December 15, 2024
Greetings:
For mid-December (and, thus, close to the holidays) there’a lot of movement to report
There are FOUR new news directors to tell you about, with THREE new openings.
That means there are now 39 stations with ND openings.
TWO more GM retirements at Gray Television, including a former ND.
A former newsman who worked in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, and (for me) in Toledo is sentenced to five years in federal prison on child porn charges.
TWO stations celebrated outgoing news directors, while another profiled an ND who retired 21 years ago and may be the longest tenured ND in the country.
All that and more as you read on.
Newly Named News Directors:
Bonfield
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX…our Wednesday UPDATE first told you that KATHRYN BONFIELD is joining this Tegna owned CBS affiliate. New this edition: Here’s the news release. Kathryn left WJXT-TV, Graham Media’s independent station in Jacksonville, earlier this summer after 13 years. In Houston, Kathryn replaces LIZ ROLDAN who left in October after more than three years as ND.
King
KWCH-TV, Wichita, KS…KEVIN KING moves within Gray and returns to Wichita to be the next news director for this CBS affiliate. Kevin produced there earlier in his career. He’s been the ND for Gray’s KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls for 14 years (more on that below). He’s also worked in Dallas and St. Louis. Kevin replaces MICHAEL TRUETT who left last month after 18 months as ND,
Neuhoff
KDRV-TV, Medford, OR…thanks to a reader who tipped that BRAD NEUHOFF’s Linkedin page says he’s been ND for this Allen Media owned ABC affiliate since May. That’s a return to a newsroom for Brad, who left KOIN-TV in Portland, OR, in 2014. He’s also been an ND in Columbia, SC. His history, both recent and earlier, is on his aforementioned Linkedin page. He replaces JERRY HOWARD who became director of community outreach here in October, 2023.
Brown
WTRF-TV, Wheeling, WV…KERI BROWN returns to this Nexstar owned CBS/ABC operation as its next news director. She had once interned at WTRF and later became assignment editor there. GM MITZI COLEMAN sent this note to staff detailing Keri’s background. Keri replaces BRENDA DANEHART who is retiring after 20 years as ND and more than 40 at the station.
New News Director Openings:
Rozman
WKTB, Atlanta, GA…MARIA ROZMAN has left this Gray Television low-power Telemundo affiliate after just over one year as ND. She posted on Linkedin that she’s moving to New York and promised more news soon. Earlier, Maria worked in Spain and in the Canary Islands. She’s a former ND for Telemundo stations in Washington, DC and Denver, and worked for CNN and for the Univision station in Denver.
Hatten
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY…according to his Linkedin page, KEITH HATTEN’s tenure as ND for this Tegna’s owned ABC lasted only five months. Keith joined WHAS in August after two years at KPAX-TV (Scripps/CBS) in Missoula, MT. He’d also spent four plus years as the Assistant ND for Scripps’ WRTV (ABC) in Indianapolis, was an Assistant ND in West Lafayette, IN, where he began as a photographer.
KSFY-TV, Sioux Falls, SD…you learned above that KEVIN KING is leaving after 14 years to become ND for sister Gray station KWCH-TV in Wichita, KS. GM JIM BERMAN sent this kind note to other Gray GMs and other executives.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
No ads this week. If you want to reach a VERY targeted audience for your news management openings, please email me at rick@rickgevers.com
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 9/29/24)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 12/8/24)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 12/1/24)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (relisted 9/29/24)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (listed 11/3/24)
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 11/10/24)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 11/10/24)
WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted 11/10/24)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 11/10/24)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (relisted 12/1/24)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 9/29/24)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, listed 10/27/24)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 11/3/24)
Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, listed 9/29/24)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 10/13/24)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 10/13/24)
Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/27/24)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/20/24)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 9/29/24)
Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 11/17/24)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/29/29)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Senior Content Producer, listed 11/10/24)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, listing modified 10/6/24)
WYFF-TV, Greenville-Spartanburg-Ashville, (listed 10/20/24)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (relisted 9/29/24)
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (EP Lifestyle Show, listed 11/10/24)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (relisted 10/20/24)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem NC, (Weekend EP, relisted 10/20/24)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 10/20/24)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 10/20/24)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 9/29/24)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 11/17/24)
WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (listed 9/29/29)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 12/15/24:
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Streaming/Weekend Executive Producer)
Relisted 12/8/24:
Tegna, Jacksonville, or Tampa, FL (Florida Digital Director)
Relisted 12/1/24:
KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 11/24/24:
KETK-TV, Tyler TX (Digital Content Manager)
Relisted 11/17/24:
Spectrum News, Austin, TX (Managing Director)
Listed 11/3/24:
KGW-TV, Portland OR (Digital Director)
Listed 10/27/24:
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.)
Listed 10/20/24:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real Time Depth)
WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager)
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Drechsler
A federal judge followed a prosecutor’s recommendation and sentenced former KNBC-TV (Los Angeles) investigative producer PHIL DRECHSLER to five years in prison on child pornography charges. He was also fined $20,000 and, upon release, will be placed on supervised release for 15 years and must register as a sex offender. Full disclosure: I hired him as a photographer in Toledo almost 35 years ago. He also worked in Cincinnati.
WRAL-TV in Raleigh celebrated the career of retiring news director RICK GALL.
WHNS-TV (Gray/FOX) in Greenville, SC, said farewell to ND MARYBETH JACOBY who is moving to sister Gray station WIS-TV in Columbia, SC, as ND.
Giles
And WISH-TV in Indianapolis profiled former ND LEE GILES as part of the station’s 70th anniversary. Lee retired in 2003 but was among the longest tenured ND in the country at 35 years. (Personal note: We had lunch a month ago and he’s still doing well.)
BETH JOHNSON, a former EP who now trains producers, suggests managers look to non-traditional candidates to fill openings.
Researchers at Kansas University found readers trusted news less when they thought AI was involved in its production, even if they didn’t know to what extent.
General Manager News and Notes:
Two more retirements of general managers at Gray TV stations, including former ND turned GM HOLLY STEUART. Holly’s been GM at WTVM-TV in Columbus, GA, since 2013 and has held several other GM and ND positions as her Linkedin page will tell you. Also retiring is SCOTT SANDERS who’s been GM for WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach, SC, since 2020.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, December 8, 2024:
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
WPHL-TV 5001 Wynnefield Ave. Ste 3. Philadelphia, PA 19131
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, Georgia 30096 **
KIAH-TV 7700 Westpark Drive Houston, TX 77063
WTVT-TV 3213 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180
WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229
WHNS-TV 21 Interstate Court. Greenville, SC 29615
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WHAS- 520 W Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202
WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (News Manager)
KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706
KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WOWK-TV 350 Quarrier St, Charleston, WV 25301
WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801
WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WSAV-TV 1430 East Victory Drive Savannah, GA 31404
KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834
KSFY-TV 325 S 1st Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201
KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Road, Rockford, IL 61101
KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX 79765
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station