March 8, 2026
Greetings:
While there are THREE new news directors to report this week, with just ONE opening, most of the big news is in our Names in the News segment.
Those changes mean our list of open ND jobs drops to 22.
We have ONE paid ad for a pretty good ND opportunity.
If you missed our mid-week UPDATE correcting errors in our obituary for JERRY GIESLER, you can check it out below.
And it’s been a wild week for news in our business.
- Nexstar whacks perhaps as many as 400 more people.
- NewsNation runs an ‘unusual’ promo ripping CNN.
- Scripps sells one station, buys another, and the end result may be two fewer newsrooms
- CBS staffers have more concerns about the editorial direction of the network.
- And longime broadcaster FRANK BIANCUZZO is retiring.
Details on all this…and more…below.
Newly Named News Directors:
Neely
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA…a move within Hearst brings LEE NEELY to this ABC affiliate as ND. Lee’s been the ND for WAPT-TV in Jackson, MS, for the last 3+ years. He first joined Hearst as an editor at WYFF-TV in Greenville, SC, before becoming a producer. He’s replacing KIMBERLY ELLER. We told you in January she’s off to a teaching job at Washington and Lee in Lexington, VA after almost 3 years here.
Dreyer
WCIV-TV, Charleston, SC…MATT DREYER returns to this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate as its next news director. He’d been the Managing Editor and Assignment Manager before moving to WIS-TV (Gray Media/NBC) in Columbia, SC, as assistant news director in 2023. He’s also worked in Charlotte. At WCIV, he is replacing BRETT AUSTIN whose linkedin page says he left the station in January.
Dunn
KAAL-TV, Rochester, MN…PAUL DUNN has been promoted to news director for this Hubbard Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate. He’s been the Nightside EP here after starting at the station as a producer. Paul’s a Minnesota native and you’ll learn he has a twin brother in his KAAL profile page. Paul replaces DAN CLOUSE who left the station earlier this year after less than a years as ND.
New News Director Openings:
WAPT-TV, Jackson, MS…we told you above that LEE NEELY is moving with Hearst to become ND for WJCL-TV (ABC) in Savannah, GA. Lee spent nine years here, the last 3 as ND.
Help Wanted Ads:
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News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (listed 2/22/26)
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (Boston market), listed 1/11/26)
KSTP-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 1/25/26)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 2/15/26)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 1/11/26)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 3/8/26)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (relisted 2/8/26)
KWES-TV, Midland-Odessa, TX (listed 3/1/26)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 2/15/26)
WCVB-TV, Boston, MA (listed 1/11/26)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (Streaming Content EP/Host, relisted 1/11/26)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 2/22/26)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 2/22/26)
WBAL-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/11/26)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/22/26)
WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 1/11/26)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (Special Projects EP, listed 3/8/26)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (Cable stations EP, listed 1/18/26)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (listed 1/11/26)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (EP of Digital Content, listed 2/8/26)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Morning EP, listed 1/25/26)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (Morning EP, relisted 2/22/26)
WSAV-TV, Savannah, GA (Lifestyle program EP, listed 3/1/26)
WETM-TV, Elmira, NY (Digital EP, relisted 1/11/26)
Other News Management Openings:
Listed 3/8/26:
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 3/1/26:
WHNT-TV, Huntsville, AL (Content Manager)
Listed 2/22/26:
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (Digital Director)
Listed 2/15/26:
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (Digital Director)
Obituary:
Giesler
Apologies again for our errors in rushing to report the death of former ND and GM JERRY GIESLER in last week’s edition. We told you that he suffered from ALS. That was wrong, based on an old email from a former co-worker. This obituary contains both details about his life and career, as well as information about services, which will be held in Illinois next Saturday, March 14th.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Has there ever been a more tumultuous time in our industry?
Shortly after Nexstar laid off many veteran (and thus, highly paid) journalists at its three largest market stations, the company took the axe to as many as 400 creative services employees as it moves to a ‘hub system’ for graphics. That’s according to this post from NewscastStudio.com
But someone in creative services was left to produce this remarkable spot for Nexstar’s NewsNation cable channel, which takes a shot at CNN. The spot, now, has taken a lot of shots itself.
And Nexstar is not alone in coming under fire. Status also reports that CBS News staffers are concerned about the direction of editorial decisions made under new Editor in Chief BARI WEISS. The latest issue involves coverage of social media posts made two years ago by the wife of new New York City Mayor ZOHRAN MANDAMI.
Scripps has been busy, selling its Ft. Myers station, WFTX-TV (FOX) to the owner of local CBS affiliate WINK-TV, which promptly shut down the WFTX newsroom.
And Scripps bought WTVQ-TV (ABC) in Lexington, where it already owns WLEX-TV (NBC), raising questions about the future of WTVQ. More in this article, which reports the WTVQ GM is already out, and I’ve heard the same is true for its news director.
Former Milwaukee General Manager, Magid Consultant and longtime head of Hearst Media Production Group FRANK BIANCUZZO will retire later this year.
And Octopus Newsroom (an occasional advertiser on these pages) shared this news about its role in transforming newsroom production at the two Griffin Media stations in Oklahoma.
General Manager News and Notes:
KATHERINE DOUGHERTY will be the next GM for Sinclair’s KMPH-KFRE-TV in Fresno, CA. She’s been the integrated sails manager for KOIN-TV in Portland, OR.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 8, 2026:
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
WNBC/WNJU-TV 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77057
KMGH-TV 2323 Delgany St, Denver, CO 80203
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Dr. W. Sacramento, CA 95605
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St Baltimore, MD 21211
KWEX-TV 12451 Network Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78249
WITI-TV 9001 N Green Bay Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53209
KWTV 100 West Main, #100, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (see ad above!)
WAVE-TV 725 S. Floyd St. Louisville KY 40203
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
KKTV 3100 N Nevada Ave, Ste B, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WAPT-TV 7616 Channel 16 Way. Jackson, MS 39209
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WCBI-TV 201 5th Street South Columbus, MS 39701
KSNT/KTKA-TV 6835 NW HWY 24 Topeka, Kansas 66618
KSWO-TV 1401 SE 60th St. Lawton, OK 73501
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KAVU-TV. 3808 N Navarro St. Victoria, TX 77901
**: Spanish language station