September 3, 2023
Greetings:
It’s probably not unusual for another slow week leading into the holiday, though we do have TWO new news directors, but again, no openings to my knowledge.
Our list of stations with open ND jobs drops to 36, with ONE of those stations advertising its opening in our Paid Help Wanted ad section below.
We’ll tell you about a former ND turned GM making another move up the corporate ladder.
There’s ONE obituary for a longtime NBC/Telemundo executive, and a request for stories about a man whose death we reported last week.
In Names in the News, a new leader at CNN, more on the end of a long ND tenure in San Diego, a VERY unusual move from a network o-and-o which is replacing its 6:00 PM news with…Jeopardy.
That and much more below. Enjoy Labor Day, even if you have to labor Monday.
Newly Named News Directors:
Henning
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL…ADAM HENNING returns to this Allen Media Group owned ABC affiliate as ND. Adam held that job from 2005-07 and was ND for WAFF-TV in Huntsville from 2009-16. Adam has been working in marketing since leaving WHBQ-TV (FOX) in Memphis in 2021. Adam’s LinkedIn page will also show his other ND jobs. STEPHEN GALLIEN, who’s been the ND here since 2020 will become Assistant ND.
Baumann
WBUP/WBKP-TV, Marquette, MI…this ABC/CW affiliate has apparently named ALEXIS BAUMANN as its news director. That’s according to the station’s website. I’ve emailed Alexis asking how long she’s been on the job and will share her answer if/when she replies.
New News Director Openings:
I’m not aware of any new news director openings this week.
Please let me know if I’ve missed one.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
News Director, WQAD-TV, Moline, IL:
WQAD, the TEGNA-owned ABC affiliate in the Quad Cities, is looking for a passionate news director with experience motivating teams, growing talent and creating an inclusive culture.
The Quad Cities is nestled on both sides of the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois. These cities offer a refreshing combination of low cost of living in a community with world-class museums, universities, four season outdoor activities for the whole family and excellent school systems. It also hosts a PGA Tour event, the John Deere Classic, each July that raises more money for charity than most other tournaments, proving the friendliness connection and pride of its Quad Citizens.
At WQAD, we have our eyes firmly fixed on the future, always looking for new ways to engage, educate and inform our audiences. We are looking for a leader who embraces creative storytelling and investigative journalism as key components of newscasts, as well as digital, streaming and social platforms.
If you want to make a significant mark in your career, this is the steppingstone for you.
WQAD encourages our journalists to pursue their purpose, find and tell truths, listen, amplify diverse voices, and filter out disinformation to create understanding, accountability, enlightenment, and empathy.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WFOR-TV, Miami, FL (listed 9/3/23)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 8/20/23)
KENS-TV, San Antonio, TX (listed 8/20/23)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 7/9/23)
WGHP-TV, Greensboro/High Point, NC (listed 7/30/23)
WNEP-TV, Scranton, PA (listed 8/20/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WAS (listed 8/20/23)
WNCT-TV, Greenville, NC (relisted 7/9/23)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (listed 8/13/23)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (Special Projects EP, listed 8/28/23)
WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg (AM EP, relisted 8/20/23)
KSTP-TV, Minneapolis/St. Paul (listed 7/30/23)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (listed 8/20/23)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 8/6/23)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Nightside EP, listed 7/9/23)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 8/20/23)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 8/6/23)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 8/6/23)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 7/9/23)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 8/20/23)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 8/13/23)
WLEX-TV, Lexington, KY (listed 7/2/23)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 8/20/23)
WOI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 8/20/23)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 7/30/23)
WTOL-TV, Toledo, OH (listed 8/20/23)
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (Digital EP, relisted 8/20/23)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (listed 8/30/23)
WKBT-TV, La Crosse-Eau Claire, WI (listed 9/3/23)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 7/2/23)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 7/23/23)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (listed 6/11/23)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 8/27/23:
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 8/20/23:
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Director of Digital Content)
Obituaries:
Browne
DON BROWNE died Wednesday, August 30th, at the age of 80. Don was a longtime NBC executive. He was an EVP of NBC News in the early 90’s, and became GM for NBC’s WTVJ-TV in Miami where he earlier had been the bureau chief. He later became Presdient of Telemundo. We have two obituaries, first from his former station, WTVJ, and from Variety magazine.
Case
Last week’s obituary of GEORGE CASE brought several emails with fun anecdotes from some of his friends. I shared those with George’s longtime friend, KIM MONTOUR, who plans to share them with George’s family. Kim also asked if others could send along stories that she could share with George’s widow, LAURA. You can send to them Kim via an email sent here.
Names in the News:
It’s been widely reported elsewhere, so you likely already know that MARK THOMPSON is the new chairman and chief executive of CNN.
Cohen
You learned yesterday in our UPDATE that STEVE COHEN’s long tenure as ND for San Diego’s KUSI-TV ended Friday when Nexstar took over that independent station. Nexstar already owns KSWB-TV (FOX), is combining the newsrooms, with current KSWB ND RICH GOLDNER overseeing the newsroom. Steve was ND there for 20 years. If you missed our UPDATE with many more details, you can find it here.
In an unusual move for a network owned station, viewers of CBS owned KTVT-TV in Dallas will find KEN JENNINGS on their TV sets when they tune in at 6:00 PM beginning Monday, September 11. The station is replacing its 6:00 news with Jeopardy followed by Wheel of Fortune. KTVT is adding a 7:00 newscast on its independent station, KTXA-TV.
Mussoni
I heard from a few friends after reporting JOHN BOBEL‘s retirement last week. Among those was JOHN MUSSONI, who worked with us at KCCS, Missouri’s campus radio station. John went on to a great career along what he calls the Amtrak northeast corridor, working in both radio and TV in several markets, including ND jobs at multiple outlets in Philadelphia. He sent along a note, calling it an appreciation note rather than his retirement note. His email is included in that note if you want to reach out.
General Manager News and Notes:
Rogers
Congratulations to one-time news director turned general manager TRACEY ROGERS as she continues her climb up the corporate ladder. Nexstar this week promoted her to Senior Vice-President and Regional Manager. Tracey is currently GM for Nexstar’s WKRN-TV (ABC) in Nashville, has been a GM for stations in Memphis and Jonesboro, AR, and worked as an ND in Memphis, Huntsville, and Paducah, KY.
Our List of Open News Director jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, September 3, 2023:
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
KCBS-TV 4200 Radford Av. Studio City, CA 91604 (VP/ND for AM news)
KTVU-TV 2 Jack London Sq. Oakland, CA 94607
WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, GA 30324
WZDC-TV 4001 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 **
WDIV-TV 550 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226
WCCO-TV 90 S. 11th Street Minneapolis, MN 55403
WFOR-TV 8900 NW 18th Terrace Doral, FL 33172
WLTV 9405 NW 41st St, Doral, FL 33178 **
WRAL-TV 2619 Western Boulevard Raleigh NC 27606
WOOD-TV 120 College Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
WWMT-TV 590 West Maple St. Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
KFTV 3239 W Ashlan Av. Fresno, CA 93722 **
WRGB-TV 1400 Balltown Rd. Schenectady, NY 12309
WATE-TV 1306 North Broadway Knoxville, TN 37917
WACH-TV 1400 Pickens St. Columbia, SC 29201
WHNT-TV 200 Holmes Avenue Huntsville, AL 35801
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WICS-TV 2680 E. Cook St. Springfield, IL 62703
WBND-TV 53550 Generations Drive South Bend, IN 46635
WQAD-TV 3003 Park 16th Street Moline, IL 61265 (see ad above!)
WFIE-TV 1115 Mt. Auburn Road Evansville, IN 47720
KIMA-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima, WA 98901
WDIO-TV 10 Observation Road Duluth, MN 55811
KIFI-TV 1915 N. Yellowstone Hwy. Idaho Falls, ID 83401
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KGNS-TV 120 W. Del Mar Blvd. Laredo TX 78041
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KIEM-TV 5650 S Broadway St Eureka, CA 95503
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KQTV 4000 Faraon St. Joseph, MO 64506
KTVH-TV 100 W Lyndale Ave. Ste A. Helena, MT 59601
KNOP-TV 402 S. Dewey. North Platte NE 69101
**: Spanish language station