26)
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 9/7/26)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Morning EP, relisted 9/13/26)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 9/13/26)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 7/26/26)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 9/13/26)
KFSM-TV, Fayetteville, AR (listed 9/7/26)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (relisted 9/27/26)
KWES-TV, Midland/Odessa, TX (listed 9/13/26)
WVNS-TV, Ghent, WV (Digital Content EP, listed 10/4/26)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (relisted 8/30/26)
Other News Management Openings:
Relisted 10/18/26:
WGN-TV, Chicago, IL (Digital Media Director)
Relisted 10/11/26:
KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Director of Multiplatform Content)
Listed 10/11/26:
KVEO/KGBT-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital Media Manager)
Listed 9/27/26:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (Story Desk Manager)
KING-TV, Seattle, TX (Story Desk Manager)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (Executive Reporter)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (Story Desk Manager)
WOI/KCWI-TV, Des Moines, IA (Story Desk Manager)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (Digital Media Manager-Newsroom)
Relisted 9/20/26:
KSAT-TV, San Antonio, TX (Mgr. of Coverage and Content)
Listed 9/13/26:
KLBK-TV, Lubbock, TX (Digital Media Director)
Listed 8/16/26:
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (Executive Reporter)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (Executive Reporter)
Obituary:
Nachlinger
HARVIE NACHLINGER died last Monday. He’s a former news director for WCJB-TV in Gainesville, FL, where he ran the newsroom from 1998-2002. This obituary from WCJB is the only story I could find on his passing, though I did find this 2017 profile from the University of South Carolina where he was teaching at the time.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Northwestern/Medill released its annual STATE OF LOCAL NEWS report. It is lengthy but worth your time. If you have a short attention span, you can click here and go directly to the section on television news.
Tuesday’s UPDATE told you about a $4,000,000jury award to two former news managers for Nexstar’s WOOD-TV (NBC) in Grand Rapids. STANTON TANG and AMY FOX sued for defamation and invasion of privacy after they were fired three years ago over a staff memo about coverage of Gay Pride events. More details from The Grand Rapids Press.
If you can trust a search of the WOOD-TV website, it appears the station has NEVER run a story about the case.
NEW THIS EDITION: Nexstar’s EVP/Chief Communications Officer GARY WEITMAN responded to my inquiry with this statement:
We thank the Court and the members of the jury for their time and attention to this case. We are pleased that the jury found in Nexstar’s favor on the central defamation claim. However, we strongly disagree with other aspects of the verdict, which we believe are inconsistent with the facts and the governing law. We will pursue all legal options, including an appeal.
Full disclosure: I was the ND at WOOD-TV from March, 1993 to January, 1995, obviously long before these events.
Shustrin
KRDO-TV, the News Press and Gazette ABC Affiliate in Colorado Springs has filled its vacant Assistant News Director job with JARRETT SHUSTRIN. He’s worked in New York and St. Louis. Shameless self promotion alert: KRDO news director STACI-LYN ONOFRE told me the station got ‘a lot of strong candidates’ from its ad on this newsletter.
Two stories involving California stations.
A woman has been arrested and accused of firing shots…on two different occasions…into the studios for Sinclair’s KBAK/KBFX-TV in Bakersfield.
And a fire at KESQ-TV in Palm Springs started just after the morning newscast began last Thursday.
Sinclair and New Media are launching The National Press. It’s described as a subscription digital news brand that will showcase reporting from local newsrooms in over 60 markets to a national audience.
Marrs
Sorry to share that longtime broadcaster CRAIG MARRS is having a rough time. Learn more from this Facebook post. Craig’s been a news manager, a GM in multiple markets, and spent ten years as a consultant for Magid.
General Manager News and Notes:
After a long period of little news from Tegna, a flurry of announcements this week, though none pointing to a resolution of the pending sale to Nexstar.
However, the company did promote THREE GMs to new roles as Regional General Managers. JOAN BARRETT, KATE MORRIS and BRAD RAMSEY are moving up and each will be replaced at their current stations.
And Tegna named FOUR sales veterans to new VP roles. Several are currently GM’s as you’ll find out in this news release.
One of those GM who’s being promoted, KRISTIE GONZALEZ, is being replaced as GM for WXIA-TV in Atlanta and WMAZ-TV in Macon, GA, by TIM THOMAS.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 18, 2026:
It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these m have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com
KYW-TV 1555 Hamilton Street Philadelphia, PA 19130
WJBK-TV 16550 W 9 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI, 48075
KTXL-TV 4655 Fruitridge Road Sacramento, CA 95820-5299
KTNV-TV 3355 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
WGAL-TV 1300 Columbia Avenue. Lancaster, PA 17603
WZZM-TV 645 3 Mile Rd NW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49544
KOKH/KOCB-TV 1228 E. Wilshire Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73111
WGNO-TV 1 Galleria Blvd, Suite 850 Metairie LA 70001
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave., Fresno CA 93727
KOLD-TV 7831 N. Business Park Dr. Tucson AZ 85743
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Road, Charleston, WV 25301
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
KLKN-TV 3240 South Tenth Street, Lincoln NE 68502
KNDU-TV 3312 W. Kennewick Ave. Kennewick, WA 99336
WMAZ-TV 1314 Gray Highway, Macon, GA 31211
WCBI-TV 201 5th Street South Columbus, MS 39701
WQOW-TV 5545 State Highway 93, Eau Claire, WI 54701
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KNBN-TV 510 North Cambell Suite 8. Rapid City, SD 57701
WHSV-TV 50 North Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22802
KAVU-TV. 3808 N Navarro St. Victoria, TX 77901
**: Spanish language station